Rio Grande Racecourse Half Day

The Racecourse Rafting in New Mexico is our most popular half-day trip on the Rio Grande. The Racecourse rafting trips are available every day starting in March through October.

Half Day
Rio Grande
Age 5

$72 Adult | $62 Child

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Pro Tip: Choose the 8:30am start time for a less crowded and higher quality experience

WHO IS THIS FOR?

GREAT FOR ALL AGES

The Racecourse section of the Rio Grande is the best option for beginner and experienced rafters alike. The entire experience takes about 3 hours from the time you arrive at our Headquarters to the time we return. The minimum age for this trip is typically 5 years old and the difficulty of the rapids are class 3 on a 1-6 scale. Choose from 4 different start times a day.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Best Half Day Trip In New Mexico!

This trip has it all and is perfect for the whole family! This is a classic trip and it’s located a mere 1 mile away from our headquarters. If you’re looking for a memorable addition to your vacation in Northern New Mexico, stop by our headquarters or reserve your space for this wonderful whitewater rafting experience on the Rio Grande River.

HIGHLIGHTS

Most popular trip in New Mexico
Great whitewater for everyone
Ample swimming opportunities
Just one mile from our Rio Grande Headquarters

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TRIP DETAILS

Where to Meet

We start at our Rio Grande Headquarters where you’ll meet your guides for the day who will outfit you with all the gear necessary for the day on the river. Upon arrival, you’ll find safe, secure parking, clean restrooms, changing rooms, shaded picnic tables on our patio and any last minute items you might have forgotten including sunscreen, water shoes, hats and much more. This is the perfect place to start your adventure. For directions to our Rio Grande headquarters, Click Here!

What to Bring

The basic list of what to bring is shorts, t-shirt, hat (baseball cap is best) and good footwear (anything but flip flops). It is also nice to have a water bottle, sunscreen and a change of dry clothes for after the trip. Please be sure to reference our specific list of what to bring which is included in your confirmation email which you will receive immediately after reserving your trip.

Let’s Break It Down

MEET UP + GEAR UP

Please arrive at our Headquarters 10 minutes before your scheduled meeting time which will give you ample opportunity to check-in. You will be introduced to your trip leader who will help guide you through the outfitting process and deliver a detailed safety orientation. Next, it’s off to the river which is just a 5 minute drive.

GET ON THE RIVER

Once we arrive at the starting point, your guides will deliver paddling instructions and double check your equipment before heading downstream. We’ll tackle rapids with names like The Maze, Eye of the Needle, Big Rock and the infamous Souse Hole. While extremely fun and requiring good paddling, these rapids are not too intense and great for the entire group!

Take-Out + Return

After our last rapid, we have a mile float though a mellow section before arriving at our take-out. This is the perfect opportunity to swim, relax and wind down. Once we hit the beach, we will load up in our vehicles for the short one mile drive back to the Headquarters where you can change into dry clothes and preview the pictures taken of you through the biggest rapid of the day.

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REVIEWS

I highly recommend New Mexico River Adventures! We did a half day race course on a Monday afternoon in August. Although the water was low it was a great experience and wish we had done a full day. Our guide, Erin, was wonderful! She had a great sense of humor, taught us a lot and made the whole experience even better! We now have a new love, appreciation, and respect for the Rio Grande. Thanks to NM River Adventures we have found a hobby our whole family loves and will continue to pursue.

Monica McCaslin
Awesome time on the Race Course in the inflatable kayak! Luke and Tony were amazing guides, multitasking like pros and keeping everyone safe. Highly recommend.

Connor Elliott
3 Day Rio Chama The 3 Day Rio Chama trip was stunning. Our guides Brenden and Jack were next level. The food was exquisite, the views were spectacular, and the people were phenomenal. I can’t wait to return to this beautiful river. If you love friends, good food, kayaking, tent camping, and a cold beer after a day in the water this is the perfect trip for you. Thank you for providing us an adventurous outlet after a long quarantine in a safe but fun manner. I highly suggest this trip to anyone looking. This is my second trip with this company and I continue to be beyond impressed with the organization, professionals, and overall experience. Also, I don’t think I ever saw my guides without a smile on their faces. What an amazing time.

Kristina W
I was looking for a "family rafting" experience for my daughter's first time rafting and New Mexico River Adventures came up in the search. We decided to go on the three day Rio Chama trip and it was fantastic. The staff was very helpful, attentive, and quick to answer any and all questions from the booking, to the COVID-19 procedures, to the day of rafting and the return. Our guides, Luke Stacy, and Eric, did an excellent job making sure we were safe, entertained, and well cared for during our time on and off the river. We had wonderful views, several hiking opportunities, and delicious meals provided and we all wouldn't hesitate to recommend New Mexico River Adventures to anyone and everyone.

Paul Uribe
NMRA is super professional, safe and fun. Devon and Hana are great guides and are really knowledgeable about the history of the area as well. We did the 3 day trip on the Rio Chama with stand up paddle boards and it was so relaxing and beautiful!! I highly recommend NMRA, I will be taking another trip with them as soon as I can!

Jade Wilcoxson

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, the Rio Grande is one of the best rivers for rafting in the Southwest. The Racecourse section near Taos is especially popular for its fun, continuous rapids and accessibility for a wide range of skill levels.

Yes, the Rio Grande is safe to paddle with a professional guide and proper safety gear. Sections like the Racecourse are specifically chosen for guided trips and are suitable for beginners and families, depending on water levels and conditions.

The best months for rafting the Rio Grande, especially the Racecourse section, are May and June when snowmelt creates higher water levels and bigger waves. July and August still offer fun conditions with slightly lower, more manageable flows.

The minimum age for the Racecourse is typically 5 years old during normal water levels. At higher flows, the minimum age may increase for safety based on river conditions.

The Racecourse features mostly Class III rapids, with occasional Class IV waves at higher water levels. It’s more exciting than beginner float trips but less intense than the Taos Box, offering continuous, splashy whitewater rather than steep technical drops.

The Racecourse is one of the best sections in New Mexico for adventurous first-time rafters. It features consistent Class III rapids with occasional Class IV waves at higher water, making it exciting but still manageable with a guide.

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.

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.

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.

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