Colorado · Cross-country skiing

South Rim Road

South Rim RoadPhoto: The Dye Clan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
6.0 mi
distance
583 ft
climb
8,289 ft
high point
Moderate
difficulty
May–Oct
best months

Is South Rim Road open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists an alert for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

  • No Water Available in Park

    Park alert covering Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park · NPS · Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

South Rim Road is a cross-country ski route in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, a National Park Service unit in Colorado. The road runs for about 6 miles with a one-way climb of 583 feet, rising from a start elevation of 8,278 feet to a high point of 8,289 feet. The route has a moderate overall rating, and the steepest stretch comes at about 2.3 miles in, with a grade of 18 percent. Winter and early spring are the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 31°F with lows near 14°F, while June is the warmest month, with highs around 72°F and only about six wet days. A fee is charged for the route, and the National Park Service manages the land. Warner Point Nature Trail starts just 0.1 mile away. South Rim Routes, a climbing area, lies about 1.9 miles off, and North Rim Campground and the Gunnison River are both within about 2.5 miles.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit South Rim Road

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      31° / 14°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 17°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 23°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      11 wet

    5. May

      61° / 38°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 47°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 53°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      75° / 51°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 44°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 33°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 23°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 15°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Montrose 11 Ene, CO, 2.9 mi away at 8,402 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Facts about this route

Rules & access

Fee
Yes

Source: National Park Service API

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors