Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is one of the most spectacular canyons in North America. Situated near Montrose, Colorado the canyon sneaks up on you when you drive up into the hills. Through the national park gate and into the first overlook it’s striking how this giant canyon is just… there. No geological features indicate something amazing is up in them hills. Amazingly, parts of the canyon only receive 33 minutes of sunlight per day, hence the name Black Canyon. It’s also fitting that the night sky is just as dark, with the Black Canyon gaining the distinction as an International Dark Sky Park.

There are hiking trails throughout the park that take you down to the Gunnison River. But you can drive to all the overlooks in an afternoon. The second to last overlook is literally called Sunset View Overlook and it does not disappoint.