Taos Box
The Taos Box of the Rio Grande - The Best of New Mexico River Rafting
This full-day trip traverses 16 miles of wilderness gorge, encountering demanding rapids guaranteed to get you wet. This is our most exciting trip and is NOT for the timid. Participants must be mentally and physically prepared to paddle in earnest and assist in their own rescue in the event of a "swim" or flip (Class 4/Difficult, Class 5/Very Difficult, in high water). Minimum age is 12. We provide buffet style lunch, wet suits, wet suit booties, rain gear, gloves in cool weather, rain gear in hot weather and all necessary rafting equipment. If you intend to wear a wet suit, dress in form-fitting undergarments (bathing suit, tights, cycling shorts etc.) so that you can pull on your wetsuit without difficulty. Bring a change of clothes with you. This trip meets at the Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center at 10:00 AM, and returns there at approximately 4:00 PM.
Our '08 Taos Box season ends on 7/19. Run the Box with us next year. Book online anytime!
Weekend: $115 Weekday: $100 Weekday group of 10+: $90
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Taos Whitewater Rafting centers on the Taos Box section of the Rio Grande River. The Rio Grande river rises in the San Juan Mountains of southcentral Colorado. It flows eastward past Creede and enters the San Luis Valley. The valley is a vast ancient lake-bed. With the aid of the Rio Grande, the valley is farmed intensively - large amounts of water are diverted from the river. At Alamosa the river turns south and heads for New Mexico. At the southern margin of the San Luis Valley, and 10 miles north of the New Mexico state line, the Rio Grande begins to cut the Rio Grande Gorge. The Rio Grande Gorge runs 68 miles through southern Colorado and New Mexico, ending as the Rio Grande enters the Espanola Valley, just north of Santa Fe.
The Rio Grande Gorge contains all of Taos Whitewater Rafting. At first the Rio Grande flows placidly into New Mexico, followed by sections of class 4 and Class 6 (unrunable) rapids. The only road access into the Rio Grande Gorge is at Dunns Bridge, at a point 16 miles upstream of the end of the wilderness portion of the gorge. It is at this access point that the most famous of Taos whitewater rafting, the Taos Box. This Class 4 section is 16 miles long, making for a long one-day rafting trip, and is the best whitewater rafting and kayaking in New Mexico. It flows through the lower-most wilderness portion of the Rio Grande Gorge, which is designated by the US Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River. The Wild and Scenic River is administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Rio Grande Gorge High Bridge, west of Taos, spans the Gorge four miles below Dunn's Bridge.
The “Box” has long sections of continuous whitewater, especially in its last four miles, which begins with the notorious Powerline Falls, where the river drops rapidly down between large basalt boulders. This section, called “Rio Bravo” (Wild River), continues with rapids called Rock Garden, Boat Reamer, Screaming Left-hand Turn, Enema and so on. The last, and perhaps best, rapid is found at the confluence of the Rio Pueblo de Taos. Called Taos Junction, it is where photos are taken of our rafting guests. This is where the wilderness portion of the Gorge ends. Immediately downstream of Taos Junction Rapid is Taos Junction Bridge, and the take-out for the Taos Box trip. Immediately below the Box the river begins again to flow placidly, in the Orilla Verde section, part of which constitutes the morning float portion of the Rio Grande Gorge run.
For more information, call us today at 1 (800) 984-1444.
