America’s National Parks
Puzzle 39 · The Rocky Mountains · Page 59 in print
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Gneiss, pronounced nice, is the predominant rock in the Black Canyon; it has bands, layers or lenses of blocky crystals such as feldspar alternating with bands of a flat, plate-like mineral such as mica.
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The narrow depths of Black Canyon.
NPS Photo/Ethan Crump · Public domain (U.S. federal government work) · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
Gneiss is one of the ancient rocks exposed by the canyon.
NPS/A. Fitzgerald · Public domain (U.S. federal government work) · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
The words
Chasm View
Chasm View, the overlook above the steep canyon walls.
Devils Lookout
Devils Lookout, a named South Rim overlook.
Dragon Point
Dragon Point, a named South Rim overlook.
East Portal
East Portal, the historic community established during Gunnison Tunnel construction.
Gneiss
Gneiss, the metamorphic rock present in the canyon walls.
Gunnison River
The Gunnison River, the river that carved the Black Canyon.
John Gunnison
John Williams Gunnison, the explorer after whom the river was named.
Kneeling Camel
Kneeling Camel View, a named canyon overlook.
Painted Wall
The Painted Wall, the canyon wall displaying bands of pink pegmatite.
Pegmatite
Pegmatite, the igneous rock forming pink bands in the Painted Wall.
Peregrine
The peregrine falcon, the bird living among the canyon cliffs.
Precambrian
Precambrian basement rock, the ancient rock exposed in the canyon.
Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock Overlook, a viewpoint above the canyon's exposed metamorphic rocks.
Tomichi Point
Tomichi Point, the overlook above the Gunnison River.
Warner Point
Warner Point, a named overlook and hiking-trail destination in the park.
Sources
- Park Brochure - Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National ParkNational Park Service
- East Portal & the Gunnison Tunnel - Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National ParkNational Park Service
- Rocks and Minerals - Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National ParkNational Park Service
- Rivers and Streams - Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National ParkNational Park Service