Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is absolutely worth visiting. The canyon is stunning,…read moreand there are numerous overlooks that provide incredible views without requiring a hike. If you do enjoy hiking, there are several trails to choose from as well. One thing we really appreciated was that the park is pet-friendly. Dogs are allowed on all overlooks and on select trails, which are clearly marked, making it easy to plan your visit if you're traveling with a pet. The park has a visitor center, restrooms, and drinking water fountains, but they do not sell bottled water, so be sure to bring plenty with you--especially during the summer. Many of the trails are fairly short, but there is very little shade, so you'll be in direct sunlight for much of your visit. We visited shortly after a wildfire, so there were some burned trees and shrubs throughout the park. Even so, the scenery was still incredibly beautiful and well worth the trip. If you don't have an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass, admission is $30 per vehicle. Overall, this is a fantastic park with breathtaking views, whether you're stopping at the overlooks or spending the day hiking.

Where to start? I love a National Park and this is no exception. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a…read morefairly understated park, as in many folks don't know about it. It's further out west in Colorado so it takes a bit of effort to find yourself here but you will be rewarded if you venture out west. First of all this part of Colorado is gorgeous and a bit less traveled so you'll have more space to yourself which is lovely. The canyon itself is incredible. It reminded me a lot of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone if you've ever seen that. We did several smaller hikes around the rim as we had little kids in tow. Be sure to hold onto those small hands as I was pretty nervous about them falling in since it's just a big ol' drop around the edges. All that being said, this is a great park and I'd love to return sometimes without kids or when the kids are older to do one of the bigger hikes.

August 8-14, 2026 - Ridgway, CO…read more This is an awesome campground! Actually, this state park has three separate campgrounds. We stayed at the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk Campground. The views were from our campsite were amazing, and there was so much to enjoy right at the park. It has a river, fishing ponds, a lake, numerous hiking trails, and excellent camper amenities, including a laundry room and full hookups. We had such a great time here and loved having so many things to do without having to travel far. The campground is also conveniently located near Ridgway, Ouray, Telluride, and many other great destinations. We would definitely recommend this campground and would stay here again.

We randomly stopped into this state park and it was such an amazing experience and just so…read morebeautiful! If you park in the visitor parking lot for more than 15 minutes, the park fee is $10. Visitor center has really informative and friendly rangers and definitely stop in to pick up a gift from Colorado! Ranger also let me know a few trails had interpretative education so follow the numbers and he gave me a guide for what each number means. Cool learning experience. State parks in Colorado are self sufficient, so taxes don't support the parks and the state parks reliant on fees they charge. I'd gladly support any state park any day. The views here are mind-blowing and we got to stroll around a bit and our dog also enjoyed the park and trails. We will definitely be stopping in here again when passing through, well worth the stop!

Oh.Em.Gee! Love this…read moretrail! It covers largely 3,200 acres of the Uncompahgre Plateau equipped with trails for hikers, snowshoeing, horseback riding, mountain biking, ATV's and even motorcycles. OK, so lets hit the trail! You'll love all of the ponderosa pines as you wind your way through the forest! One of the things we enjoyed most, is that they have numbered "stations" along the trail that entice, educate, and encourage you to use descriptions as clues, sort of like a treasure hunt in the forest! They even say if you look closely, you may see "evidence of multiple ecosystems, traces of past life that swam in an ancient sea, plants that actually communicate with each other, and traces of history that shaped our lives." All in all the trail was filled with timeless beauty, gorgeous views and adventure-seeking fun! I definitely want to go back and explore more of it! Be Happy Outside!

August 13, 2026 - Ridgway, CO…read more Definitely worth a stop. This peaceful little park is dedicated to Dennis Weaver, who lived and died in Ridgway. It's serene, beautiful, and has a wonderful sense of place. Dennis Weaver was a prolific actor who was best known for his roles in Gunsmoke, McCloud, and the movie "Duel". This memorial park was designed and built by his family. One of my favorite touches is the poem Dennis Weaver wrote about an eagle, featured along the path. In the center of the Zen Circle, a striking bronze eagle watches over the park. You can make your own prayer-rock stack and add it to the collection--a simple, peaceful little ritual. There are hiking trails, plus a lovely grassy picnic area right along the river. It's the kind of place where you slow down, wander a bit, and just enjoy the surroundings.

This is a beautiful park. There are hiking trails up or around the hill, areas for picnics, a…read morereflection circle, or choose the pedestrian and biking trail along the river.

