New Mexico whitewater - Rio Grande, Taos County

Taos county, Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS II-IV     14 miles
  The put-in is not too far from Taos, as you can see on the road map further down. The average New Mexico whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be easier to run than those in other states, so better not forget that a large number of rivers in this state are quite easy. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. This is not the only paddling section in this river system, there are others too. A bit of exercise and just being out on the river
    for a while have a lot of people coming here. The wonderful New Mexico scenery and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a pretty small number of paddling spots. If
you hurry you can run this stretch in a day but why not make it an overnighter, so why not pack your camp stove too. The campgrounds here at Rio Grande are pretty good. The Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground stretch of Rio Grande in New Mexico is 14 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class II-IV section.

Briefly about the general area:
The warmest time of the year brings highs in the 80's to Rio Grande while overnight lows are frequently in the 40's. Highs through the wintertime are mostly in the 30's, and winter nights
 
come with lows in the 0's to Rio Grande. Rio Grande is a location that is reasonably dry mostly; the month of August is the wettest with most of the rain, and January is when it's the driest.
While staying at Rio Grande you could always look at Sunshine Valley.

Rio Grande, Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: II-IV
Length: 14 miles
Average Gradient: 47 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 36.8637
Longitude: -105.7055

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 36.7397
Longitude: -105.68241

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Current weather conditions at Rio Grande, New Mexico
WXPort

Local climate location: MANASSA 18 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Adobe and Stars Inn, Taos
18 miles away
Come see the starry skies! In March of 1996, Adobe & Stars opened its doors to guests seeking striking accommodations and a high level of hospitality in a majestic setting. It is situated just outsi...

Best Western River's Edge, Red River
20 miles away
The Best Western River's Edge is located in a beautiful mountain setting in the heart of Red River surrounded by Carson National Forest. We are in the center of everything, within walking distance to ...

Best Western Kachina Lodge & Meetings Center, Taos
23 miles away
Stay at this Taos hotel and enjoy warm, spacious accommodations while traveling in New Mexico. Ideally located at the gateway to the world-famous Taos Pueblo, the Best Western Kachina Lodge & Meetin...



OTHER_INFO
  All New Mexico Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in New Mexico.
Books about whitewater paddling on Rio Grande, New Mexico
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Rio Grande, New Mexico.
Find a whitewater outfitter in New Mexico

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Taos, New Mexico
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Taos, New Mexico, the metro area neareast to Rio Grande. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Rio Grande.
 Whitewater Near Rio Grande:
Rio Grande, Taos/Rio Arriba County , 6 miles away, Class V - 6 miles long (Chiflo Campground to Little Arsenic Trail)
Rio Grande, Taos County , 10 miles away, Class II-III - 24 miles long (Lobatos Bridge Colorado to Lee Trail)
Red River, -blank- County , 11 miles away, Class IV+ - 14 miles long (Highway 515 to Dunn Bridge)
Rio Grande, Taos/Rio Arriba County , 12 miles away, Class II-III - 8 miles long (Red River confluence to John Dunn Bridge)
Rio Grande, Taos County , 20 miles away, Class III-IV - 14 miles long (John Dunn Bridge to Taos Junction Bridge)
Rio Pueblo de Taos, -blank- County , 25 miles away, Class V+ - 3.5 miles long (to Taos Junction Bridge)
 Ski Areas Near Rio Grande:
Ski Rio, New Mexico , 17 miles away, 2150 vertical feet
Red River, New Mexico , 20 miles away, 1600 vertical feet
Taos, New Mexico , 20 miles away, 2612 vertical feet
Angel Fire, New Mexico , 37 miles away, 2077 vertical feet
Sipapu Ski, New Mexico , 37 miles away, 1055 vertical feet
Eldora, Colorado , 50 miles away, 1600 vertical feet
Ski Santa Fe, New Mexico , 56 miles away, 1703 vertical feet
Pajarito Mountain, New Mexico , 70 miles away, 1410 vertical feet
Wolf Creek, Colorado , 85 miles away, 1604 vertical feet
Sandia Peak, New Mexico , 101 miles away, 1700 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Rio Grande:
Adobe and Stars Inn, Taos , 18 miles away
Best Western River's Edge, Red River , 20 miles away
Best Western Kachina Lodge & Meetings Center, Taos , 23 miles away
Hotel La Fonda, Taos , 23 miles away
Sagebrush Inn, Taos , 23 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Rio Grande:
Sheep Crossing Campground, Taos County, 3 miles away
Chiflo Campground, Taos County, 4 miles away
Big Arsenic Springs Campground, Taos County, 7 miles away
 National Parks Near Rio Grande:
Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Mosca - CO , 47 miles away
Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Santa Fe - NM , 59 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater