Featured Article - June 2009

The father-son team of Russ and Paul Hardy float down the Río Grande, near Las Cruces, in The Grande Quacker, which was awarded first place for Most Creative in the 2005 Raft the Río event. This year the event celebrates its 12th renewal.

Mild: Tubing the Río Grande

Nearby town: Las Cruces

Nearest highway: I-25

Known for: Leisurely floating and creative watercrafts

When spring temperatures begin to climb in the desert around Las Cruces, shorts-clad students from New Mexico State University can be seen floating down the Río Grande in slowly twirling inner tubes, their feet dangling in the water. This time-honored tradition is one of the cheapest ways to get wet, take in some scenery, and while away an afternoon.
Just about any tire shop can rustle up a heavy-duty, truck-tire inner tube for about $20—and a long, slow stretch of water, like the Río Grande outside ’Cruces above the Mesilla Dam, provides the fun.

And every summer since 1997, hundreds of participants have hauled makeshift rafts—from homemade pirate ships to a giant rubber ducky built for two—to Raft the Río. In this event, rafters float from Picacho Bridge downstream to Mesilla Bridge, where they accept prizes in different categories for their inventive crafts, such as Best Use of Recycled Materials. This year, the race is scheduled for June 13.

Sponsored by the Southwest Environmental Center, a nonprofit advocacy group that works to conserve and protect the river, Raft the Río calls attention to the river’s plight. The Río Grande’s waters are heavily depleted by upstream irrigation and municipal use; the once-mighty river has been known to run dry by the time it reaches Las Cruces, just north of the U.S.–Mexico border.

For info: (575) 522-5552, www.wildmesquite.org

 

Members of the Adobe Whitewater Club navigate the serene waters along one of the most scenic stretches of the Río Chama. "That section of the Chama, with the 1,000-foot bluffs, is probably the prettiest river view in the state," says Dallas Hill, a member of the club.

Wild: Canoeing the Río Chama

Nearby town: El Vado

Nearest highway: N.M. 112

Known for: Unhurried wilderness experiences

As it flows south between El Vado and Abiquiú reservoirs, the Río Chama offers canoeists 33 miles of the most spectacular scenery in New Mexico. A favorite among those seeking a true, unhurried wilderness experience, the Chama provides excellent opportunities to view wildlife, fantastic streamside camping, and really big trout. In fact, the brown trout that holds the state record—a 35.5-inch, 20.4-pound monster—was caught in the Chama, and now hangs on the wall at Cooper’s El Vado Ranch store, where most boaters put in to the river. Cooper’s offers basic fishing tackle, a few
groceries, and several cozy log cabins for rent.

The beginning of this river route passes through a narrow canyon of granite cliffs topped with towering ponderosa pines. As the river drops in elevation, its canyon widens to expose ruddy sandstone mesas and shores sheltered by stands of cottonwoods. A float down this stretch of river requires an outing of at least two days, with a takeout at Big Eddy, off Forest Road 151, just south of Christ in the Desert Monastery and north of Abiquiú Reservoir.

While in the area, stop in at the Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitor Center, off U.S. 84, for more information about the scenic area that inspired artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Nearby Echo Amphitheater features remarkable natural acoustics and colorful rock formations, and several great hikes are open to the public just down the road, at Ghost Ranch.

 

Rafters can find respite at the Pilar Yacht Club and Café, a restaurant and general store in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area, nearby the river.

Wilder: Rafting the Racecourse

Nearby town: Taos

Nearest highway: N.M. 68

Known for: Surging rapids through steep-sided canyons

Rafting enthusiasts need look no farther than the Río Grande’s
racecourse section, in northern New Mexico, for five of the wildest, wettest miles of fun on the state’s biggest river. Thrill seekers will find plenty of experienced outfitters willing to take them downstream through the surging rapids and swirling pools of this scenic stretch of river, off N.M. 68 between Española and Taos.

On a typical day each June, spectators line the nearby road to watch brightly colored rafts full of ecstatic passengers plunge through the towering whitewater generated by the funneling of the Río Grande through this steep-sided canyon. But even when the high water recedes with onset of summer in late June, there’s still plenty of action in the racecourse.

There are excellent camping, hiking, and fishing at the nearby Orilla Verde Recreation Area, where
stunning cliff faces and deep blue skies tower over the river. For a local’s outlook on the river, stop by the Pilar Yacht Club & Café, a restaurant and general store in the heart of the recreation area, where longtime resident and retired river-raft guide Rico Salazar provides friendly assistance, tasty breakfast burritos, and essential outdoor supplies.

For info: www.blm.gov

 

Kayaker Evan Ross enjoys a hair-raising experience at the "Slot," a wild and fast-paced stretch of Embudo Creek.

Wildest: Kayaking Embudo Creek

Nearby town: Peñasco

Nearest highway: N.M. 75

Known for: Wild rides through Class Five rapids

When they take to the water, most kayakers look for fast-paced action, and during spring runoff, New Mexico offers some of the best in the country. When the water runs high, Embudo Creek between Peñasco and Dixon is where those with experience and daring can tackle Class Five rapids. Embudo has it all: whitewater, deep troughs, and a hair-raising, six-mile ride through a canyon that’s otherwise almost inaccessible. Embudo is not for loners or the meek of heart—safety is paramount. For a glimpse of what Embudo Creek offers, pick up Atom Crawford’s DVD, Funnel: A Journey Through the White Water Creeks of Northern New Mexico, to see what top kayakers endure when tackling the state’s top rapids.

After surviving your run, stop off at Embudo Station, a historic train-depot-turned-restaurant on the west bank of the Río Grande, for a relaxing selection of microbrew ales. To fill that empty belly, Sugar’s BBQ & Burgers shack is just up the road. Thursday through Sunday, Nancy and Neil Noble serve excellent smoked brisket, sausage, ribs, and all the fixings from a menu rounded out with traditional green-chile cheeseburgers and Frito pies. In 2005, this unassuming restaurant was among Gourmet magazine’s list of the nation’s Top 10 drive-ins.

Kayakers with only moderate experience might want to try this challenge with the expertise of a commercial guide.

For info and DVD: www.newmexicoh2o.com

 

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