The Buzzard Gulch Trails are super solid and so much fun for beginner-advanced mountain bikers and…read moremost all abilities for hikers, runners and horseback riders. This trail system is comprised of mostly flat terrain (with a few ups and downs) surrounded by an array of pinyon, sagebrush, cacti and many other beautiful native flowers and brush. There are several single-track routes/loops you can take...we've done them all. Broken Antler has a section with a lot of rocks and can be challenging for beginners. P.J. Way is somewhat steep and narrow going up/down. When going down, be sure to yield the way to uphill bikers, et al. Pets are welcome but of course be considerate of the safety of your furry pal(s) and those on the trail. The overlook is spectacular! Take in the views and lots of pix! Love love Buzzard Gulch! It's a must!

Dog owners ruin trails with poop! I had not been to this trail for a couple years and I was so…read morebummed yesterday with all the pet waste on the trail. It's dry desert and it's not going away soon. I don't know who's more responsible but if you're biking and your dog is off leash, it's more likely that you're not stopping to pick it up. Dog owners could do something about this, and I'm not talking about leaving it in forgotten bags either

The Electric Hills Trail System is the newest addition of mountain biking/hiking trails in…read moreMontrose! Located off of CO-90, Electric Hills boasts 18 miles of awesome terrain for beginners to advanced mountain bikers! Here's the lowdown on the routes: #1 Electric Avenue (intermediate) 1.5 miles #2 Linscott Canyon Trail (easy/intermediate) 0.8 miles #3 Cliffline Trail (easy/intermediate) 0.4 miles #4 Shavano Loop (easy/intermediate) 3.0 miles #5 Shock Therapy (intermediate/difficult) 2.4 miles #6 Ohm-Ward Bound (intermediate) 0.9 miles #7 Flux Capacitor (intermediate/difficult) 4.3 miles #8 Rolling Blackout (difficult) 0.5 miles #9 Short Circuit (easy/intermediate) 0.9 miles #10 Power Bill (intermediate) 1.0 miles #11 Power Up (intermediate) 0.4 miles #12 Upper Access to Power Up (intermediate) 1.8 miles We did the 3 mile Shavano Loop which was pretty easy. Can't wait to go back and hit up more advanced trails! Be happy outside!

The 17.5 mile trail system was purpose built for intermediate to advanced mountain biking, but it's…read moregreat for hiking .

Everyone needs to go to the South Rim and of course you need to see this side too!…read moreIt's breathtaking, stunning, "nothing else like it on the planet " type of views! Truly, zero exaggeration. Just come to this epic National Park! Both rims!! ASAP!

The North Rim Ranger Station is situated off of the North Rim Road - it covers the western part of…read morethe park and the north side of the Black Canyon. This part of the park receives a lot less visitors due to it's distance from main paved roads. To get here requires a bit of a drive down back roads, some gravel - some dirt. The Ranger Station monitors recreation use in the area, as well as the North Rim Campground. There are no amenities here - other than a privy-style restroom.

The facilities are great but the problems are the policies. The staff are polite, this is not…read moredirected at them. There are plenty of 24 hour gyms who's hours are much more accommodating for people trying to get healthy or up their cardio. MRC closes way too soon and opens really late. That's its first problem. My wife was told she couldn't have our 7 month old baby anywhere with her except the jog track and the pool. Mind you my wife has our baby strapped to her chest while she works out at all times. She does not use the equipment. She does not use the gym machines. She does not occupy areas occupied by other gym members lifting weights. She finds an unoccupied area not being used and does stretches and exercises prescribed by her physical therapist with her baby. Being new parents we are not comfortable leaving our baby with strangers in their child watch area. I'm sure all the parents here can understand that. The child care team members I have met are very kind and polite. This is a parental instinct and concern not an accusation against the staff. There was no exception made or solution sought-after for my wife's workout needs and her parental rights. The policy gets in the way of the gym member trying to use the facility. I understand safety and liability rules and I don't begrudge MRC for taking precautions but excluding parents from more than half of the centers options for a liability clause rather than trying to find a work around for a mother who's schedule with a newborn is hard enough doesn't really serve the community. This is not the first time or the first person who has been turned away from MRC because of a stupid policy. A gym needs to be accommodating to the needs of its members. Golds gym has excellent accommodation in the smallest matters for its members. Anytime fitness is available at 2 in the morning if your schedule is full. MRC is inflexible and it's management had a, "my way or the high way" kind of mentality. My wife has physical therapy she is going through due to complications with her pregnancy and she is also a mother of a newborn baby. MRC couldn't be bothered to accommodate her as a gym member needing a place for physical therapy and motherhood. I wonder what else and who else they would ignore for their backwards policies.

What a find after camping for 5 days! Clean and beautiful…read moreshower rooms Staff friendly and helpful