Hiking the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Distance: 1.9 miles / 3.1 km
The Rim Rock and Uplands Trail in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park are two separate day hikes near the South Rim Visitor Center that are commonly combined to create a single 1.9-mile (1.3 km) loop.
That said, both trails are unique in their own ways. The Rim Rock Trail is a favorite because it offers amazing views as it traverses along the edges of the South Rim of Black Canyon, while the Uplands Trail is a favorite because of the opportunity to see wildlife, specifically Black Bears. This is why I recommend hiking the trail in the early morning or evening hours if seeing wildlife is something that you’re interested in experiencing!
Nevertheless, the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail is a fairly easy, straightforward day hike with very little elevation change over the course of the loop, making it a great day hike for visitors of all ages!
Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail is located at the South Rim Visitor Center, which can be one of the busiest trailheads during the summer travel season.
I say this because the parking area not only serves the visitor center and Rim Rock-Uplands Loop, but it’s also the trailhead for the Oak Flat Loop Trail, as well as the Gunnison Route into Black Canyon.
With that in mind, visitors can consider parking at the Tomichi Point Overlook if the South Rim Visitor Center is too busy, which is a great alternative trailhead to pick up the loop at a point on the Rim Rock Trail that most visitors never utilize.
Google Maps Directions: South Rim Visitor Center
Hiking Checklist - Black Canyon
Black bears are known to be found everywhere from the plateaus along the canyon rim to the steep routes that lead down to the Gunnison River, and everywhere in between.
That being said, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Hiking the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail
When beginning from the South Rim Visitor Center, the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail can either start here at the Rim Rock Trailhead on the south side of the parking lot or behind the visitor center on the Oak Flat Loop Trail to pick up the Uplands Trail after hiking 0.2 miles (0.3 km).
Considering these options, I chose to begin on the Rim Rock Trail, but I truly don’t think that there’s one best direction to hike the loop unless early morning light on the Rim Rock side is something that you’re interested in seeing.
Rim Rock Trail
It doesn’t take long for the views on the Rim Rock Trail to open up after beginning the hike!
Tomichi Point Overlook
This is where the Rim Rock Trail passes beneath the Tomichi Point Overlook, which is why I previously mentioned that Tomichi Point can serve as a good alternative trailhead to the much busier South Rim Visitor Center.
Rim Rock-Tomichi Route Junction
Not long after Tomichi Point, the Rim Rock Trail splits with the Tomichi Route, which is one of seven different routes that descends steeply down into Black Canyon.
That being said, the Tomichi Route is generally regarded as the most challenging route, but it is not the route with the most elevation change, as that is reserved for the Warner Route at the very far end of South Rim Road.
This is all without mentioning that permits are required to hike down the Tomichi Route Trail or any route into Black Canyon, which is mostly due to safety and accountability concerns, given the steep trail’s inherent risks and difficulty.
Rim Rock-Uplands Junction
After 0.8 miles (1.3 km), the Rim Rock Trail meets the Uplands Trail, which begins the return loop back to the South Rim Visitor Center.
At this split, you can either go straight to finish the Rim Rock Trail at the South Rim Campground, about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) away, or go right to begin the 0.8-mile (1.3 km) Uplands Trail, which doesn’t include the final portion on the Oak Flat Loop Trail to finish the hike.
Uplands Trail
Needless to say, I chose to go right on the Uplands Trail.
South Rim Road
This is the first of two separate times the Uplands Trail crosses South Rim Road.
That said, be cautious when crossing, as visitors who don’t hike the loop typically aren’t aware that a trail crosses the road when driving along the South Rim.
This next stretch of the Uplands Trail is exactly why I love to hike the trail in the early morning and late evening hours.
I say this because the Gambel Oak forest in the Uplands of Black Canyon are among the best places to see Black Bears within the National Park.
With that in mind, carrying bear spray is never a bad idea if you know how to use it, but of all the bear encounters that I’ve had in Black Canyon, they typically seem to mind their own business, so long as they know you’re there without surprising them.
My best advice when it comes to looking for Black Bears is to listen for sounds that are obviously not hikers, most often coming from a direction off the trail.
I say this because Black Bears can be very discreet, or they can make much more noise than you may think, such as breaking sticks and heavy breathing, among other things.
Therefore, listening for a bear is almost always a better strategy than hoping to see one randomly by stumbling across it.
South Rim Road
This is the second time the Uplands Trail crosses South Rim Road, which is located about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) from the end of the Uplands Trail and the beginning of the Oak Flat Loop Trail.
Uplands-Oak Flat Loop Junction
After 1.7 miles (2.7 km), the Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail ends at the junction with the Oak Flat Loop Trail.
Here, go right on the upper half of the Oak Flat Loop to begin the remaining 0.2 miles (0.3 km) back to the South Rim Visitor Center.
Read My Separate Post: Oak Flat Loop Trail
Oak Flat Loop Junction
This is where the Oak Flat Loop Trail splits for the first time, when the trail initially leaves the South Rim Visitor Center.
Again, go right at this final junction to return to the beginning.
Read My Separate Post: Oak Flat Loop Trail
Oak Flat Loop-Gunnison Point Junction
At the end, the Oak Flat Loop Trail finishes at the South Rim Visitor Center, completing the 1.9-mile (3.1 km) Rim Rock-Uplands Loop Trail.
Personally, I think the loop is a great adventure for first-time visitors—especially if you hike along the Rim Rock Trail to watch the sunrise, which is spectacular from one of any number of different unnamed viewpoints along the rim!
