New Mexico Outdoor 

Roughing It In Luxury-Abiquiu, New Mexico 505.901.7321

Canoeing Kayaking

North Central New Mexico from: www.nmosg.com

The abundance of tall mountains and north-central New Mexico's location just south of the Colorado Rockies create cascades of whitewater every spring. From small tributaries to the "Mother" Rio Grande, the north-central waterways are a kayaking river runner's paradise.


Rio Grande Gorge

The state's premier kayaking whitewater run is 17 miles through the Rio Grande Gorge, a black basalt chasm that offers no easy exit from beginning to end. Stunning cliffs and plentiful bird life are often missed because the fast-moving water that tumbles over a number of steep drops demands kayakers' near-constant attention. This section, known as the Taos Box, boasts rapids with names such as Dead Car, Pinball and Sunset. Eleven commercial outfitters offer day trips. Above the Taos Box, from just north of the state line to Lee Trail, the Ute Mountain Run takes boaters through a broad lava-rock plain. Rapids are gentle and birdlife is abundant. Deer, elk and the occasional antelope are also sighted in this section. The downside to this scenic 24-mile stretch is the takeout, which requires boaters to carry out their craft up a steep, unimproved trail. Therefore, canoes and kayaks are recommended for the overnight trip. This section is closed from April 1 through May 31 in deference to the mating season of golden eagles and prairie falcons. A challenging but navigable five-mile stretch from Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground is followed by a short, boulder-choked section that is not recommended for boating. Below this section, boaters can carry their craft down a well-maintained mile-long trail to the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande. For eight miles, ending at John Dunn Bridge and the starting point for the Taos Box run, the river kicks up some small whitewater but mostly features the silence of wilderness, sightings of merganser ducks or an occasional deer. Below the Taos Box, a 10-mile stretch begins in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area, gaining momentum after the village of Pilar. Below the village, a series of moderately challenging rapids runs alongside N.M. 68, providing entertainment to motorists and an easy escape for boaters. This five-mile section, known as the Racecourse, is the site of the annual Mother's Day races sponsored by the Adobe Whitewater Club of New Mexico, an Albuquerque-based organization of private boaters. The club's address is P.O. Box 3835, Albuquerque, NM 87190-3835, and their website is www.adobeww.org. Fourteen outfitters offer guided trips through this section, either as a day or half-day outing.


From the end of the Racecourse at the Taos county line, the river remains tranquil until Otowi Bridge. Although this slow-moving 25-mile stretch, which passes alongside apple orchards, is a pleasant float, a number of diversion dams are an unpleasant distraction. At Otowi Bridge, the Rio Grande begins a 24-mile journey to Cochiti Lake, where it backs up behind Cochiti Dam. This whitewater stretch takes kayakers through beautiful White Rock Canyon and its many side hikes, waterfalls and Indian ruins. A trail leads from the river to Bandelier National Monument. Some commercial companies offer guided overnight trips.

Rio Chama

While the kayaking thrill-seekers get their adrenaline pumping on the Rio Grande, the Rio Chama uses its unparalleled beauty to attract boaters. This major tributary of the Rio Grande enters the state atop Cumbres Pass north of Chama. The first six miles plummet through a narrow gorge and are recommended for expert kayakers only. By the time it reaches the town of Chama, the river mellows, but a profusion of fences across it prevent boating enjoyment until just west of Tierra Amarilla. The ensuing 15 miles take boaters through a deep canyon thick with Ponderosa pines and numerous rapids, the most challenging known as Big Mama Chama. The run ends at El Vado Lake. The 33 miles that flow between El Vado and Abiquiu reservoirs make up the stretch of the Rio Chama that has become most popular and is in fact regulated by the Taos office of the BLM. Due to its popularity, a unique arrangement between the owners of Rio Chama water rights and the BLM provides for scheduled releases from El Vado Dam during seven summer weekends to provide enough water for rafters. Permits are required to ply its waters and can be obtained by contacting the Taos BLM office at (505) 758-8851. This section was the first New Mexico river to receive the federal designation as a Wild and Scenic River. Ponderosa pines and firs line the banks at the launch site and the river gradually leaves them behind as it opens up to pastel-hued cliffs at the takeout. Hiking opportunities and rapids are plentiful but not intimidating, making this a wonderful canoe trip or family outing. Twelve outfitters offer guided trips, mostly overnight, through this stretch. Below Abiquiu Dam, the Rio Chama flows alongside farms and ranches, often slowed by diversion dams. Cottonwoods line this 25-mile stretch of slow-moving water until it joins up with the Rio Grande. In addition to these two main waterways, this region is peppered with a number of narrow creeks that brim with fast-moving snowmelt in the spring, offering experienced kayakers and canoeists an abundance of whitewater opportunities. For example, the Brazos River offers a nine-mile trip from the base of the sheer, granite Brazos Cliffs to the Chama River, taking boaters on a swift journey through pine-clad slopes.


