My expectations were low. I mean, we’ve been to the Grand Canyon. How can this not-so-known canyon beat that? Well, I was wowed for sure. Compared to the Grand Canyon, this one is very narrow, steep and deep. It’s about 550 m (1800 ft) deep, but only 330 m (1100 ft) from one edge to the other.
The north rim is not as popular, but the drive there is just gorgeous, especially in the fall.
![North rim drive](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8133.jpg)
![All the fall colors](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8136.jpg)
![Stopping at every curve to photograph these gorgeous fall colors](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8158.jpg)
Because there are no direct roads or bridges across the canyon, it takes about 2 hours to get to the south rim from the north side.
![On the way to the South rim, these guys posed very nicely for me](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8269.jpg)
![Also on the way to the South rim](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8273.jpg)
It was cold over there. We had to wear extra layers and that helped us enjoy a few snow storms while exploring the rims.
![It snowed a few times during the day](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8313.jpg)
![Exploring the South rim. One minute the sun was shining, the next it was snowing](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8414.jpg)
The walls are solid rock going straight down.
![More steep cliffs](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8241_mix.jpg)
![Steep cliffs](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8359.jpg)
![That's a one person tent circled in the picture on the left. Have no idea how, why and where he/she is headed. That crazy!](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8219_mix.jpg)
The sun reaches the bottom of the canyon only at midday.
![The Painted Wall and the Gunnison river](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8409.jpg)
![The sun reached the river at the bottom of the canyon](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8253_mix.jpg)
![Outside the park, on the way back to Durango](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C8443.jpg)
Comments
Fantastic photos – you are a great photographer!
Thank you very much, Mr. Ebiner!
Hi,
I really love these photos! I am going to this area myself to take photos and I was wondering which pathway you took to get from the south rim to the north rim? 50 & 92? Or I see there are two pathways and , since I am taking it mainly for the drive, I don’t want to take the wrong way!
There seems to be a path north of montrose in the direction of Delta and the other is south towards cimarron