River Rafting New Mexico

It really shouldn't come as any surprise that the desert hides its gems carefully, but New Mexico is especially understated, and then surprising. It's all part of the enchantment of the southwestern United States, and somehow New Mexico has cornered the market on that very real "enchanted" feeling you get when the twilight descends into a canyon filled with river, ancient ghosts, and friendly laughter from a campfire serenade with guitar and guide. If New Mexico's marketing slogan is the LAND of enchantment, what more mystery is held in its rivers? River rafting New Mexico gives you plenty of choice!

From the Rio Grande to lesser known gems like the Gila, Rio Chama, Pecos and a variety of choices within each, you'll have plenty of options, as long as you do what Bugs Bunny says and "take that right turn in Alba-koikee"!

Kids love rafting in New Mexico

Lower Gorge

Our morning is spent rafting down the Rio Grande through the volcanic canyon, with just a couple of easy rapids. The river mellows as we pass through Pilar, where we will observe a quiet zone to minimize our impact on this small historic New Mexican community. At noon we’ll provide a delicious riverside lunch, including an array of hand-roasted sandwich meats and homemade salads and salsas

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate
Duckies on the Middle Box

Middle Box - Rio Grande

A scenic Class II-III section of river visited by far fewer people every summer than the popular Taos Box and Lower Gorge. A one-mile hike accompanied by pack animals will take us from the rim of the gorge and into the heart of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Moderate
Taos Box under the bridge

Taos Box - Rio Grande

This is a great trip for anyone looking to unplug for a day, get outside and get some adrenaline pumping! The trip will begin with two miles of easy and splashy Class I rapids, followed by nine miles of more difficult and technical Class II-IV rapids, and then culminate with the final five miles of Class IV-IV+ rapids, known as the “hour of power”. Far Flung Adventures has been safely navigating the waters of this section for over 40 years!

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-August
  • Intensity Level: Hard
Racecourse Rio Grande rafting

Rio Grande Racecourse

Gear up and get ready for New Mexico’s favorite half-day Class III whitewater adventure. This exciting 3-hour tour is our most popular half-day trip, and is perfectly suited to families, groups, first-timers, and those of all ages and abilities!

  • Trip Length: Half Day
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate
Rio Chama in northern New Mexico

Rio Chama Full Day

The Rio Chama in Northern New Mexico is America’s Newest Wild and Scenic River. This 8 mile stretch begins beneath a secluded Benedictine Abbey and ends just above Abiquiu Reservoir, where this silty desert river rolls to a halt among the rainbow cliffs of this remote four-corners location.

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild
Far Flung Adventures

Scenic Float

This Rio Grande rafting trip traverses the calm oxbows of the Orilla Verde National Recreation Area. The open canyon allows scenic views of towering basalt cliffs, high desert ecosystems, a lush riverside habitat, Class II rapids, and swimming.

  • Trip Length: Half Day
  • Minimum Age: 4
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild
Sunset float in New Mexico

Sunset Dinner Float

Over the last 40 years of doing multi-day river trips Far Flung Adventures has perfected the well-prepared and delicious outdoor-meal. Begin with a gorgeous pre-dinner float along the Orilla Verde section of the Rio Grande. Then come watch the high desert sunset from a comfy camp chair by a crackling fire, and take in the serenity of rural New Mexico from the river’s edge; and leave the cooking and dishes to us! This is the perfect way to enjoy many of the best parts of overnight rafting, but still get to sleep in your comfy bed that night!

  • Trip Length: Half Day
  • Minimum Age: 4
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild
Rio Chama 2 Day

Rio Chama Two Day

Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! The Rio Chama in Northern New Mexico is an absolutely stunning river that is more in the style of a Utah river-scape than most things found in New Mexico. Lovely, wooded campsites and lively but easy rapids make the Rio Chama one of the best family river outings anywhere.

  • Trip Length: 2 Days
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild
Rio Chama 3 day

Rio Chama Three Day

Enjoy three days of solitude and incredible wilderness. The Rio Chama trip begins in Alpine woodlands as a clear, rushing trout stream and ends at the head of Abiquiu Reservoir as a silty desert river, rolling among the rainbow cliffs the Four Corners region.

  • Trip Length: 3 Days
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: March-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild
Taos Box on the Rio Grande

Taos Box Two Day

Day one will take you through the towering, steep volcanic canyon of the Taos Box, a famous class-IV whitewater run. Day two will then follow the river downstream into the more lush and wide-open Lower Gorge, which will be a slightly milder run with class-III whitewater.

  • Trip Length: 2 Days
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-August
  • Intensity Level: Hard
wild rivers in New Mexico

Wild Rivers Two Day

If you are looking for an exhilarating and beautiful two-day adventure, this is the trip for you. Head with us into the heart and soul of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument and experience some of the best scenery and whitewater New Mexico has to offer.

  • Trip Length: 2 Days
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-August
  • Intensity Level: Hard

Whole Gorge Three Day

Beginning with a one-mile hike, accompanied by pack animals, into the remote depths of the Wild Rivers section of the Rio Grande National Monument, this trip is like no other multi-day whitewater experience in New Mexico. Our Wild River Three-Day begins near the town of Questa, and follows the corridor of the Rio Grande down through 40 miles of rugged canyons, spectacular high-desert scenery, incredible wilderness, and some of the best Class III-IV whitewater in the American west.

  • Trip Length: 3 Days
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-August
  • Intensity Level: Hard

Upper Gorge Three Day

Our first two days are spent between low basalt walls on the easy rapids of the Ute Mountain section and our third day on the steep whitewater of the Class IV Razorblades section. This is a fantastic wilderness trip that provides archaeological sites, star gazing, wildlife, and awesome whitewater. This summer will be the first summer that we offer these sections in combination and we are the first company to run this trip. Be one of the first people to experience this special glimpse into the wilds of New Mexico. The option to inflatable kayak or stand up paddleboard on the first two days is a great idea for anyone looking for a more adventuresome experience. As we are the only company with access to horses for this trip, we are very proud to be the only company to offer this incredible adventure.

