DENVER (KDVR) — The camping season at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is coming to an early end due to a wildfire burning in the park’s south rim area.
During a community meeting on Tuesday night, the park’s superintendent, Stuart West, announced that the park has canceled all reservations and will not allow new campground reservations for the rest of 2025 due to the South Rim Fire.
West said that 85% of the park’s south rim area has been impacted by the fire, which has burned 4,179 acres and is 0% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to an update on the South Rim Fire Information Facebook page.
“It’ll look very different than when you saw it last time,” he said. “The good news is the visitor center is intact.”
West said the park’s main administrative building was also unscathed; however, the maintenance building was “completely demolished,” and all of the park’s heavy equipment was completely lost.
Even once the fire is controlled, access to the inner canyon will not be allowed due to unstable rock, he said.
“Recovery will be a slow process,” West said. “The return to normal is in everyone’s best interest, but it’s going to take quite some time.”
Other good news, West said, is that the Black Canyon of the Gunnison sister park, the Curecanti National Recreation Area, was not impacted by the fire and people will still be able to visit.
West said crews continue to work using a variety of tactics, battling the fire from the air and the ground to protect the life, resources and values of the park.
The park’s website states all roads, trails and campgrounds are closed until further notice.
