Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Telluride, and Ouray Colorado all in one!

On our trip visiting all the National Parks in Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison was the park that I was least excited to see. I figured we would pop in just to say we went there but nothing really all that memorable would be taken from it. Boy, I was wrong. Don’t get me wrong the park is not the largest. Nor does not have the most family friendly things to do but the views are completely spectacular. I have yet to go to the Grand Canyon but I must assume that this is a close second in terms of sheer depth of the canyons.

After getting over the uneasy feeling in my tummy, I was able to go to the edge of the large boulders and start to take it all in. The cool breeze pushing straight up from the canyon below. The sound of the rushing Gunnison River carving its way through the canyon and watching the birds fly below where you are standing really has a way to melt away the stresses of today.

Spending a day and a half in the park gave us a lot of great views and memories made. The best part of the park though came in the night. We will get to that a little bit later. First let’s cover some of the basics and family friendly things to do in the park.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Family Friendly Hikes

Like all parks we visit, the first thing we do is head to the visitor’s center so we can do the usual rituals. Kaitlin finds a shirt that she likes and buys it.  The boys wander around like feral animals until they find something they want to buy. Then after spending $100 we go to the Ranger to get the low down on the park and what they recommend for hikes. Well, this time the Ranger came up with “there really is no family friendly hikes here”. She explained that all the hikes in the park are either moderate, strenuous, or difficult. Then explained that the park is mainly a thrill seeker park for advanced hikers, mountain climbers, and other extreme outdoor activities.

She did give us some good advice though. She said that if we drive down the South Rim road we would come across a lot of pull offs with stunning viewpoints. All of which can be achieved by a small walk anywhere from 100 yards off the road to 600 yards off the road. We decided to spend the day going down these small trails and taking in the views.

My personal favorite pull offs are Painted Wall and Dragon Point. Both of which will give you stunning views of the shear drop offs and river below…BUT all the pull offs are worth their own time and energy to achieve the stunning views of the Canyon below.

Half the Park is in the Dark

“Half the park is in the dark” was a sign I came across in the visitor’s center. Listening to some of the rangers and NPS workers talk to each other I concluded that that night was going to be a perfect night for star gazing. You see Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is also a dark sky park. That would allow us to see thousands of stars and even the milky way with your naked eye. This was a bucket list item for me so we decided to head out about ten o’clock that night.

Driving into the park at night, be sure to take it slow. It should come to no surprise but this park is dark at night. So dark that it devours the light immitted from your headlights.  We drove into the park and found a perfect small parking lot to get out and start observing. We were able to see the milky way, shooting stars, thousands of stars, and even satellites.

 I will never forget the kids looking straight up in amazement. Happy and excited to see all Gods glory out there. Killian asking how he could be a scientist and study stars when he grows up. It was magical out there and I am forever thankful to be able to share that moment with my family. We spent about 2 hours there and then decided to head back down to Montrose to get some sleep.

Montrose/Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park KOA Journey

For the first time on our entire trip we had a campground that had some damn shade. I was so thankful for that Montrose/Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park KOA Journey is the perfect location for setting up basecamp for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. You are only about 10 minutes away from the entrance to the park. Located right in the town of Montrose you have all the shopping, restaurants, and needed conveyances you could ask for.

As far as the KOA itself, well it is everything that you come to expect from a KOA.  The pull through full hookup sites are big rig friendly. Offer 50-amp service, great water pressure, sewer, and even cable hookup. The park Wi-Fi is spectacular and the cable is not “snowy” at all, something we normally come across in RV Parks. Did I mention the water pressure is great? After a week of super low pressure, it has been nice to take real showers every night inside the camper.

Other amenities include a pool, hot tub, and a small store that offers some of the needed camping supplies that are common. For the price of this park, you cannot find a better option out here. Trust me I looked, there are other parks but they do not give you everything that this KOA gives you in one affordable package.

