Big enough to be overwhelming, still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. With two million years to work, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky. Due to its vertical nature, animals of the park thrive in habitats found along a spectrum from rim to river. Each habitat is different and requires specific lifestyles to be successful.