Rio Grande Gorge Camping Trips
AT A GLANCE
Highlights
- Exhilarating Class IV+ Whitewater
- Canyon Wilderness Camping
- Wildlife
- Multiple Trip Options
Overview
The Rio Grande Gorge, top among our nation’s Wild and Scenic River sections, descends from the alpine Alamosa Valley and into a high desert rift cut into a massive lava flow. From the alpine valleys of Ute Mountain, through the rugged canyon, to the tranquil and cottonwood lined banks at the village of Embudo, the Rio Grande tumbles through one of its most varied and beautiful stretches along the river’s entire 1,885-mile journey.
The class IV+ Taos Box is the centerpiece of commercially viable whitewater on the Rio Grande and is one of the U.S.’s premier day trips. Above “The Box” lie several other sections of pristine and ponderosa-lined wilderness which we are only accessible via single-track trail, using pack animals to carry our equipment. South of Taos are fabulous float and whitewater sections great for groups and families of all ages and abilities.
We offer many combinations of river sections but by far the best is the Whole Gorge Three-Day, which take us from the scenic Wild Rivers area down through the Taos Box and the Lower Gorge sections. Other greats are the Taos Box Two-Day and Wild Rivers Two-Day. For those with less time, the Rio Grande Express is a perfect short get away.
About
Our Rio Grande Express overnight is an easy and fun camping trip on the Lower Gorge of the Rio Grande that is suitable for groups and families (6yrs and older). Begin with a beautiful afternoon float to a comfortable camping set-up at our private beachside property, complete with beach games and all basic amenities. The next morning, after a leisurely hot breakfast, choose between a raft or inflatable kayak (for the more adventurous) and head down stream into the fun and splashy class III Racecourse section. After a fun morning on the water we will have you back to your vehicles and on your way around noon. All in all, the trip will take about 24hrs.
In May and early June this trip can also be done on the class IV Taos Box section.
Itinerary
Day 1: We will meet at the Far-Flung Riverside office at 1 pm, where we will have quick orientation and guests will be provided with all the rafting and camping equipment they need. After a short drive to up the road to John Dunn Bridge you will take a beautiful afternoon float through the Orilla Verde section. Guests may choose to raft, kayak or SUP down this stretch of river.
After a fun afternoon on the water we will reach our camp that evening at our private riverside property. Once there we will enjoy a comfortable night of camping, a delicious fireside meal and the beauty of the Rio Grande.
Day 2: The next morning, after a leisurely hot breakfast, choose between a raft or inflatable kayak (for the more adventurous) and head down stream into the fun and splashy class III Racecourse section. After an exciting morning we will have you back to our office and your vehicle around 12pm.
Camp Scene/Gear
Camp Scene:
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas. In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!
***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***
Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. As part of the trip we will provide waterproof dry bags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment.
If needed, we provide sleeping bags and sleeping pads for an additional $10/day.
About
Our Taos Box Two-Day trip is a combination of the two most popular whitewater runs in the southern Rockies: The Taos Box and the Lower Gorge. You will enjoy two full days of exciting rapids and high desert scenery in the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument. Guests can expect fun and challenging rapids, comfortable camping and great wildlife viewing opportunities.
Itinerary
Day 1: The day will begin by meeting at the Far-Flung Adventures Boathouse at 8:00 am, where we will equip you with all necessary river and camping equipment. Once ready for the day we will load up and take the 15-minute shuttle to the starting point for our 17-mile run down the world-famous Taos Box.
The trip begins with a few warmup miles of easy Class II rapids, followed by several miles of more difficult and technical Class III/IV rapids, and then finally culminate with six miles of Class IV-IV+ rapids, sometimes known as the “hour of power”. The final and most extreme section of whitewater of the day begins at the top of the nearly vertical “Powerline Falls” and then descends swiftly into constant whitewater and rapids such as “The Rockgarden” and “Corkscrew” and “Boat Reamer”. While crashing through the final class IV of the day, “Sunset Rapid”, a photographer will capture some snapshots of your run.
Following Sunset Rapid the canyon abruptly widens as we enter the tranquil Orilla Verde section, where shortly thereafter we will take-out at the Taos Junction Bridge. We will camp riverside in the beautiful Orilla Verde Recreation Area, which will allow our camp some basic amenities like running water and restrooms.
Day 2: Our final day will be comprised of a trip through the Lower Gorge. After a wonderful hot breakfast our morning will begin with a leisurely float through gentle oxbows beneath the ever-widening volcanic gorge. The morning will consist of beautiful scenery, wildlife, and a few mellow rapids. After lunch we will enter the Class-III Rio Grande Racecourse, our most popular half-day whitewater section with rapids like “The Narrows” and “Sousehole”, where you will again have your splashy descent captured by photographers. We will take out at County Line Recreation Area and will aim to be back at our office and your vehicles at around 4pm.
Camp Scene/Gear
Camp Scene:
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas. In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!
***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***
Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. As part of the trip we will provide waterproof dry bags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment.