Continuous extreme whitewater marks a 15-mile stretch of the Rio Embudo that winds through a remote, heavily wooded gorge before it joins the Rio Grande. The Jemez River is obstructed by various manmade hazards such as fences and dams, which grow fewer as it approaches the Rio Grande at Zia Pueblo.

Nice video with still shots of a Group on the Rio Chama Nearby!


White Water Reports From www.AmericanWhitewater.org Below

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State 6 River Name/Section Class Level Rel. Level Updated
NM Animas— 2. Farmington Whitewater Park II+ 272 cfs   med 1/21 14:30
NM Animas— 8. Cedar Hill to Farmington City Park I-II 272 cfs   1/21 14:30
NM Canadian— 1. Raton to Taylor Springs I-II 1 cfs   1/21 14:00
NM Canadian— 2. Taylor Springs to Conchas Reservoir III-IV 3.55 ft   1/21 14:00
NM Cimarron— Eagle Nest to Cimarron III-IV ice? cfs   1/21 14:45
NM Gila— 1. Visitor to Mogollan Creek II-III
NM Gila— Forest Road 809 to Redrock II-III+ 4.53 ft   low 1/21 11:00
NM Jemez— Battleship Rock to Soda Dam III-IV 21.00 ft   low 1/21 14:45
NM Mora— Shoemaker to confluence with Canadian I-V(V+) ice? cfs   1/21 15:00
NM Navajo— Chromo,CO to Colorado Border II
NM Pecos— 1. Cowles to Pecos II-IV ice? cfs   1/21 14:00
NM Pecos— 2. Pecos to Tecolotito II-III ice? cfs   1/21 14:00
NM Red River— Hwy 515 to Dunn Bridge IV+ 2.58 Feet   low 1/21 15:00  
NM Rio Brazos— above Corkins Lodge V+
NM Rio Chama— 2. Chama to Los Ojos I-II ice? cfs   1/21 14:45
NM Rio Chama— 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake I-III ice? cfs   1/21 14:45
NM Rio Chama— 4. El Vado Lake to Abiquiu Reservoir I-III 186 cfs   low 1/21 15:00
NM Rio Chama— 5. Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande I-II 108 cfs   1/21 14:15
NM Rio Chama— Lobo Lodge to Chama River Park IV-V+
NM Rio Chama— Monastary to Big Eddy II-III 186 cfs   low 1/21 15:00
NM Rio de los Brazos— Corkins Lodge to confluence with Rio Chama I-III
NM Rio de los Pinos— 1. Toltec Gorge: Osier, CO to Campground near San Miguel, NM V+
NM Rio de los Pinos— 2. Atencio Canyon to Los Pinos II-III
NM Rio Embudo— Near Rio Lucio to Hwy 75 IV-V(V+) 8.70 Feet   high 1/21 14:45
NM Rio Grande— 1. Lobatos Bridge(Colorado) to Lee Trail II-III ice? cfs   1/21 14:15
NM Rio Grande— 2. Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground II-IV ice? cfs   1/21 14:15
NM Rio Grande— 3. Chiflo Campground to Little Arsenic Trail V ice? cfs   1/21 14:15
NM Rio Grande— 4. Red River confluence to John Dunn Bridge II-III ice? cfs   1/21 14:15
NM Rio Grande— 5. John Dunn Bridge to Taos Junction Bridge (Lower Taos Box) III-IV 482 cfs   low 1/21 14:30
NM Rio Grande— 6. Taos Junction Bridge to Embudo Station Restaurant III 482 cfs   med 1/21 14:30
NM Rio Grande— 7. Otowi Bridge to Cochiti Reservoir III 691 cfs   1/21 15:00
NM Rio Ojo Caliente— La Madera to confluence with Rio Chama I-II 21 cfs   1/21 11:45  
NM Rio Pueblo— Rio Lucio to Confluence Rio Grande
NM Rio Pueblo de Taos— to Taos Junction Bridge V+ 43 cfs   low 1/21 14:30
NM Rio Santa Cruz— Cundiyo to Santa Cruz Reservoir IV-V
NM San Antonio— Lagunitas to Los Pinos II-III
NM San Francisco— 1. San Francisco to Pleasanton II-III 30 cfs   1/21 11:00
NM San Francisco— 2. Lower San Francisco Hot Springs to Clifton, AZ II 101 cfs   1/21 14:00
NM San Juan— Navajo Dam to Four Corners II 853 cfs   1/21 15:00
NM Trampas Creek (Rio de las Trampas)— into the Embudo IV-V
 

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