How much is the entrance fee?

NPS lists $30 for a private vehicle, $25 for a motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bicycle.

What is the busiest month?

In 2025 the busiest month was June with 55,009 recreation visits. December was the quietest with 4,069.

Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated. NPS lists pets as permitted on 7 of 16 things to do.

Does the park take the America the Beautiful pass?

Yes, the park accepts it for entrance. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80.

Is the North Rim open in winter?

NPS says the North Rim Road and ranger station close in winter and early spring. It gives mid-November for the road closing and early May for reopening.

All parks › Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Private vehicle entrance: $30^[1]
Busiest month (2025): June^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 250,086^[3]
Campgrounds: 4^[4]

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison is a National Park in Colorado^[5]. NPS lists a $30 entrance fee for a private vehicle^[1], and the park accepts the America the Beautiful pass^[6].

Entrance fees and passes

Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.

Fee or pass	Price
Private Vehicle^[1]	$30
Motorcycle^[7]	$25
Per Person^[8]	$15
Non-commercial Groups^[9]	$30
Non-commercial Groups^[10]	$15
Annual Entrance - Park^[11]	$55

The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here^[6].

America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.

Pass	Who can get it	Price
Resident Annual Pass^[12]	US citizens and residents	$80
Non-Resident Annual Pass^[12]	Non-US residents	$250
Senior Annual Pass^[12]	US citizens and residents 62+ years old	$20
Senior Lifetime Pass^[12]	US citizens and residents 62+ years old	$80
Military Annual Pass^[12]	Current US military and dependents	Free
Military Lifetime Pass^[12]	Gold Star Family members and veterans	Free
Access Pass^[12]	US citizens and residents with permanent disability	Free
4th Grade Pass^[12]	US 4th graders	Free
Volunteer Pass^[12]	Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours	Free

When to visit and hours

NPS counted 55,009 recreation visits in June 2025, the busiest month that year, and 4,069 in December, the quietest^[2]. The South Rim is open around the clock^[13]. The North Rim Road and ranger station close in winter and early spring, and NPS gives mid-November for the road closing and early May for reopening^[14]. NPS lists a winter season from 2026-11-25 to 2027-04-29^[14]. NPS describes summer daytime temperatures of 55 to 90F and winter daytime temperatures of 15 to 40F^[15]. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and NPS suggests layered clothing^[15].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, June, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	9,005
February	7,578
March	10,761
April	12,018
May	41,912
June	55,009
July	23,218
August	15,962
September	37,119
October	23,148
November	10,287
December	4,069

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	308,910
2022^[3]	297,257
2023^[3]	357,069
2024^[3]	335,862
2025^[3]	250,086

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 4 campgrounds here^[4]. The South Rim campground has 89 sites, East Portal has 15, and the two North Rim listings have 14 and 13^[4]. Nightly individual-site fees listed by NPS range from $10 to $34^[4].

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison South Rim Campground, 89 sites^[4]
East Portal Campground, 15 sites
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison North Rim Campground, 14 sites
North Rim Campground, 13 sites

Pets and dogs

Under the national park pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet where they are allowed^[16]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on public transportation, with service animals excepted^[16]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 7 of its 16 listed things to do, and the park can close more areas to pets^[17]^[16].

Before you go

Confirm fees and hours on the official park page before you go, since they change^[1].
The Resident Annual Pass costs $80 and the Senior Annual Pass costs $20^[12].
An annual pass for this park alone is listed at $55^[11].
NPS says the 7-day vehicle pass covers everyone in one private vehicle^[1].
NPS lists 1 thing to do that needs a reservation^[17].

Questions people ask

How much is the entrance fee?: NPS lists $30 for a private vehicle^[1], $25 for a motorcycle^[7], and $15 per person on foot or bicycle^[8].
What is the busiest month?: In 2025 the busiest month was June with 55,009 recreation visits^[2]. December was the quietest with 4,069^[2].
Are dogs allowed?: Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated^[16]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 7 of 16 things to do^[17].
Does the park take the America the Beautiful pass?: Yes, the park accepts it for entrance^[6]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80^[12].
Is the North Rim open in winter?: NPS says the North Rim Road and ranger station close in winter and early spring^[14]. It gives mid-November for the road closing and early May for reopening^[14].

Facts and sources

Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $30. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 308,910, 2022: 297,257, 2023: 357,069, 2024: 335,862, 2025: 250,086. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in Colorado. National Park Service
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $25. National Park Service
Entrance fee, Per Person: $15. National Park Service
Entrance fee, Non-commercial Groups: $30. National Park Service
Entrance fee, Non-commercial Groups: $15. National Park Service
Annual Entrance - Park: $55. National Park Service
America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
Operating hours, South Rim: The South Rim is open 24 hours a day. National Park Service
Operating hours, North Rim: The park is open 24 hours a day, but the North Rim Road and ranger station are closed in winter and early spring. The road typically closes mid-November and reopens early May. Listed exceptions: Winter Season 2026-11-25 to... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 16 things to do at Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park: Tour the South Rim Drive, Cross-country Skiing at Black Canyon, Snowshoeing at Black Canyon, Hike Rim Rock Trail - South Rim, Hike Uplands Trail - South Rim, Stargazing at Black... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.