5 Things you're likely to see on the Rio Grande

There are lots of things to see on the Rio Grande while out on a rafting trip. Whether up in the rowdy class IV section of the Taos Box, in the mellow waters of the Orilla Verde Float section, or through the  popular Racecourse, there’s much to behold.

The High Gorge Bridge, spanning the gorge just Northwest of the town of Taos, is exhilarating to stand on and gaze down into the gorge below. You can get a less common, very humbling perspective of this bridge from below, on a rafting trip through the Lower Taos Box.

Birds of Prey and migratory bird species are abound on the Rio Grande. We’ve got a couple different species of eagles, a couple of different species of herons, geese, and ducks, as well as many other bird species. It’s a bird-watcher’s paradise!

The heritage and ancient cultures of the Gorge still echo along the banks and into the side canyons, as those who passed through centuries ago left their stories on the rocks in Petroglyphs for us to treasure today. Some of these glyphs are easily viewed from the rafts, and knowledgeable river guides can show you just where to look!

Some other residents to encounter out on the Rio are Big Horn Sheep. Often, they can be viewed grazing along the sides of the gorge, as curious about the visitors in the Gorge as we are of them! Sometimes even the babies are out!

Stand-Up Paddle boarding is a sport that is really starting to take hold here on the Rio Grande. There’s a beautiful stretch, called the Orilla Verde, with beautiful flat water, eddy lines to catch and experiment on, and a couple of little “ripple rapids” to get the blood pumping and test your balance on. Rafting isn’t the only sport here on the river!