La Vista Verde Trail – Rio Grande, NM Posted On: April 30, 2021 By: Britt Runyon Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: hiking, Taos, trail This easy 2.3 mile trail in the Rio Grande Gorge has a lot to offer. Located north of Pilar, the access road runs up along the river at the bottom of the gorge, passing some campgrounds in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. After crossing the Taos Junction Bridge, in approximately one mile you come to the trailhead. The sign after crossing the bridge says “proceed with caution” and that’s a great suggestion. The next photo shows a example of the ancient petroglyph seen along the hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and mountain biking and is best used from March until November. Dogs are allowed, but must be kept on leash. The trail runs along a high bench above the Rio Grande. There will be times when you can here the river descending the gorge several hundred feet below. There is an overlook of the confluence of the Rio Grande and Rio Pueblo de Taos a few hundred feet after leaving the parking area. Read More…
Taos Box, May 19, 2019 Posted On: May 22, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: River trips Tagged In: New Mexico, New Wave Rafting Co, Rafting new mexico, Rio Grande new mexico, run-off, Taos, Taos Box Taos Box, May 19, 2019. The snowpack has INCREASED since the Box trip seen here. It is now at 278%!! Are you wanting some real white-knuckle boating? This is going to be the year for that. This full-day river trip traverses 16 miles of wilderness gorge, encountering demanding rapids guaranteed to get you wet. This is our most exciting whitewater river trip and is NOT for the timid. Participants must be mentally and physically prepared to paddle in earnest and assist in their own rescue in the event of a “swim” or flip (Class 4/Difficult, Class 5/Very Difficult, in high water). The Box season begins in April, with the highest flows usually occurring around early June. Minimum age is 12. Take a closer look here. Why We Raft the Taos Box What compares to a river? Hardly anything, and that’s why we raft. The rapids, the calm stretches, the wildlife, the riverside groves and flowers – it’s all there, waiting for you and your family. Exposure to Nature Boosts Immune System “In a series of studies, scientists found that when people spend time in natural surroundings, forests, parks and other places with plenty of trees, they experience increased immune function. One reason for this is phytoncides, the airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect themselves from rotting and from insects, and which also seem to benefit humans. In Japan, for instance, people visit forests for a therapeutic practice which is called “Shinrin-yoku,” or “forest bathing.” A group of these “forest bathers” were divided in two and they were instructed to do the following: Group 1 was instructed to walk through a forest or wooded area for a few hours on day one . Group 2 was instructed to walk through a city area. On the second day the two groups switched places. Above all, the researches found that being among plants produced lower concentrations of cortisol (a stress hormone), lower pulse rate, and in addition lower blood pressure.”
Spring Flowers (and more) #3 Posted On: May 17, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: claretcup, hawthorne, Taos, Taos creek, taos junction rapid, virginia creeper, yucca Spring Flowers (and more) #3. Every day there is something new to see. The yuccas are now out. There are two kinds of yucca native to this area. The larger of the two is the Banana yucca (Yucca baccata). The smaller is the Soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca). