This is possibly the greatest full day rafting trip in the country. Nowhere else can you find the same quality whitewater in such a remote and pristine canyon with incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. The “Box” flows through the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge some 800 feet deep.

The Float

The layout of this run is absolutely perfect as the beginning is relatively calm with plenty of opportunities to work on your paddling techniques and feel comfortable working together as a team to negotiate the many rapids ahead. In the final five miles of this Taos box rafting trip, the gradient increases and the rapids become more intense and come in much quicker succession. Brace yourself in and paddle hard through these steep and visually stunning rapids! You are almost guaranteed to spot Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep leaping across boulders below the cliffs or enjoying a drink from the river as well as river otter and a large variety of birds of prey as you float through this spectacular canyon.

Taos Box

Explore the inner gorge and experience quality Class IV whitewater rapids like Power Line Falls, the Rock Garden, the mile-long Rio Bravo section and the grand finale Sunset. This is fast-paced whitewater action sure to thrill and soak you.

About halfway through the Taos Box Gorge, your trip will stop and take a break on one of the beautiful riverside beaches in the heart of this amazing canyon. Here, a superb riverside lunch is served prepared fresh by our guides right in front of your eyes. 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. Many with experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible.

What To Expect

Boats are typically run as paddle boats where you participate by paddling as a team with a guide sitting in the back steering and calling out paddle commands. In addition to Exceptional Guides you will be outfitted with our high-quality self-bailing boats, Farmer John style wetsuits, nylon “splash jackets”, Type 5 PFDs, and adjustable whitewater helmets. The Taos Box rafting trip meets at our headquarters at 8:00 a.m. and usually returns to our headquarters at 3:30 p.m. Come prepared and join us for this amazing journey and certainly one of the best single days of rafting in the country.

The minimum age for Taos Box rafting is 13 and should weigh at least 90 pounds.

**This trip is water level dependent and may not be available on the date you reserve.  If so, we will reach out before your trip to discuss all options, including but not limited to alternate trips.  Please note that it is possible that we will not know until the day before the trip, whether or not the river levels will be adequate.  Often times, the flows linger at  runnable levels for long periods of time, as well as our monsoon season affecting the river levels unexpectedly. No matter what, we always have options and a great day on the river for you!

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We have just the trip for you! Our Overnight Rio Grande Rafting Trip begins at our headquarters at 2 pm and we’ll have you back at our headquarters by 2 pm the following day.

*24 Hours On The Rio Grande whitewater rafting now available as a private trip! Visit our private trips page to learn more about custom adventures tailored to you.

The 24 Hours On The Rio Grande Rafting Trip Itinerary

Day 1 of the Overnight Rio Grande Rafting Trip begins with a float down the scenic Orilla Verde Section of the Rio Grande. Our 2 pm start time allows us the opportunity to experience a sunset, the famous early evening light and a star-strewn night (depending on weather of course), that are often featured in the art and literature portraying the southwest. This unspoiled and picturesque portion of the river provides a truly unique southwest experience that follows in the footsteps of generations of explorers and artists.

In the evening we will settle into our riverside camp where we prepare a meal for you that can’t help but impress your taste buds. While we set up and prepare the meal there are a variety of hiking, wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. After our evening meal we usually gather around the campfire and talk about the day, the following days float, and tell stories. All are extremely knowledgeable about the area’s geology, ecology and history and just love being on the river.

Day 2 begins with a hearty breakfast to fill you up for the class III rapids on the popular Racecourse section of the river. Mid way through the day we will stop for lunch, near a great swimming spot, before finishing our adventure and returning to our headquarters in the early afternoon. During this trip we’ll pass through The Maze, Eye of the Needle, Big Rock and the infamous Souse Hole.

Our Guides for the 24 Hours On The Rio Grande Rafting Trip

Our guides are the best in the business, focusing on safety and guest service as a top priority. Many with experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe. I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible. It is class II-III (IV at high water) and a great choice for any skill level. Minimum age for the Racecourse is 5 (13 during higher water levels…contact us for current information).

Inflatable Kayak Option

We encourage the adventurous folks to consider doing this trip in an inflatable kayak as long as water levels permit. This overnight Rio Grande rafting is perfect for first timers or those whitewater enthusiasts who only have a limited amount of time available.

We start at our headquarters where you’ll meet your New Mexico white water rafting guides for the day who will outfit you with all the gear necessary for the day on the river. At the headquarters, you’ll 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. After the short drive to the starting point in our vans, your river trip begins with a placid 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.

