Rio Pueblo de Taos Fishing Guides
The lower Rio Pueblo de Taos below Los Cordovas, running west off the Sangre de Cristo foothills toward its confluence with the Rio Grande inside the gorge, with wild brown trout in a canyon setting.
Guides on the Rio Pueblo de Taos
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
No guides listed yet
Guide or outfit this water? Create your profile. Listing is free, the commission is 10% or 7% with a premium profile, and premium profiles list first on this water.
About the Rio Pueblo de Taos
The Rio Pueblo de Taos rises in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above Taos, runs down through Taos Pueblo land and the valley, and turns west below Los Cordovas to drop into the Rio Grande gorge, joining the Rio Grande in the bottom of that canyon. The gauge below Los Cordovas measures the river on this lower reach, where it has left the valley and begun its descent.
The character of the water changes completely along that descent. In the valley the river is a modest agricultural stream, diverted for irrigation through the growing season and carrying the marks of long human use of the Taos Valley. Below Los Cordovas it enters basalt and begins cutting, and by the time it reaches the Rio Grande it is a canyon stream running over dark rock in a steep, rugged setting that feels a long way from the town a few miles upstream.
Wild brown trout are the primary fishery on the lower river, holding in the plunge pools and pockets that the basalt creates. Rainbow trout are present, and Rio Grande cutthroat trout, the New Mexico state fish and a species of real conservation interest, occur in the upper drainage. Flows are strongly affected by irrigation diversion and by snowmelt timing, so the gauge reading matters a great deal here.
Access to the lower canyon reach is genuinely demanding. It involves steep descents into the gorge, often from the Rio Grande side, and anglers should treat it as a hiking trip that happens to include fishing. Land ownership in the area includes Taos Pueblo land, which is not open to public fishing, so knowing exactly where you are is essential.
For anglers based in Taos the river is a worthwhile change of pace from the better known water nearby, and the gorge reach in particular offers solitude that the Rio Grande’s developed access points cannot. Anyone planning to fish it should carry water, expect a climb out at the end of the day, and check current flows and access rules before setting off.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Rio Pueblo de Taos.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
Add a photo of this water
Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.
Fished this water? Add a photo
Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.
Access
Taos - the town upstream, with full lodging, fuel, fly shops and guides.
Los Cordovas - the small community at the gauge west of Taos.
Rio Grande del Norte National Monument - the public land containing the gorge downstream.
Orilla Verde Recreation Area - developed Rio Grande access south of the confluence.
Wild Rivers Recreation Area - gorge access north with trails to the river.
Rio Grande - the mainstem the river joins in the bottom of the gorge.
Rio Hondo - a neighbouring Taos County trout stream north of town.
Seasons
Spring: snowmelt brings high water and the river can be difficult to fish or reach.
Summer: irrigation diversion reduces flows in the valley, while the canyon reach fishes early and late.
Fall: the best season, with settled flows, cooling water and spawning brown trout.
Winter: cold and icy with hard access into the gorge, though mild spells can fish well.
From the water
No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.
Log this water
Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.
Questions
What is the current flow on the Rio Pueblo de Taos?
As of Oct 18, 5:30 pm, the USGS gauge RIO PUEBLO DE TAOS BELOW LOS CORDOVAS, NM reads 41 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Rio Pueblo de Taos?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, White Sucker on the Rio Pueblo de Taos in New Mexico.
Where can you access the Rio Pueblo de Taos?
Taos - the town upstream, with full lodging, fuel, fly shops and guides. Los Cordovas - the small community at the gauge west of Taos. Rio Grande del Norte National Monument - the public land containing the gorge downstream. Orilla Verde Recreation Area - developed Rio Grande access south of the confluence. Wild Rivers Recreation Area - gorge access north with trails to the river. Rio Grande - the mainstem the river joins in the bottom of the gorge. Rio Hondo - a neighbouring Taos County trout stream north of town.
When is the best time to fish the Rio Pueblo de Taos?
Spring: snowmelt brings high water and the river can be difficult to fish or reach. Summer: irrigation diversion reduces flows in the valley, while the canyon reach fishes early and late. Fall: the best season, with settled flows, cooling water and spawning brown trout. Winter: cold and icy with hard access into the gorge, though mild spells can fish well.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Rio Pueblo de Taos?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the New Mexico agency site: https://wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/