Rio Grande Gorge

The Rio Grande Gorge is a dramatic basalt chasm where the Rio Grande has carved a deep canyon — in places some 800 feet deep — through the volcanic plateau of northern New Mexico near Taos. Protected within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, the gorge is a place of stark beauty, whitewater rapids, soaring raptors and sweeping high-desert vistas backed by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

The gorge is famously spanned by the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, one of the highest bridges in the United States, which offers a vertigo-inducing view straight down to the river far below. Visitors raft and kayak the river’s rapids, hike rim and canyon trails, fish, soak in riverside hot springs, camp, and take in some of the darkest night skies in the region. A wild and scenic river canyon, the Rio Grande Gorge is a treasured natural icon of New Mexico.

The gorge offers world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking through stretches like the famous Taos Box, along with hiking on rim and steep canyon trails (such as the West Rim Trail and the descents to riverside hot springs), trout fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping and stargazing. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is a must-see, with walkways for the dizzying view down. Rafting the rapids, walking the bridge and hiking to the river or hot springs are the signature draws of this dramatic canyon.

Late spring and early summer bring the biggest whitewater as snowmelt swells the river, while spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather for hiking the high-desert rim and canyon. Summer days can be hot in the gorge (with afternoon storms), and winter is cold but starkly beautiful and quiet. The night skies are superb year-round. Spring for the rafting and spring or fall for hiking are the highlights — come for the high water if you raft, or the cooler seasons for the rim trails and the bridge view.

The Rio Grande and its gorge have sustained people for thousands of years, from ancient peoples to the Pueblo cultures of Taos and the Hispano communities of northern New Mexico. The river was among the first designated under the national Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968, and the surrounding country was protected as the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in 2013. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, completed in 1965, became a landmark. The gorge preserves this wild river canyon and its deep human heritage, a treasured icon of New Mexico.

The Rio Grande Gorge was carved where the Rio Grande cut down through the basalt of the Taos Plateau — layers of dark volcanic rock erupted onto the plateau — within the great Rio Grande Rift, a zone where the Earth’s crust is slowly pulling apart, dropping the valley and raising the flanking mountains. The river sliced a steep, narrow canyon hundreds of feet into the hard basalt, exposing the layered flows in its walls. The rift, the volcanic basalt and the down-cutting river created this dramatic gorge.

The gorge is renowned for raptors — bald and golden eagles, hawks and falcons soar and nest along the cliffs — while bighorn sheep (reintroduced) navigate the canyon walls, and beavers, river otters and trout inhabit the river, with mule deer, coyotes and a rich high-desert birdlife on the rim. The mix of river, cliff and high-desert plateau supports varied wildlife. The Rio Grande Gorge is a superb place for watching raptors and bighorn sheep, and for spotting the wildlife of the river and the high desert.

The monument protects a high-desert and river-canyon ecosystem — sagebrush plains and pinyon-juniper on the plateau rim, the riparian ribbon of cottonwood and willow along the Rio Grande, and the rugged basalt cliffs between — supporting a diversity of wildlife from raptors to bighorn sheep. The wild river is a vital corridor in the arid Southwest. Protecting the river’s water and flow, the riparian zone, the cliffs and the high-desert plains sustains both the ecology and the wild beauty of this dramatic gorge.

The Rio Grande Gorge holds a treasured place among the icons of New Mexico — a dramatic wild-river canyon near the storied art town of Taos, famed for its towering bridge, its whitewater and its sweeping high-desert vistas, and woven into the deep Pueblo and Hispano heritage of northern New Mexico. A pioneer of the Wild and Scenic Rivers system and a centerpiece of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, the gorge embodies the wild beauty of the region. The Rio Grande Gorge is a cherished icon of New Mexico.

The Rio Grande Gorge lies in northern New Mexico near Taos, within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument (managed by the BLM). The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge carries U.S. 64 across the chasm just west of Taos, with parking and walkways. The monument’s Wild Rivers and Orilla Verde areas (with visitor contact stations, campgrounds, rim and river trails, and boat access) lie north and south. Fees apply in some developed areas. Rafting is via permit/outfitters. Check the Bureau of Land Management for access, fees, river permits and conditions before visiting.

The Bureau of Land Management protects the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and its wild river. Visitors help by protecting the river’s water quality, respecting nesting raptors and the reintroduced bighorn sheep (keeping distance, especially in nesting season), staying on trails and roads, packing out everything (including along the river), using established sites, preventing wildfire, and following all rules. The wild river and its canyon are sensitive. Protecting the river, the cliffs, the wildlife and the high-desert plains sustains both the ecology and the wild beauty of this dramatic gorge.

The gorge rim has steep, unfenced drop-offs in places — keep well back from edges, watch children closely, and use the bridge walkways. Canyon trails to the river are steep and strenuous, and the high desert is hot and exposed in summer with little shade and afternoon storms (and flash-flood risk in side canyons); carry plenty of water and sun protection. The river’s rapids are dangerous — raft only with proper gear, skills or a licensed outfitter, and wear a life jacket. Respect the drop-offs, the strenuous trails, the desert heat and the powerful river.

Fees apply in some developed areas; camp only in designated sites or per BLM dispersed-camping rules. River running requires permits/registration — use licensed outfitters or follow boater rules. Do not disturb nesting raptors or the bighorn sheep. Stay on roads and trails; respect closures protecting wildlife. Pets must be controlled. Drones may be restricted. Prevent wildfire; follow fire restrictions. Pack out all trash, including human waste along the river. Check the Bureau of Land Management for permits, fees, camping and current rules before visiting.

The art town of Taos with its historic Taos Pueblo (a living World Heritage Site), the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Taos Ski Valley, the riverside hot springs, and the high-desert villages of northern New Mexico lie near the gorge. The Rio Grande Rift and the Sangre de Cristos define the region. The Rio Grande Gorge anchors a spectacular region of northern New Mexico, a centerpiece of a Southwest adventure of whitewater, high desert and culture, easily combined with Taos, Taos Pueblo and the mountains.

Walk out onto the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge for the dizzying view straight down to the river (hold onto kids and hats), and drive or hike the West Rim Trail for sweeping vistas. Raft the Taos Box for thrilling whitewater (book a licensed outfitter, especially in spring high water), or hike a steep canyon trail to the river and a hot spring. Come in spring for the rapids or spring/fall for comfortable hiking, carry plenty of water, and pair your visit with the art and the living culture of Taos and Taos Pueblo.