The Ute Indians had known of the canyon to exist for a long time before
the first Europeans saw it. By the time the United States gained
independence in 1776, two Spanish expeditions had passed by
the canyons. In the 1800s, the numerous fur trappers searching
for beaver pelts would have known of the canyon's existence
but they left no written record. By the late 1800s and into
the early 1900s, the canyon had been thoroughly explored and while the
first explorers came for commercial success and wealth, the later visitors
came to see the canyon as an opportunity for recreation and personal enjoyment.
The area was established as a U.S. National Monument on March 2, 1933 and
made into a National Park on October 21, 1999.
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some common plants that are native to the park include Aspen, Ponderosa pine, Sagebrush, Desert Mahogany, Utah Juniper, Gambel oak (scrub oak) and Singleleaf Ash. Wildlife in the park include coyotes, elk, magpies, eagles, and the mule deer. In addition the canyon is the home of a number of resident birds including the Great Horned Owl, the American dipper and Steller's Jay and migratory birds such as the Mountain Bluebird, the Peregrine Falcon, the White-throated Swift and the Canyon Wren. (Source Wikipedia)
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