Parking
The National Park Service identifies parking at both the South Rim Visitor Center and South Rim Campground. This mapped direction starts at the upper Oak Flat end near the Visitor Center and finishes by Rim Rock near the campground.
Overview
About Uplands Trail
Why go
- Useful link between upper Oak Flat and the campground
- West Elk Mountains views across Vernal Mesa
Heads up
- Does not follow the canyon rim
- Point-to-point route needs return planning
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Black Canyon of the Gunnison map
Full mapElevation8,140–8,340 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Black Canyon of the Gunnison alerts
- CautionBurned-Area Hazards on Rim Rock and Uplands TrailsMentions this trailRim Rock Trail and Uplands Trail are open but pass through heavily burned areas. - Watch for uneven surfaces and blowing ash on both trails. Check current trail conditions before hiking.Official details
- ClosureTomichi Route Closed; Gunnison Route Hazards from 2025 FireTomichi Route remains closed because of the 2025 South Rim Fire; inner-canyon access is limited to designated routes.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Tour Guide
Your drive to Uplands Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
South Rim Visitor Center and Gunnison Point0:00 / 0:32
“Up ahead is the South Rim Visitor Center, with Gunnison Point a short walk behind it. This is a useful stop if you want help choosing overlooks or hikes: ask a ranger, pick up a map, and look through the exhibits.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Black Canyon of the Gunnison Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rim Rock Trail from South Rim Campground
- Kneeling Camel Overlook and Deadhorse Trail
- Island Peaks Overlook
- Pulpit Rock Overlook
- 23 audio storiesacross Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Red-tailed Hawk, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 13 trails, 29 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Uplands Trail
A short connector, not a rim walkUplands Trail is a 0.
Uplands Trail is a 0.9-mile one-way point-to-point walk across Vernal Mesa, linking upper Oak Flat near the South Rim Visitor Center with Rim Rock by the campground. It’s useful when you want to connect those two South Rim areas, but it stays away from the canyon rim, so choose a rim trail if canyon-edge views are the goal. The mapped direction starts by the Visitor Center and finishes near the campground; plan your return separately. Walking Uplands back makes the trip about 1.8 miles total.
Across Vernal MesaThe path is narrow and unpaved, crossing open shrubland rather than following the canyon edge.
The path is narrow and unpaved, crossing open shrubland rather than following the canyon edge. The National Park Service rates it moderate and says it is not wheelchair accessible. From the Visitor Center end, the route gradually climbs about 200 feet toward the campground. Allow about 30–45 minutes one way; the short distance makes it manageable, but the uneven tread keeps it from feeling like a paved stroll. Pets are not allowed.
Shrubs and the West Elk viewLook out toward the West Elk Mountains as the trail crosses the mesa.
Look out toward the West Elk Mountains as the trail crosses the mesa. Gambel oak, Utah serviceberry, big sagebrush, and wildflowers grow along this upland route. Early morning or late evening gives you a better chance of noticing wildlife or tracks, though sightings are never guaranteed.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Black Canyon of the Gunnison
50 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
68 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
11 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
10 sightingsCooper's HawkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
66 sightingsCollared LizardMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
164 sightingsFence LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
