New Mexico whitewater, Rio Grande Taos county, Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-IV     14 miles   If you've been out of state whitewater rafting and kayaking you might find the rivers here more forgiving, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind that the rivers in this state are less demanding. This stretch of Rio Grande in Taos County is 14 miles long and has been rated as a class II-IV section by American Whitewater. The natural beauty of Taos County and the cool fresh water will make you feel great. And of course, there are campgrounds     nearby. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this area has a large number of paddling places. This section has enough mileage for an overnight trip, so why not pack your camping stuff too. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Taos, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. This river system is full of great paddling sections, the Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground section is just one of them. Great exercise and spending some quality   time in nature will have you coming back for more. Briefly about the general area: Sunshine Valley is a wonderful place to check out next to Rio Grande, and the cheerful people of Amalia like to hang out nearby. Rio Grande gets very little rain. The month with most of the rain is August, and the driest month is January. For the period of the warm months at Rio Grande highs are typically in the 80's while overnight lows are mostly in the 40's. Highs through the wintertime are usually in the 30's, and all through the dark hours in the winter at Rio Grande temperatures drop to the 0's. Rio Grande, Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Rio Grande.   Whitewater Near Rio Grande: Rio Grande, Taos/Rio Arriba County, 4 miles away       Class V - 6 miles long (Chiflo Campground to Little Arsenic Trail) Rio Grande, Taos County, 4 miles away       Class II-IV - 14 miles long (Lee Trail to Chiflo Campground) Red River, -blank- County, 7 miles away       Class IV+ - 14 miles long (Highway 515 to Dunn Bridge) Rio Grande, Taos/Rio Arriba County, 9 miles away       Class II-III - 8 miles long (Red River confluence to John Dunn Bridge) Rio Grande, Taos County, 15 miles away       Class III-IV - 14 miles long (John Dunn Bridge to Taos Junction Bridge) Rio Grande, Taos County, 16 miles away       Class II-III - 24 miles long (Lobatos Bridge Colorado to Lee Trail) Whitewater Outfitter - Far FLUNG Adventures, Taos County, 19 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - Big River Raft Trips, Taos County, 23 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Rio Pueblo de Taos, -blank- County, 24 miles away       Class V+ - 3.5 miles long (to Taos Junction Bridge) Whitewater Outfitter - Los Rios River Runners, Taos County, 25 miles away       Whitewater outfitter   Ski Areas Near Rio Grande: Red River, New Mexico , 20 miles away, 1600 foot drop, 7 lifts, 58 runs Taos, New Mexico , 20 miles away, 2612 foot drop, 13 lifts, 110 runs Angel Fire, New Mexico , 37 miles away, 2077 foot drop, 7 lifts, 74 runs Sipapu, New Mexico , 37 miles away, 1055 foot drop, 4 lifts, 31 runs Ski Santa Fe, New Mexico , 56 miles away, 1725 foot drop, 7 lifts, 69 runs Pajarito Mountain, New Mexico , 70 miles away, 1410 foot drop, 7 lifts, 37 runs Wolf Creek, Colorado , 85 miles away, 1604 foot drop, 7 lifts, 77 runs   Hotels Near Rio Grande: Columbine Inn And Conference Center, Taos Ski Valley , 19 miles away Rio Hondo Condominiums, Taos Ski Valley , 20 miles away Best Western Rivers Edge, Red River , 20 miles away The Blake At Taos Ski Valley, Taos Ski Valley , 20 miles away Touchstone Inn, Taos , 23 miles away   Campgrounds 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   Public Lands Near Rio Grande: Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Mosca - CO , 47 miles away Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Santa Fe - NM , 59 miles away Carson National Forest, New Mexico , 32 miles away Cimarron Canyon State Park, New Mexico , 36 miles away   Lakes Near Rio Grande Latir Lakes, Taos , 16 miles away Eastdale Reservoir Number 2, Costilla , 18 miles away Baldy Blue Lake, Taos , 18 miles away