The 700’ granite spire above that rises out of the Gunnison River at the confluence of Blue & Curecanti Creeks is the Curecanti Needle, formed by an earthquake fault running straight across the canyon. The half dozen turkey vultures in the foreground below it are drying out after a brief rain shower.

There are much more difficult ways to get here than driving to Pioneer Point Overlook, including climbing down hundreds of steps with gear and paddling down the river (and then back up), but I took the easy way. If someone is nice enough to build an overlook, then it’s best not to waste it.

Upriver from the Black Canyon, there are several dams and large basins with powerboats, and a very small, but pretty hike through the Cottonwoods along the riverside Neversink trail before the town of Gunnison. I skipped the artificial reservoirs and didn’t see any wildlife on the hike, but driving through colorful Colorado in early fall is always a pleasure.