Horsefly Brewing Company

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience while staying in Montrose, I suggest Horsefly Brewing Company. It is located right up the road, almost within walking distance of the Montrose KOA. They have unique options and are another brewery that utilizes local meats and produce. They also have plenty of seating inside, out of the heat or they offer a nice covered patio that will at least get you out of the sun.

We started off with fried cauliflower with a pineapple wing sauce. We love fried cauliflower but it has to be cooked perfectly. Not soggy, not to hard, not burnt. Horsefly Brewing nailed it, they were perfect and delicious.  I ended up getting the peanut butter and jelly burger. It may sound gross but it is a locally sourced beef patty, cheese, bacon, peanut butter, and a jelly spread. It was a perfect blend of sweet and savory and was cooked to perfection. I paired that with tater tots and it was almost too much food to finish…. almost. Kaitlin got a chicken wrap, Jameson the usual mac and cheese, and Killian a cheeseburger slider. Both boys got root beer floats made with the Horsefly homemade root beer.

As far as beer goes they had some really nice options. The Porter was my favorite annual beer they had. Season beers that I enjoyed was a coconut porter, and pecan porter, and my favorite was a green chili ale. With just enough heat to be noticeable but not enough heat to make it undrinkable on a 90-degree day. It was perfect. Unfortunately, they did not have any of the seasonal beer in cans so I just had to enjoy out of the tap and not bring any back to the camper with me.

Ouray Colorado

Located only a short 40-minute drive from Montrose Colorado tucked away in a San Juan Mountains is the small town of Ouray Colorado. This small town is at an elevation of 7,792. I think it is the perfect place to stop in and spend a half a day or so shopping at the local shops. Ouray is also referred to as the Switzerland of America. Now I have never been to Switzerland but I can tell you that the view surrounding this charming town is stunning.

It is also called the Jeep Capital of the World. I can see why, honestly if I was not driving my Jeep I would have felt out of place. Located just miles away from many Jeep Badge of Honor Trails people come from all over the United States to test their skill and the endurance of their rig. If you are a Jeep Wrangler fan you will enjoy sitting on the rooftop seating of the Ouray Brewery and watching all of the Jeep Rigs drive by.

Telluride Colorado

Now after visiting Ouray, you must make the 1 hour and 15-minute drive to Telluride. Telluride is at an elevation of 8,750. It is a lot bigger than Ouray with more than double the population. With that being said I still highly recommend Telluride. I enjoyed my time there tremendously. Park along the street and walk up and down the main drag. Do some shopping and enjoy some good food.

If you are looking for an adventure once you leave Ouray you can take The Last Dollar Road. This road is a dirt path that will lead you straight to Telluride. It is not faster than taking the highway but it is a hell of a lot more fun. If you are an experienced off roader with a rig worthy of the mountains you may want to test your skills on Black Bear Pass. This pass is not for the faint of heart and I will be the first to tell you there was not a single bone in my body that was willing to take this pass. But if you are braver than me, it will drop you off right in the heart of Telluride once you complete the trail.

Strong House Brew Pub

Anyway, back to Telluride. While visiting make sure you work up an appetite and head down to Strong House Brew Pub. Out of our entire Colorado vacation, visiting different restaurants and breweries along the way. Strong House Brew Pub not only has the best food, but they also have the best beer. Kaitlin and I both got the B.L.F.G.T. It is a BLT with a friend green tomato, applewood smoked bacon, and Basil Garlic Aioli on Texas Toast. Holy crap was it good. Not only good but the portions were huge. More than enough to fill you up. We paired that with the Strong house Salad and it made for a fulfilling dinner. Once again, the best food on our entire trip!

The beer was equally as fulfilling as the food. I was able to get a flight so I could try all the flavors that I was wanting to and still be able to drive us back to the campground. My personal favorites were the Red and the Honey Ginger Ale. With a perfect blend of honey and just a hint of ginger this beer is an easy summer sipper that I wish I could have shipped back to my house on a regular basis.