Painted Wall
Cliff Iconic sheer wall in Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Sheer cliff face in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado-one of the park’s highest walls; visitors use rim drives, overlooks and technical routes for climbing and photography.
Painted Wall is the tallest sheer cliff within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado and is commonly cited as the highest cliff in the state, rising roughly 2,250 feet (686 meters) from the canyon floor.
The cliff presents steep, vertical faces with streaked, varicolored rock that visitors observe from several rim overlooks. Views from the North Rim are the most direct; rim trails and overlooks on both rims provide vantage points for photography and observation. The feature is also known to technical climbers for multi-pitch routes on its exposed walls.
The canyon and its cliffs were formed by long-term downcutting by the Gunnison River combined with regional uplift. The exposed rock of the Painted Wall is very old Precambrian metamorphic rock that was revealed as the river incised the canyon over millions of years.
The Painted Wall sits inside Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado. It is adjacent to the Gunnison River within the narrow, steep-sided canyon managed by the National Park Service.
- Height: Rises about 2,250 feet (686 meters) of exposed rock above the canyon floor.
- Viewing: Best viewed from rim overlooks on the North Rim which provide the closest and most direct perspectives.
How to Get to Painted Wall #
The Painted Wall is in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado. Access is via the South Rim or North Rim roads and overlooks; the nearest towns are Montrose (south) and Gunnison. Follow park signage to official viewpoints and trails.
Tips for Visiting Painted Wall #
- Visit late in the afternoon for the wall's best warm tones when the sun drops low in the sky.
- Allow time to walk the rim trail and use binoculars-rock climbers and bighorn sheep are common sights on clear days.
- Do not attempt to descend the wall; its cliffs are among the park's steepest and most dangerous.
Best Time to Visit Painted Wall #
Late spring through early autumn offers the best access and lighting; mornings and late afternoons produce the strongest color contrasts.
Weather & Climate near Painted Wall #
Painted Wall's climate is classified as Cold Semi-Arid - Cold Semi-Arid climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -12°C to 30°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.
January
January is the coldest month with highs of 2°C and lows of -12°C. Light rainfall.
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February
February is freezing with highs of 5°C and lows of -9°C. The driest month with just 17 mm.
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March
March is cold with highs of 10°C and lows of -4°C. Light rainfall.
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April
April is cold with highs of 15°C and lows of -1°C. Light rainfall.
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May
May is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 3°C. Light rainfall.
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June
June is cool with highs of 27°C and lows of 8°C. Light rainfall.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 30°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (32 mm).
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August
August is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 10°C. The wettest month with 34 mm of rain.
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September
September is cool with highs of 24°C and lows of 6°C. Moderate rainfall (33 mm).
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October
October is cold with highs of 17°C and lows of 0°C. Moderate rainfall (33 mm).
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November
November is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of -6°C. Light rainfall.
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December
December is freezing with highs of 3°C and lows of -11°C. Light rainfall.
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