Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
2% qualify as Gold Medal Water.) However, strict regulations are enforced to maintain
this status. A Colorado fishing license is required and bait fishing is not a llowed - only
lures and flies. If caught, all rainbow trout must be released, and a limit of four brown
trout per person per day (with a bag limit of eight) applies. Fishing within 200 yards of the
Crystal Dam is prohibited.
The best access to the river is down the summer-only East Portal Rd. Anglers can also
access the river from one of the many tracks leading into the canyon; however, they are
extremely steep and difficult, and anyone attempting this should be very fit. A free back-
country permit must be obtained from the South Rim Visitor Center or the
North Rim Ranger
Station
(
8.30am-4pm, closed mid-Nov-mid-Apr)
.
Rock Climbing
Mountain climbers who know what they are doing and have their own equipment can get
their kicks in Black Canyon - this is not a place for beginners. Routes are not well charted
and even the easier climbs are multi-pitch traditional routes in remote areas of the canyon.
If you are an experienced climber, this is a wonderful site. Most of the climbing in the
park occurs on the North and South Chasms, which measure 1820ft. Black Canyon is also
home to Colorado's tallest vertical cliff, Painted Wall, measuring 2300ft from the bottom
of the canyon and named for its fabulous marble stripes. There are a number of different
climbing routes to the top of Painted Wall. Check the park website for updates - when we
visited, some routes were closed due to nesting raptors (it's a national park after all).
For information on specific routes and difficulty levels, visit the park's excellent web-
site. Also check out
Black Canyon Rock Climbs
by Robbie Williams.
Sleeping
The park has three campgrounds although only one is open all year round. Water is
trucked into the park and only the
East Portal Campground
( 970-249-1915;
www.nps.gov/blca
;
camp-
sites $12; spring-fall)
has river-water access. Firewood is not provided and may not be col-
lected in the national park - campers must bring their own firewood into the camp-
grounds.
Information
South Rim Visitor Center
( 800-873-0244, 970-249-1915;
www.nps.gov/blca
;
8am-6pm summer,
8:30am-4pm fall, winter & spring)
Two miles past the park entrance on South Rim Dr, the visitor
