Colorado · National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Black Canyon of the Gunnison charges $30 per private vehicle, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). The $80 America the Beautiful pass beats paying at the gate after 3 visits. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $7.50 each to enter, which favors driving yourself.
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $30 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $30 | $30 |
| 2 people | $30 | $15 |
| 4 people | $30 | $7.50 |
| 6 people | $30 | $5 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $30. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30 | 7-Day Vehicle Pass. Entrance fees cover all persons in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle. |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25 | Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15 | 7-Day Individual Pass (pedestrian or bicycle) |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25 | Commercial tour fee for vehicle/bus with seating capacity of 1-6 persons. Fee is $25.00 per vehicle plus $7.00 per passenger. |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $40 | Commercial tour fee for vehicle/bus with seating capacity of 7-25. Fee is $40.00 per vehicle. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $40 | Commercial tour fee for vehicle/bus with seating capacity of 7-25. Fee is $40.00 per vehicle. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $100 | Commercial tour fee for vehicle/bus with seating capacity of 26 or more. Fee is $100.00 per vehicle. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $30 | Non-commercial vehicles with a vehicle capacity of 15 or fewer: $30.00 per vehicle, regardless of the number of passengers. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15 | Non-commercial vehicles with a vehicle capacity of 16 or greater: $15.00 per passenger (including driver). Fees will not exceed the commercial fee for the same-sized vehicle. Youth 15 and under are free. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Black Canyon of the Gunnison via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 3 visits at $30 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $55.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. June had 22% of the year; December was the quietest month, with about 7% of the busiest month’s visits.
Show the numbers
| Month | 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 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
2 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026. Showing the most serious first.
Caution No Water Available in Park
Water systems throughout the park have been shut off for the winter season, October to April. Please plan ahead and bring your own drinking water. Details on nps.gov
Information Cashless Operations
Black Canyon's operations are now cashless. South Rim Campground is by reservation only via Recreation.gov. East Portal & North Rim campground sites are first-come first-served and accept payment using Scan & Pay through Recreation.gov's mobile app. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
The South Rim is open 24 hours a day.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Astronomy
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Birdwatching
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Front-Country Hiking
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Kayaking
- Paddling
- Park Film
- RV Camping
- Rock Climbing
- Shopping
- Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- +2 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
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How much does it cost to enter Black Canyon of the Gunnison by car?
The NPS lists $30 per private vehicle (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
When is Black Canyon of the Gunnison busiest?
June had the most recreation visits in 2025 (22% of the year). December had the fewest, so June drew about 13.5 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
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TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.