Oak Flat Loop Trail

The Oak Flat Loop Trail begins and ends at the South Rim Visitor Center of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The trail is short but features a decent amount of elevation change, which, combined with the elevation of the park, made the hike more strenuous than I could have imagined. At a normal elevation, I’d have been able to blaze through this path without much trouble, but I was struggling for breath almost the entire time, especially on the inclines. There were moments that I might’ve thought I was hiking back home in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, when the tree cover was complete. Then, the path would break-out into the open and the views of the canyon would take away what was left of my breath.