Rio Grande Gorge Full Day

Overview

The Lower Gorge of the Rio Grande is a broad canyon with lush riparian habitat along the banks of the Rio. A fantastic full day adventure for families, first time rafters and groups. The first half of the day is beautiful float through the Orilla Verde section of the Rio Grande with incredible scenery, gorgeous riverside lunch stops and ample opportunity to work on your paddling in preparation for the exciting whitewater of the Racecourse to come in the afternoon. The Rio Grande Gorge full day trip meets at our headquarters at 8:30 a.m. daily and the minimum age during most of the year is 5 years old

City: New Mexico

Tue 24 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $145.00

Make a reservation

Tue 24 Sep

Starting at $145.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

World Class Guides

Safe, Secure Parking,

Full Service Headquarters

All rafting Equipment

Lunch

Signature, Hot Chicken Fajita Lunch

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Rio Grande Gorge

Starting Out We start at our headquarters where you’ll meet your guides for the day who will outfit you with all the gear necessary for the day on the river. At the headquarters, you will find safe secure parking, clean restrooms, changing rooms, shaded picnic tables on our patio rooms, and any last minute items you might have forgotten including sunscreen, water shoes, hats and much more. This is the perfect place to start your adventure. Craft choices are dependent on water levels. The large majority of our guests like to participate and paddle along with the guide in the back of the boat giving paddling commands, however, you may also choose to sit back and let the guide do the work on an oar boat. And for the adrenaline junkies, ask about an inflatable kayak at no extra charge. Floating the Rio Grande Gorge After the short drive to the starting point in our vans, your river trip begins with a placid morning float through one of the most scenic parts of the canyon with great opportunities to see a variety of wildlife including mule deer, river otter, beaver and many different birds of prey. This section also affords us time to practice paddling techniques, swimming and simply enjoying the Rio Grande. Somewhere in this stretch, we’ll stop on the side of the river for a nice lunch put together by your guides. After lunch, we run the Class III rapids of the “Racecourse.” The Lower Gorge of the Rio Grande is a broad canyon with lush riparian habitat along the banks of the Rio. As we enter the “Racecourse” section the geology radically changes as we pass onto the Rio Grande fault line, one of the largest intercontinental fault lines in North America. But let’s not forget the whitewater! The Racecourse is 6 miles of action-packed class 2-3 rapids. Perfect for everyone from beginners to intermediate/experts. There is something for everyone to enjoy on this section. With rapids like the Maze, Albert’s Falls, The Narrows, and The Thunderdome make sure you are braced in and ready to get wet! Listen to your guides as they negotiate these rapids and don’t forget to ask them to surf when the water levels are lower. Guides for the Rio Grande Gorge Full Day Our guides are the best in the business, focusing on safety and guest service as a top priority. All are extremely knowledgeable about the area’s geology, ecology and history and just love being on the river. Our Guides have experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do. They will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible. Full Day Rio Grande rafting trips available EVERY DAY starting in March through September. Our minimum age at most water levels is 5, however, at the higher flows, that minimum age rises to 13. Book online or call us anytime, 1-800-983-7756, to reserve your space.

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (175)

nmstonesupply1

Jun 2019

I had a great time rafting the Taos box with New Mexico River Adventures. The water is running high and the rafting is extreme fun. Our guide Tony did a good job making sure we were safe and hitting all the biggest rapids. The office headquarters location was great for me because I drove up from southern New Mexico that morning but didn't have to drive all the way up to Taos.

Response from Host

Jun 2019

The water and the soak are both high!! Tony is a big rapid hunter, we are so glad you enjoyed him!

Elizabeth Anne C

Jun 2019

Just did the Taos box with Luke. He was a great guide, obviously knew the river well.. This is maybe my 6th or so trip with this company. I've used other companies, but I think New Mexico River Adventures just does everything a little bit better. They have nice changing rooms, great gear, the guides are all awesome, and a hot burrito is a nice lunch after that icy water. Went a couple of weeks ago on the racecourse with Hannah. She was great too. A tip - Wear the splash jacket, you won't regret it.

Response from Host

Jun 2019

You got a double whammy between the Racecourse with Hannah and the Box with Luke...lucky duck! Thank you for joining us twice and you know what they say, the third time is a charm!!

talktobrandon

May 2019

First, second and third time... Each was a charm! This was our third time to raft with New Mexico River Adventures. We did the Half-Day Racecourse the first two times (2010 and 2016) and the Full-Day Taos Box (Rio Grande Gorge) on May 28th, 2019. This outfitter has been consistently wonderful every time over the last 9 years. SAFETY: We felt safe and confident from the time we arrived at the office until the time we returned. - All gear, equipment and rafts were in pristine condition. We saw some other companies put in beside us and their vehicles and rafts looked haggard. You get what you pay for. - We were provided with wetsuits and splash jackets for our chilly day on the river in addition to the standard PFDs (rafting life jackets) and helmets. - A safety briefing happened before we departed from the office and all points were reinforced on the river. GREAT TEAM: Everyone from the office team to the guides were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. They all had endless smiles and looked for opportunities to have fun with each other and the guests. Everyone seemed happy to be there and enjoyed sharing the river and rafting experience with us. CLEAN: All their facilities and grounds, including bathrooms and changing rooms, were spotless. DELICIOUS LUNCH: We had a riverside lunch that included grilled chicken fajitas, fresh fruit, Pringles, Oreos and lemonade. OUR THREE WONDERFUL GUIDES: Josh led our boat and the other two enjoyed Wendy and Jake. DO THE TAOS BOX: While the Racecourse is fun and has some decent white water to get you excited, the box has more rapids and bigger water. - All you have to do to be safe and have a blast are listen and follow the guide's instructions and paddle as a team. - The 16 miles through the Rio Grande Gorge has plenty of slow spots to take in the immense scale, beauty and wildlife of this spectacular red and black rock gorge. - We saw a variety of mountain birds, chipmunks and adult and baby bighorn sheep. THANKS for a super time! We'll be back next year.