The Start

Your day will start off with your Trip Leader picking you up from your hotel, home or where ever. Traveling into the Rio Grande River Valley toward New Mexico River Adventures’ Headquarters, where we will begin the half day river rafting adventure. Upon arrival at New Mexico River Adventure’s Headquarters, you will meet your guides who will outfit you with all the gear necessary for the morning on the river. At the Headquarters, you’ll find 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. Then it’s off to the river to challenge the Rio Grande’s most popular section of whitewater, The Racecourse.

The Trip

The Rio Grande Racecourse is the perfect trip for first timers or those whitewater enthusiasts who only have a limited amount of time available. It is class II-III (IV at high water) and absolutely perfect for everyone. When the water levels are especially high (usually in late May and June), we do raise the minimum age as this section grows into an extremely fun and continuous section of class III and IV whitewater. Please call if you have any questions about water levels or our minimum ages for any of our trips. We’ll tackle rapids with names like The Maze, Eye of the Needle, Big Rock and the infamous Souse Hole. The Racecourse is a great trip and it’s located a mere mile away from our headquarters. If you are looking for a memorable addition to your vacation in Northern New Mexico, stop by our headquarters or reserve your space for this wonderful whitewater rafting experience.

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. Many have experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe. I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and they will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible.

The Wine

After your half-day river adventure, at our Headquarters, you will have a little time to change and freshen up. Then off we go for a wonderful lunch and  wine tasting experience at some of New Mexico’s wonderful wineries in New Mexico’s wine country! Relax in comfort, during a delightful afternoon of wine tasting, as we take you for a fun-filled scenic tour of local wineries & attractions. We’ll visit 2-3 wineries, where you will have the opportunity to taste & purchase wines. Along the way, we just might stop at a scenic vista or out of the way attraction so our guests can enjoy the natural beauty of New Mexico. After our visits to the local wineries, you will be returned to your hotel in time for dinner reservations.

Details

Morning trip pick-up will depart from Santa Fe & all surrounding resorts at 7:15 AM.  Trips starting in and close to Taos will pick up and depart at 7:45 AM.  Taos Ski Valley pick-up time is 7:15 AM.

The rafting trip usually wraps up between 11:15 and 11:45 am then off to wine tasting and lunch.
(We welcome groups up to 13 people per van at this time. With advance notice larger groups up to 26 passengers.)

What is included

• Door to door service!
• Rafting trip including a full photo package of your rafting trip
• All Transportation, pick up/drop off in Taos or Santa Fe, and all surrounding resorts (Buffalo Thunder, Bishops Lodge, Taos Ski Valley, etc.)
• A delicious lunch will be served at one of the wineries and chilled bottled water to drink. We will also provide a preselected bottle of wine with your lunch. You are welcome to purchase a different selection if you would like.
• All Wine Tasting Fees
• World-class Guides

Not included

• Gratuity for your Trip Leader (15-20% Recommended)
• Any wine purchases beyond the scheduled tasting

Reservations for this trip are only available on a custom basis and prices vary depending on group size.  Please call us for more information 505-983-7756. You must be 21 and have ID to taste wine!

It combines the Lower Taos Box with the Lower Gorge sections of the Rio Grande for a total of nearly 30 miles of Wild and Scenic River. Nowhere else can you find the same quality whitewater in such a remote and pristine canyon with incredible wildlife viewing opportunities.

The Taos Box

Day 1
The “Taos Box” overnight rafting trip begins just outside of Taos at the historic John Dunn Bridge, at the confluence of the Rio Grande and the Arroyo Hondo. Passing through the Rio Grande Gorge, below 800 ft basalt cliffs, this section of the Rio Grande know as the “Box” offers some of the most amazing whitewater and scenery in the southwest. The layout of this run is well suited for these types of adventures as the beginning is relatively calm with plenty of opportunities to work on your paddling techniques, where the group can develop a good team dynamic that will be needed to negotiate the many rapids ahead.

In the final five miles of this trip, the gradient increases and the rapids become more intense and come in much quicker succession. Brace yourself in and paddle hard through these steep and visually stunning rapids! You are almost guaranteed to spot Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep leaping across boulders below the cliffs or enjoying a drink from the river as well as river otter and a large variety of birds of prey as you float through this spectacular canyon. Explore the inner gorge and experience quality Class IV whitewater rapids like; Power Line Falls, The Rock Garden, The mile-long Rio Bravo section.

The Taos Box Overnight Camp

Tonight’s camp is in the depths of the canyon in the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge under the stars of the New Mexico skies. Sit back in one of our camp chairs and take in the sunset as the colors of the canyon walls change right before your eyes. Enjoy a cold drink as the guides pass around appetizers and prepare a gorgeous dinner and dessert. There will be ample photo and hiking opportunities directly from camp.

