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

Sun 22 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $145.00

Make a reservation

Sun 22 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)

Jeremy H

Jul 2018

I went with my two boys who are 15 and 12 and we had an excellent day rafting down the Rio Grande. It was our first time rafting and our guide (Rachel) made it an experience we will never forget. Well worth the time and money!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

We are so glad you saw the value in your experience with NMRA. We take great time and energy to make sure all of our guests are happy with their experience from start to finish! We will sure to let Rachel know what a great time you had!

LP54

Jul 2018

A first class experience for river rafting--good safe place to leave vehicle at their facility, guides were exceptional, the equipment good and the river trip was great! Not to mention the only time I have ever been served a HOT lunch on the riverside and yummy too.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Hot Fajitas on the river...yum is right!!! Thank you for the first class review and we hope your have a great rest of the summer!!

137oliver67

Jun 2018

Our family, including two kids ages 10 and 14, did the full day Rio Gorge trip on June 17. Devin was the lead guide. The guide team including Tanner and Emily (can not remember the rest of the names) was absolutely outstanding. Our day was stress free and so much fun. Devin is extremely skilled, detail oriented, safety conscious, and patient. He is also fun. We were so impressed with him. The lunch was great. We were able to swim in the Rio Grande. The views are spectacular, and Devin told some interesting stories about the area. We have been traveling to New Mexico for years and this was the first year our kids are old enough to raft. NMRA has always been at the top of the list for recommendations. This is definitely the place to go. Very organized, great customer service, and all of the equipment needed without any hassle. Be sure to bring water, water shoes, a long sleeve rash guard is recommeded for sun protection, and plenty of sunscreen. But, if you forget something, don't worry, NMRA has you covered. They will do everything possible to keep you comfortable.

Response from Host

Jun 2018

Your review is exactly what we aim for! Thank you so much for the kind words and we will be sure to let Devin know how much you impressed him! Thank you so much and now that your kids are older, we hope to see you for another adventure in the future.