Trip
Hiking – Black Canyon National Park - Warner Route
Plunge down to the Gunnison River on the Warner Route. A steep 3000 ft descent on an unmaintained trail ... and return the same way.
Contacts
- Sun, Nov 16, 2025
- Western Slope
- Hiking
- Adults
- Challenging
- Mileage: 6.0 mi
- Elevation Gain: 3,000 ft
- 1 (3 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
NPS limits group size to 4. If more people want to go, I'll need a co-leader to get another permit. A total of 23 people are allowed down this route per day, but that is never a problem in the shoulder seasons.
If you like trekking poles, this is certainly a place to use them!
The NPS website suggests this route takes 6-7 hours. I don't bomb downhill - don't want sahib's knee! - and a comfortable uphill for me that allows for conversation is about 750 ft/hour, which is consistent with the NPS estimate. Add another 1 to 1.5 hours hanging out along the river, a total of 8-9 hours?
I have done part of this hike previously, but not the whole thing.
If you are particularly sensitive to poison ivy, the inner canyon has a fierce reputation. I haven't seen any on this route, but I haven't been all the way to the river.
Meet at 8.30am at the Warner Trail trailhead, at the end of South Rim Road.
Required Equipment
- lunch
- clothing adequate for hiking in the November canyon shade - on the cool side