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Taos is New Mexico True
Taos Whitewater Rafting at it's Best

Rafting in Taos is a once in a lifetime experience. Taos provides easy access to rafting the Rio Grande River in the Rio Grande Gorge, one of the most beautiful canyons in the Southwest. Enjoy incredible views, lead by excellent raft guides, through some of the best rapids in the world. Whether you are looking for a half-day mellow raft trip with your family or a full day of extreme white water rapids, Taos has you covered.

West of Taos is the Rio Grande Gorge. The Gorge is a basalt canyon carved by millions of years of the ineffable flow of the Rio Grande. Visiting the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is a staple of every visit to Taos, giving you an opportunity to walk across the canyon and look hundreds of feet down at the river. The view from the top is unparalleled, but you can also experience it from a different angle. Rafters around the world know this stretch of the Rio Grande as The Taos Box, one of the most challenging and exciting rafting experiences in New Mexico. This full day rafting adventure begins at the John Dunn Bridge, north of Town, meandering for 16 miles, through the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, under the Gorge Bridge, south to the Taos Junction Bridge. The Taos Box is not for the faint-of-heart as it contains a series of world-renowned Class-IV rapids with names like: “Rock Garden”, “Boat Reamer”, and “Screaming Left-Hand Turn”. The views are stunning and the rapids are thrilling.

While the Box may sound daunting, Taos also offers many family-friendly rafting adventures. One of the most accessible sections of the river is the Racecourse, a stretch of river south of Taos. Rafting the Racecourse gives you ample time to enjoy the beautiful scenery, practice paddling, and experience the thrill of a few rapids. A half-day rafting trip down the Racecourse is the perfect opportunity for your family to experience the river in a unique and exciting way.

The Taos rafting season starts in the spring and ends in the fall. Numerous local raft outfitters and guides run half-day, full-day, and multiday rafting trips on the Rio Grande and the tamer Rio Chama, catering to rafters of every level of experience. Try a half-day float that culminates with an unforgettable New Mexico sunset and a delicious riverside dinner. Scenic floats can also be great for wildlife gazing—keep your eyes peeled for otters, beavers, and herons at water level, or scan the basalt cliffs above for herds of mountain sheep. Regardless of the trip you choose, we’re confident you’ll agree that Taos rafting is some of the best in the world. Be sure to check out Taos’ many other family-friendly attractions.

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Kids love New Wave, New Mexico's pre-eminent river outfitter since 1980. Serving all of northern New Mexico and headquartered on the Rio Grande river between Santa Fe and Taos, we offer family-friendly trips from the mildest to the wildest.

Rio Grande Rafting and Far Flung Adventures offer rafts, SUPs, inflatable kayaks, multi-sport adventures, and exciting and relaxing half-day to multi-day tours throughout the southwest!

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