Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Special trout water - upper limit: New Mexico/Colorado state line Taos County reach - 19.31.4.11(A)(5)(a) NMAC | Regulation section limit | 36.99986, -105.71882 | Upstream end of the posted special-regulation reach, which runs from the state line down to the Taos Junction Bridge. Check the current New Mexico rules before you fish it. |
| 2 | Chiflo Campground BLM - Rio Grande del Norte | Campsite | 36.74143, -105.68037 | Rim campground above the gorge north of Cerro. |
| 3 | USGS Rio Grande near Cerro Upper gorge flows | USGS gauge | 36.73989, -105.68350 | The gauge to read for the Ute Mountain and Wild Rivers reaches. |
| 4 | Bear Crossing BLM - Rio Grande del Norte | Campsite | 36.71816, -105.69122 | |
| 5 | Big Arsenic BLM - Wild Rivers | Campsite | 36.67547, -105.68147 | Rim site; a steep trail drops about 800 ft to the river. |
| 6 | Little Arsenic BLM - Wild Rivers | Campsite | 36.66739, -105.68060 | Rim site with its own trail to the water. |
| 7 | Montoso BLM - Wild Rivers | Campsite | 36.66554, -105.68096 | |
| 8 | La Junta BLM - Wild Rivers | Campsite | 36.65713, -105.68534 | On the rim above the Red River confluence. |
| 9 | La Junta Lower BLM - Wild Rivers | Campsite | 36.65359, -105.69014 | |
| 10 | Cebolla Mesa Carson National Forest | Campsite | 36.64100, -105.68870 | Trail from the rim to the Red River confluence; a common walk-in put-in for the Taos Box. |
| 11 | John Dunn Bridge Near Arroyo Hondo | Bridge crossing | 36.53506, -105.70886 | The first road crossing below the Colorado line - there is none in the 61 km above it. Usual put-in for the Taos Box. |
| 12 | Manby Hot Springs Also known as Stagecoach Hot Springs | Spring | 36.50834, -105.72407 | Riverside hot springs reached on foot from the west rim. |
| 13 | Rio Grande Gorge Bridge US 64 west of Taos | Bridge crossing | 36.47625, -105.73308 | High steel crossing of the gorge; no river access at the bridge itself. |
| 14 | Gorge Overlook Rest Stop West rim beside the Gorge Bridge | Park / conservation area | 36.47540, -105.73673 | Parking, toilets and the rim walk. |
| 15 | Rio Pueblo Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.33768, -105.73112 | |
| 16 | Taos Junction Bridge Boat Launch BLM - Orilla Verde | Access / boat ramp | 36.33555, -105.73371 | Launch and take-out at the bridge; the head of the Orilla Verde float. |
| 17 | Special trout water - downstream limit: Taos Junction Bridge Taos County reach - 19.31.4.11(A)(5)(a) NMAC | Regulation section limit | 36.33607, -105.73377 | Downstream end of the posted reach that begins at the New Mexico/Colorado state line. The bridge is the marker. |
| 18 | Orilla Verde Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.33580, -105.73607 | |
| 19 | Rio Grande Spring | Spring | 36.33311, -105.74034 | |
| 20 | USGS Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge The roster gauge for this water | USGS gauge | 36.32003, -105.75444 | Read this one for the Orilla Verde and Racecourse floats. |
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Petaca Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.30760, -105.76721 | |
| 22 | Lone Juniper Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.30047, -105.77186 | |
| 23 | Lone Juniper Boat Takeout BLM - Orilla Verde | Access / boat ramp | 36.29952, -105.77251 | |
| 24 | Arroyo Hondo Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.29704, -105.77352 | |
| 25 | Rio Brave Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.29196, -105.78191 | |
| 26 | Pilar Campground BLM - Orilla Verde | Campsite | 36.28575, -105.78635 | |
| 27 | Pilar Bridge Pilar | Bridge crossing | 36.27855, -105.78945 | |
| 28 | Pilar Visitor Center BLM - Rio Grande Gorge | Agency / conservation office | 36.26802, -105.78869 | Staffed visitor centre at Pilar, at the downstream end of the Orilla Verde reach. |
| 29 | Glen Woody Bridge Below the Racecourse | Bridge crossing | 36.24599, -105.82555 | |
| 30 | Rinconada Bridge Rinconada | Bridge crossing | 36.21680, -105.88995 | |
| 31 | Embudo Bridge Embudo | Bridge crossing | 36.20670, -105.96067 | |
| 32 | USGS Rio Grande at Embudo Gauging here began in 1889 | USGS gauge | 36.20548, -105.96416 | Embudo is where the USGS started streamgaging in the United States. |
| 33 | Old Highway 582 Bridge Near Velarde | Bridge crossing | 36.14610, -105.99801 | |
| 34 | Los Luceros Diversion Dam In-river diversion structure | Dam / hazard | 36.12110, -106.04387 | Scout or portage - a diversion weir spans the river here. |
| 35 | NM 74 Bridge North of Espanola | Bridge crossing | 36.05798, -106.08211 | |
| 36 | Espanola Ranger District Headquarters US Forest Service | Agency / conservation office | 36.01755, -106.06487 | District office in Espanola. |
| 37 | Onate Street Bridge Espanola | Bridge crossing | 35.99045, -106.07360 | A second town crossing sits about 250 m downstream. |
| 38 | Otowi Bridge NM 502 | Bridge crossing | 35.87487, -106.14150 | The 1924 Otowi suspension bridge still stands beside the highway crossing. |
| 39 | USGS Rio Grande at Otowi Bridge The Otowi compact gauge | USGS gauge | 35.87458, -106.14239 | The index gauge for Rio Grande Compact accounting. |
Gauge: USGS 08276500 — RIO GRANDE BLW TAOS JUNCTION BRIDGE NEAR TAOS, NM. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
Regulations: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Wild Rivers Recreation Area, Questa: rim campgrounds and the steep La Junta and Big Arsenic trails.
Red River confluence: the classic winter walk-in fishery.
John Dunn Bridge: road access to the river above the Taos Box.
Taos Junction Bridge: access near the gauge and the standard raft takeout.
Orilla Verde Recreation Area, Pilar: the easiest river-level access, camping and ramps.
The Racecourse below Pilar: heavy summer whitewater traffic.
Trails into the gorge are steep and exposed; carry water and plan the climb out.
December through April: the best fishing of the year, low clear water and concentrated brown trout.
May and June: runoff and whitewater season; fishing is poor and rafting is excellent.
July and August: monsoon storms, warm water and turbid conditions; fish the tributaries.
September through November: clearing water, cooling temperatures and brown trout on the move.