If needed, we provide sleeping bags and sleeping pads for an additional $10/day.
About
If you are looking for an exhilarating and beautiful two-day adventure, this is the trip for you. Experience a fantastic array of isolated wilderness and premier whitewater and camp at the bottom of New Mexico’s most famous canyon: The Rio Grande Gorge. Join us and head into the heart and soul of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument to experience some of the best scenery and whitewater in the southwest.
Itinerary
Day 1: We will meet at the Far-Flung office at 8 am, where customers will be provided with all the rafting and camping equipment they need. After a short drive to the Little Arsenic Springs trailhead we will meet with our horse packer to load our day’s gear onto the animals and begin our descent into the gorge.
We will launch just above the class IV La Junta rapid, formed at the confluence of the impressive Rio Grande and Red River canyons. From there our trip will take a slightly more relaxed tone, as the remainder of the day will be an off and on, splashy, Class II-III float through the heart of the Wild and Scenic section of the Rio Grande National Monument. On your first day you will enjoy pristine canyon scenery, wildlife viewing opportunities, and stop at an incredible petroglyph site at an ancient Native American hunting camp. After 10 miles of fun whitewater and dramatic beauty you will meet your gear rafts and continue downstream past several hot springs and rapids to our riverside camp in the bottom of the gorge.
Day 2: You will wake up to an excellent breakfast and hot, fresh coffee to start your day. After a leisurely morning we will load up the rafts and head downstream into 15 miles of class III/IV+whitewater in world famous Taos Box. The final and most extreme section of whitewater of the day begins at the top of the nearly vertical “Powerline Falls” and then descends swiftly into constant whitewater and rapids such as “The Rockgarden” and “Corkscrew” and “Boat Reamer”. While crashing through the final class IV of the day, “Sunset Rapid”, a photographer will capture some snapshots of your run. Following Sunset Rapid the canyon abruptly widens as we enter the tranquil Orilla Verde section, where shortly thereafter we will take-out at the Taos Junction Bridge
Camp Scene/Gear
Camp Scene:
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas. In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!
***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***
Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. As part of the trip we will provide waterproof dry bags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment.
If needed, we provide sleeping bags and sleeping pads for an additional $10/day.
About
Our Whole Gorge Three-Day trip is the best whitewater experience on the Rio Grande and one of the best multi-day raft trips in the Rocky Mountains. The trip begins with a beautiful one-mile hike into the remote depths of the Wild Rivers section of the Rio Grande National Monument and then proceeds to take us through nearly 40 miles of rugged and pristine terrain in the heart of the Rio Grande Gorge.
Itinerary
Day 1: We will meet at the Far-Flung office at 8 am, where customers will be provided with all the rafting and camping equipment they need. After a short drive to the Little Arsenic Springs trailhead we will meet with our horse packer to load our day’s gear onto the animals and begin our descent into the gorge.
We will launch just above the class IV La Junta rapid, formed at the confluence of the impressive Rio Grande and Red River canyons. From there our trip will take a slightly more relaxed tone, as the remainder of the day will be an off and on, splashy, Class II-III float through the heart of the Wild and Scenic section of the Rio Grande National Monument. On your first day you will enjoy pristine canyon scenery, wildlife viewing opportunities, and stop at an incredible petroglyph site at an ancient Native American hunting camp. After 10 miles of fun whitewater and dramatic beauty you will meet your gear rafts and continue downstream past several hot springs and rapids to our riverside camp in the bottom of the gorge.
Day 2: You will wake up to an excellent breakfast and hot, fresh coffee to start your day. After a leisurely morning we will load up the rafts and head downstream into 15 miles of class III/IV+ whitewater in world famous Taos Box. The final and most extreme section of whitewater of the day begins at the top of the nearly vertical “Powerline Falls” and then descends swiftly into constant whitewater and rapids such as “The Rockgarden” and “Corkscrew” and “Boat Reamer”. While crashing through the final class IV of the day, “Sunset Rapid”, a photographer will capture some snapshots of your run. Following Sunset Rapid the canyon abruptly widens as we enter the tranquil Orilla Verde section. We will camp riverside in the beautiful Orilla Verde Recreation Area, which will allow our camp some basic amenities like running water and restrooms.
Day 3: Our final day will be comprised of a trip through the Lower Gorge. After a wonderful hot breakfast our morning will begin with a leisurely float through gentle oxbows beneath the ever-widening volcanic gorge. The morning will consist of beautiful scenery, wildlife, and a few mellow rapids. After lunch we will enter the Class-III Rio Grande Racecourse,our most popular half-day whitewater section with rapids like “The Narrows” and “Sousehole”, where you will again have your splashy descent captured by photographers. We will take out at County Line Recreation Area and will aim to be back at our office and your vehicles at around 4pm.
Camp Scene/Gear
Camp Scene:
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas. In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!
***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***
Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. As part of the trip we will provide waterproof dry bags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment.
If needed, we provide sleeping bags and sleeping pads for an additional $10/day.
BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY!
Join us for an adventure that you will never forget!