Day 5: Rocky Mountain National Park to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

I checked out of Discovery Lodge on Saturday, September 17, 2022 and drove to the Super 8 by Wyndham Montrose, the hotel I stayed at during my trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Just before I left Discovery Lodge, I was treated to another sighting of elk wandering around the grounds! It was a wonderful farewell to Rocky Mountain National Park.

I left around 9am, taking I-70 W, and arrived Super 8 by Wyndham Montrose in Montrose around 4pm.

I chose to stay there because it was conveniently located 12 miles from the South Rim entrance of Black Canyon of the Gunnison and only 1 mile from downtown Montrose, the closest town to the park. The staff were friendly and accommodating when I called ahead to ask if I could ship my rented hiking poles there from LowerGear Outdoors. They also had a washer and dryer, which came in handy after four days of hiking. The cost was $467.25 for three nights in September 2022.

After checking in, I headed out to City Market to pick up some supplies, then returned to the hotel to relax. Exhausted from the long drive and anticipating another full day ahead, I went to bed early.