  • Trip Length: 3 Days
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: March-August
  • Intensity Level: Hard

Ute Mountain Two Day

Located within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, the Ute Mountain run is a place of wild natural beauty, traces of early native peoples, and thriving wildlife. Join the Rio Grande as it begins its gradual descent into the deep basalt walls of the Rio Grande Gorge.

  • Trip Length: 2 Days
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: June-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate

Rock And Raft

A popular climbing/rappelling and rafting combination trip made possible by our friends at Mountain Skills Adventures. Get your adrenaline pumping and experience the great outdoors!

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: April-October
  • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate

Wild Rivers Paddle Saddle

Start the day with a two-hour guided horseback ride along the rim of the Red River Canyon to its confluence with the Rio Grande Gorge, where you will meet your raft guides, who will have a fresh and homemade lunch prepared for you. While you enjoy your meal the guides will pack the rafting equipment onto horses and mules to prepare for the mile long descent from the canyons rim to the river’s edge. Once on the water you will have the opportunity to visit the pristine canyonscape of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, explore ancient Native American hunting sites, and keep an eye out for the abundant wildlife beneath the towering ponderosa pines.

  • Trip Length: 1 Day
  • Minimum Age: 12
  • Season: April-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate

Gourmet Cuisine On The Chama River

This world class trip is made possible by a collaboration with François Maeder, renowned french chef and owner of Crumpets Restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. Through his expertise and artistic flourish he will provide menus derived from classic continental cuisine; most recently, folks and guides were treated to marinated shrimp, rack of lamb, beef wellington, and eggs benedict for breakfast. You will feast on specialized and varied menus, as well as fine, hand-picked wines perfectly paired to your evening meals. All of this, and you will be enjoying your meal riverside, beneath towering ponderosa pines looking out on a canyon backdrop of multi-hued sandstone cliffs. This has been one of Far Flung Adventures’ best rated experiences ever since we started doing them almost 30 years ago! If you are looking for the perfect gourmet wilderness experience, look no farther than this trip.

  • Trip Length: 3 Days
  • Minimum Age: 6
  • Season: April-November
  • Intensity Level: Mild

Inflatable Kayak Adventure Course

If you are interested in taking home a real outdoor skill after your vacation, this multi-day excursion and whitewater education trip is exactly what you are looking for. This is a fantastic option for families with children who wish to encourage or bolster an interest in the outdoors. In the late 1970’s Far Flung Adventures pioneered the idea of recreational river skills and education, and that tradition has continued to this day. We continue to offer multiple professional grade whitewater rowing courses and Swiftwater Certifications every year, and we are ecstatic to now be offering this layman’s introduction to whitewater via the versatility of the inflatable kayak. Over a period of 3 days across various distinct areas of beautiful northern New Mexico and across 3 stretches of river, which will gradually increase in difficulty you will gain the confidence and skill set to get you ready for any continued interest in river running.

    • Trip Length: 3 Days
    • Minimum Age: 12
    • Season: March-November
    • Intensity Level: Moderate

    Middle Box Fly Fishing Three Day

    This is one of our favorite new adventures. Experience this world-class multi-day glamping and fly fishing adventure through the Middle Box section of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument. This trip is a collaborative effort between Far Flung Adventures and the pros at Taos Fly Shop. Taylor Streit, owner of Taos Fly Shop, is a long time Taos local and a Fly Fishing Hall of Fame member who has fished waters from Alaska to Patagonia, and he considers this stretch of breathtaking and isolated river among the greatest he has ever been on. Come along with us, get pampered, and let some real pros show you how to catch the biggest fish around!

    • Trip Length: 3 Days
    • Minimum Age: 12
    • Season: March-November
    • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate

    Middle Box Fly Fishing Two Day

    An slightly more expedited version of our Middle Box Fly Fishing Three Day. This is a fantastic option for those who want to fish and see a fantastic canyon, but who don't have three days to spend.

    • Trip Length: 2 Days
    • Minimum Age: 12
    • Season: March-November
    • Intensity Level: Mild-Moderate

    Rio Chama Yoga Retreat Three Day

    Lovely, wooded campsites and the sounds of rushing water will serve as the backdrop to this transcendental yoga experience. Enjoy delicious and healthy multi-course meals prepared riverside and catered to your culinary needs. Daily yoga sessions make this unique trip a truly rejuvenating experience inside and out. Soothe the senses with the changing beauty and sounds of the river canyon as we raft down through geological time. This trip is made possible by a collaboration with Everliving Wellness Studio.

    • Trip Length: 3 Days
    • Minimum Age: 6
    • Season: July-September
    • Intensity Level: Mild

    River Music With Brent Berry And The Neighbors

    The Neighbors – Based in Taos New Mexico this 3 piece band has two stepped onto the national music scene performing the finest jump-blues, americana bluegrass and boleros for many audiences. Led by Brent Berry on guitar with Jimmie Killingsworth on mandolin and Peter Oviatt on 5 string banjo. Playing classics, contemporary and originals these guys get the house rocking. www.brentberrymusic.net The 25 mile Rio Chama trip begins in alpine woodlands as a clear, rushing trout stream, and ends at the head of Abiquiu Reservoir as a silty desert river, rolling among the rainbow cliffs so typical of the Four Corners region. Wooded campsites and lively, but easy rapids make the Chama one of the best river outings anywhere.

    • Trip Length: 3 Days
    • Minimum Age: 6
    • Season: June-June
    • Intensity Level: Mild