Day 2
In the morning you’ll wake up to a hot cup of coffee and a beautiful breakfast before loading up the rafts and continuing downstream. We will then start a nice scenic float the Orilla Verde Recreation Area and the historic village of Pilar. 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 head downstream and finish to the trip through the famous whitewater of the Racecourse section of the Rio Grande. 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 3 rapids. After the grand finale of Souse Hole rapid (class 3-4), you will soon reach the finishing point which is only one mile from our Headquarters where we will change into dry clothes and enjoy the photos of your trip.

The trip may be run in reverse order due to BLM launch schedule. If you’re interested in a longer Rio Grande trip, please inquire about adding the Bosque section to this itinerary and turning it into a 3-day trip. The minimum age for this trip is 13 years old.

**This trip is water level dependent an may not be available on the date of your reservation.  If this is the case, we will reach out to you to discuss all the options, including but not limited to alternative trips.

Day 1

This trip begins with a scenic float through the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument which will allow your crew to practice paddling as a team before jumping into the action of the rapids. After a delicious riverside lunch prepared by our guides, we will paddle into our most popular stretch, the Racecourse! Don’t forget to look up! The geology radically changes as we pass onto the Embudo fault line, one of the largest intercontinental fault lines in North America. After crashing through the infamous Souse Hole, we will head to our first night’s camp on the river.

Each evening, you will enjoy sleeping under the stars of the New Mexican skies at our riverside camp within the heart of the stunning National Monument. Sit back in one of our camp chairs and take in the vibrant colors of the sunset while the guides pass around appetizers and prepare a delicious dinner and dessert. With views like these, you won’t want to forget your camera. There will be ample fishing opportunities as well as hiking trails directly from camp! In the morning you’ll wake up to a hot cup of coffee and a beautiful breakfast before heading to the river.

Day 2

Day two will bring an expedition-style adventure! Depending on the time of year, we will enjoy inflatable kayaking the remote and seldom explored section of the Middle Taos Box where the wildlife sightings are endless, or the action of New Mexico’s premier class IV stretch, the Taos Box rafting section. Regardless, this day will provide you with one of the single best river adventures in the country.

Day 3

Our final day is the perfect mix of river and rock. We will start at Dead Cholla Wall in the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge. The Dead Cholla Wall is an established New Mexico rock climbing area featuring over two dozen climbing routes for all skill levels. Whether you’re a first-time or experienced climber, your professional guides will provide you with all the tools to ensure a safe, challenging, and memorable experience. After a riverside lunch, it’s time to cool off! This afternoon we will enjoy a combination of stand-up paddleboarding and inflatable kayaking amongst some of the most incredible views of the canyon! Be sure to keep a lookout in the water for river otters, the cliffs for bighorn sheep, and the sky for bald eagles! Once off the river, we will make our way back to our Headquarters where your vehicles will be waiting for you. You will have an opportunity to take a look at your photos from the past couple of days and grab some NMRA merch to commemorate your adventure!

Our Guides For The Rio Grande Multi-Sport 3 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. With experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, I know you’ll enjoy each one of our guides as much as we do!

This trip has it all and is perfect for the whole family! This is a classic trip and its located a mere 1 mile away from our headquarters. If you’re looking for a memorable addition to your vacation in Northern New Mexico, stop by our headquarters or reserve your space for this wonderful whitewater rafting experience.

Starting the Racecourse

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’ll 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.

The Racecourse Float

The Racecourse Rafting is the perfect trip for first timers or those whitewater enthusiasts who only have a limited amount of time available. It is class II-III (IV at high water) and absolutely perfect for everyone. Although rare, when the water levels are especially high (usually in late May and June), we do raise the minimum age as this section grows into an extremely fun and continuous section of class III and IV whitewater. Please call if you have any questions about water levels or our minimum ages for any of our trips. We’ll tackle rapids with names like The Maze, Eye of the Needle, Big Rock and the infamous Souse Hole.

Racecourse Trip Availability

The Racecourse rafting trips are available EVERY DAY starting in March through October. When the river levels are low, the adventurous may choose, at no extra charge, to do this trip in inflatable kayaks. All trips meet at our Headquarters. Morning Trips meet at 8:30 AM. Afternoon Trips meet at 12:30 PM. On busier days we also have a 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM departures. All availability can be seen online. Please feel free to book online or call us anytime, 1-800-983-7756, to reserve your space.

**For large groups (18 or more), please ask about custom start times and our signature Chicken Fajita Lunch as an add on back at the Headquarters.

Why New Mexico River Adventures?

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. Many with experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible.

There are excellent birding and wildlife viewing potential along with ancient Rio Grande style petroglyphs (rock art) and desert freshwater springs as well as the classic rapids of the Racecourse. The combination of these things makes this a fantastic full day adventure for families, first-time rafters, and groups.

