There is no in-park lodging at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, but there are overnight options in the nearby communities of Montrose, Gunnison, and Crested Butte, Colorado. If you feel like pitching a tent beneath the stars, you can do so at two campgrounds within the national park, and one campground at nearby Curecanti National Recreation Area which is only accessed via the national park.
Note: Black Canyon National Park is a cashless park and accepts only debit/credit cards to pay for entrance fees and campsites.
Black Canyon National Park has two campgrounds - one on either rim. South Rim Campground has both reservable and first-come, first-served sites. North Rim Campground has first-come, first-served sites only. Located within Curecanti National Recreation Area, but adjacent to, and only accessible from, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is the East Portal Campground, with first-come, first-served sites.
South Rim Campground (May 18-September 30, 2026) offers 88 campsites (23 with electric hookups), including two ADA-accessible sites. Standard non-electric sites are $20 per night and sites with electric hookups are $34 nightly. Maximum RV/vehicle-trailer length is 55 feet. Drinking water is available seasonally. Trash collection and vault toilets are available year-round. Reservations are required through recreation.gov. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount.
Note: Due to wildfire damage, Loops B (where electric hookups are located) and C are closed until further notice. Also, only one ADA-accessible site is open (A021).
North Rim Campground (May 1 - October 31, 2026) is remote and has 13 sites dispersed among pinyon and juniper trees. Sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sites are $20 per night payable through Recreation.gov's Scan And Pay mobile app. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Drinking water and trash collection are available seasonally, and vault toilets and food storage lockers are available year-round.
The last seven miles (11.3 kilometers) of the North Rim Road and the campground road are unpaved. Services are very limited. To protect vegetation and forest resources, please use designated tent pads and do not tie, hang, or attach anything to trees. Maximum combined length of RV, car and/or trailer is 22 feet (6.7 meters). Generators are prohibited. There are no ADA-accessible sites. Elevation: 7,767 ft (2,367.4 meters).
East Portal Campground (April 15 - September 30, 2026) offers 15 sites (10 walk-in tent-only) for $20 per night through Recreation.gov's Scan And Pay mobile app. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. There are no ADA-accessible sites. While the maximum RV length is 22 feet (6.7 meters), trailers are not permitted, and any vehicles 22 feet and over in length are not allowed on the East Portal Road, with its 16 percent grade and sharp, narrow curves. Vault toilets, drinking water, trash collection and food storage lockers are available seasonally.
The campground is located at the bottom of the canyon, along the Gunnison River. It is a small campground shaded by box elder trees. East Portal Road is closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians and cyclists in winter. The Bureau of Reclamation determines when the East Portal Road closes. Elevation: 6,526 feet.
- By Rebecca Latson - June 2nd, 2026 9:09am
