This is possibly the greatest full day rafting trip in the country. Nowhere else can you find the same quality whitewater in such a remote and pristine canyon with incredible wildlife viewing opportunities.
Raft the Taos Box Section of the Rio Grande (Full Day Trip)
Summary Description
Highlights
- Paddle through the class 3 and 4 rapids of the Taos Box
- Amazing wildlife sightings from bighorn sheep to golden eagles
- One of the greatest single day rafting trips in the U.S
- Our signature hot chicken fajita lunch
- Our guides are the best in the business, focusing on safety and guest service as a top priority.
Description
The "Box" flows through the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge some 800 feet deep. The layout of this run is absolutely perfect as the beginning is relatively calm with plenty of opportunity to work on your paddling techniques and feel comfortable working together as a team to negotiate the many rapids ahead. In the final five miles of this Taos box rafting trip, the gradient increases and the rapids become more intense and come in much quicker succession. Brace yourself in and paddle hard through these steep and visually stunning rapids! You are almost guaranteed to spot Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep leaping across boulders below the cliffs or enjoying a drink from the river as well as river otter and a large variety of birds of prey as you float through this spectacular canyon.
Explore the inner gorge and experience quality Class IV whitewater rapids like; Power Line Falls, The Rock Garden, The mile long Rio Bravo section and the grand finale Sunset.
Included / Excluded
- Lunch included
- Shuttle to and from the river
- Farmer John style wetsuits, nylon “splash jackets”, Type 5 PFDs, and adjustable whitewater helmets.
- Gratuities
- Sunscreen, water shoes, hat or sunglasses - available for purchases
- Transportation to and from meeting location described in your confirmation email
Start / End Locations
Important Information
Know Before You Book
- Minimum age: 13 years old; Minimum weight: 90lbs
- Online reservations require a 10% deposit at the time of booking.
- This trip meets at our private, Rio Grande Headquarters which is conveniently located 1 hour north of Santa Fe and 30 min. south of Taos.
- Our cancellation policy for groups of less than 18 people, for all Half and Full Day trips is that we do not offer any refunds less than 72 hours before your scheduled trip time. If you cancel outside of these time frames, you will be eligible for a full refund.
- It is recommended but not mandatory that all our guests know how to swim.
- There is no experience required for any of our river trips. However, we encourage experience for our more difficult, Taos Box and Razorblades trips. Please feel free to call us with any concerns or questions about appropriate trips for your group.
- Unfortunately, we cannot bring our furry friends on our river trips. We do not have a secure area to keep your dog at our headquarters.
- We run our river trips rain or shine.
- Don’t forget good footwear (no flip-flops), layers and a water bottle.
- This trip is water level dependent and may not be available on the date you reserve.
Cancellation
Cancellation Cutoff: 72 hours
Cancellation Notes: Our cancellation policy for groups of less than 18 people, for all Half and Full Day trips is that we do not offer any refunds less than 72 hours before your scheduled trip time. If you cancel outside of these time frames, you will be eligible for a full refund. If this trip is not available on the date of your reservation due to water levels, we will reach out to you to discuss all the options, including but not limited to alternative trips.
Options and Pricing
| Taos Box Full Day Trip | RETAIL PRICE |
|---|---|
| Adult (13 - 99 years) | $156.68 |
Points of interest
FAQ
Do I need to know how to swim?
It is recommended but not mandatory that all our guests know how to swim. All guests are given Type V, US Coast Guard approved flotation devices (lifejackets) that are designed to float you on your back, nice and high in the water. For all our class 3 and above sections on the Rio Grande, you will also be issued a helmet.
What do I need to wear?
We have packing lists for you to review for each of our different trip types. Remember that the weather changes dramatically throughout the New Mexico rafting season. It can be significantly colder during March-May we encourage our guests to always be prepared.
What if it’s my first time, do I need experience?
There is no experience required for any of our river trips. However, we encourage experience for our more difficult, Taos Box and Razorblades trips. Please feel free to call us with any concerns or questions about appropriate trips for your group.
Can I bring my dog? Can I leave my dog with you?
Unfortunately, we cannot bring our furry friends on our river trips. We ask that you leave your pets at home before heading to our headquarters.
We do not have a secure area to keep your dog at our headquarters. Moreover, the temperatures get extremely hot during our season, because of this, you will NOT be able to leave your pets in your car. We ask that you leave your pets at home before heading to our headquarters.
HOW MANY PEOPLE FIT IN A RAFT?
Most of our rafts have a capacity of 6 paddlers, however, some can accommodate more and during seasons with lower water levels, we might take less paddlers in each raft. Please don’t think or your reservation in terms of rafts, rather, reserve for as many people in your group and we will pair you with the right number of rafts when you arrive. Private charters and private rafts may be available for an additional charge.
IS RAFTING SAFE?
Our guests’ safety is our number one priority. We will always be completely honest when pairing our guests needs and expectations with the appropriate adventure on the Rio Grande or Rio Chama.
IS TRANSPORTATION INCLUDED?
You must meet us at the appropriate meeting location described in your confirmation email. From there, all transportation to and from the river in included. For some groups who wish to customize their experience, we may be able to arrange a custom pick up and drop off at your hotel for an extra charge.We always recommend that all our guests visiting Northern NM bring or rent a vehicle as there are so many wonderful things to do that will require reliable transportation.
IS THERE A WEIGHT LIMIT? HOW PHYSICALLY FIT MUST I BE?
While there is not a weight limit, we are restricted by the size of our PFD’s. We can only accommodate chest sizes of 52” or less. If you have any concerns, just let us know your height and weight and we can usually tell from that.
DO WE WEAR HELMETS?
We provide helmets for all our guests on our Rio Grande trips class III and above, all inflatable kayak trips and all our SUP trips.
WHERE DO I KEEP MY STUFF WHILE I’M ON THE RIVER?
On all our Rio Grande trips, you will meet at our Headquarters where you will have nice changing rooms to use. You will be able to use your vehicle as your locker and we’ll keep your keys safe inside. Don’t worry, we’ve never had any issues in our safe, secure parking lot and we don’t want you losing your keys in the river.
CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE MY DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?
We will do our best! We have carefully crafted our menus to be inclusive of a variety of dietary preferences.
Basic Information
- Duration: 7 hours - 8 hours
- Trip difficulty: Moderate
- Category: Outdoor Adventure
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