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 October. When the river levels are lower, the adventurous may choose to do this trip in inflatable kayaks. 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.

*Rio Grande Gorge full day whitewater rafting now available as a private trip! Visit our private trips page to learn more about custom adventures tailored to you.

Due to regularly scheduled releases from El Vado Resevior, we are able to enjoy this incredible canyon and three day rafting trip, most weeks from April through August. We raft 33 mile section of river outside of the the alpine town of Tierra Amarilla, NM.

Rio Chama 3 Day Trip

The trip consists of a float through the stunning colorful sandstone and limestone walls of this amazing canyon and finishes up near the renowned artist village of Abiquiu. The upper reaches of the river are well known for gorgeous pine trees lining the banks of the river and spectacular views of the desert cliffs that border this area and that are so famous in many different artists works, such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. The mellow whitewater here affords ample opportunity to take in all of the colors and beauty of the famous canyon. Red, yellow and purple color bands are painted across the desert as the river flows past towering sandstone cliffs.

The relaxed 3-day itinerary allows us the flexibility to stop often and explore the many treasures within the high reaching walls like hot springs, ancient Indian ruins, and dinosaur tracks to name a few. We will spend two beautiful nights out under the bright New Mexican sky. The Rio Chama is known for it’s nice sandy beach and grassy bench camps, most with ample shade from towering old growth Ponderosa Pines. Each night’s camp will be right on the river’s edge and backed up by excellent opportunities for hiking and the exploration of numerous side canyons and vistas. Sit back in one of our camp chairs and take in the sunset as the colors of the canyon walls change right before your eyes. Enjoy a cold drink as the guides pass around appetizers and prepare a gorgeous dinner and dessert. This is luxury camping in one of the most beautiful river canyons in the Southwestern United States. Don’t worry if you don’t have your own tent, sleeping pad or sleeping bag. Just let one of our friendly staff know at the time of reservation and we’ll take care of everything.

Our Guides for The Rio Chama 3 Day Trip

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. Many with experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, I know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible.

We highly recommend that the adventurous types opt for navigating the river in their own craft, an inflatable kayak. Of course there will the raft(s) to paddle, allowing everyone the opportunity to be active in our voyage down this Wild and Scenic River. We always bring a large oar powered raft to carry the equipment needed for this incredible wilderness experience.

Minimum age for the Rio Chama multi-day rafting trip is 6 y/o; children should be adventurous and have some previous outdoor experiences. Groups of 4 or more may request Custom dates, subject to availability. Contact us today for more information: 1-800-983-7756.

How about gourmet meals waiting for you along the side of the river as the sun sets? We have just the trip for you!

Where the Sunset Dinner Float Begins

For years now, New Mexico River Adventures has set the standard for new and exciting trips and itineraries in Northern New Mexico. We are also known for taking standard trips and making them amazing. Our Sunset Dinner Float is no different. It is a spectacular twist to the standard half-day river trip. Great for all types of groups including families, friends, and couples alike. The trip starts at our Headquarters at 3:30 pm. Here we will outfit you with all of the necessary equipment needed for your river trip. Don’t worry if you forgot any necessary items for the trip, we’ve got you covered in our outfitter store. After you’ve received and properly fit your river gear, we’ll cover a detailed safety orientation in the comfort of our Headquarters porch.

The Float

It’s off to the river where we’ll begin a 2-hour float through the magnificent Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Your river trip starts with a placid 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 of the river, known as the Orilla Verde, affords us time to practice paddling techniques, go swimming or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Rio Grande. The vast majority of our guests like to participate and paddle along (with the guide in the back of the boat giving paddling commands). You may also choose to sit back and let the guide do the work on an oar boat. For the adrenaline junkies, ask about an inflatable kayak at no extra charge.

The Dinner

After close to 4 miles on the river, we will begin to notice some amazing smells coming from the shore. It could be coming from a hot dutch oven or a glowing grill with a variety of mouth-watering entrees cooking to perfection. Your guide will secure the boat to shore as you take off your life jacket and treat yourself to appetizers prepared for you by our cooks who have been awaiting your arrival on the banks of the Rio Grande. Grab a seat or wade out in the river as the finishing touches are put on an amazing meal. As the light just gets better, so does the food, ending with a freshly baked dessert right out of a traditional dutch oven.

The End

After the meal and a little relaxing by the river, we’ll board our van and take the short drive back to our Headquarters somewhere around 7 pm where your vehicle will be waiting. Please feel free to use our private dressing rooms, restrooms and other amenities at the Headquarters before saying goodbye to the guides after a special afternoon/evening on the Rio Grande.

**There is a minimum of 10 people required to operate this trip. If you don’t see your preferred trip date available online, please call for availability**