Upper Black Canyon Boat Tour

The Upper Black Canyon was first explored by Europeans, Juan Rivera's band of Spanish explorers, looking for passage to the California coast in 1765.  By the early 1800's fur trappers were roaming the canyon in search of wild game.  It wasn't until 1853 that the first official exploration, led by Captain John W. Gunnison searched for a possible transcontinental railroad route.  Gunnison proclaimed the rugged country as totally unsuitable for a railroad and moved on into Utah, where he and all but four of the eleven members in his group were killed by a band of Paiute on October 26, 1853.  Later explorers agreed with Gunnison about the rugged terrain of the area and no hopes of building a railroad, but when rich mineral deposits were discovered on Colorado’s western slopes and in California, there was renewed urgency to find transport for the gold and other precious minerals.  Once again, surveyors and engineers began to search for a railroad path through the daunting canyon.  By the early 1880’s, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was on its way west across Colorado and before long, the company began the challenge of blasting and carving a narrow gauge railroad from the hard rock walls of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River.   A feat previously considered impossible, in August of 1882, the first Denver & Rio Grande train rolled out of the canyon.   Railroad engineers took trains through the Black Canyon for the next 67 years.  The Denver and Rio Grande made its Black Canyon route the cornerstone of its “Scenic Line of the World” passenger promotions and featured the Curecanti Needle on its emblem.  The railroad started as a primary method to transport mine ore, and later evolved to scenic tours and livestock transport.  As cars and trucks started to traverse the Colorado mountains the railroad made it's last scenic excursion in 1949.  The rails and ties were removed and later the canyon was flooded in 1968 when the Morrow Point Dam was completed.

An overlook view of the Upper Black Canyon where the Narrow Gauge Railroad once ran.

We pushed away from the dock right on time at 10:00 AM for this 90 minute boat tour

Narrator Edward and Captain Phil guide the vessel deeper into Black Canyon. 

Michelle and Jim have great seats to see the sights; even the boat roof is clear for sightseeing.

We approach the first corner in the trip.

The canyon opens up to reveal yet another twist and turn.

The walls of the canyon are primarily granite, however some igneous and metamorphic rock is found here as well.

A view of Chaita Falls found a few miles into the trip.  This is the only known nesting area of Black Swallows in the canyon.

The majestic Curecanti Needle which has been a landmark for generations of natives, explorers, trappers and passengers on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, and today us! 

The backside view of the Needle.  It was an earthquake fault that separated the granite spire from the canyon wall.

A sharp turn coming up.

 An interesting transition of sheer granite wall to a steep meadow.

Lighter colored rock, metamorphic perhaps.

We had no idea we would see alligators here!  OK it's a trick, it's driftwood!

A line of (probably) quartz rich mineral defines a seam in the large granite rock.

After Captain Phil turned about, he put the throttle down as we threw a wake on the way back to the dock.

More majesty of the Upper Black Canyon.

The sheer flat wall is Schist rock that shears off in well defined planes.

The patterned rock we believe Edward said was Gneiss Granite.

The crew takes in the sights of the canyon.

More rocks as magnificent as they are.

An entertained crew is a happy crew!

 Wow!

This is one of two remaining telegraph poles left in the canyon.  Telegraph was used in the early days of the railroad.

Impressive.

Captain Phil stopped the boat on the way back for the "Money Shot" of the Curecanti Needle.  This is the image that was used for decades to advertise the Denver & Rio Grande Scenic Railroad Line, as seen on the sign on the boat railing below.

The same view, unobstructed by the boat railing.

Almost back to the dock now.

And so goes the crew of happy campers.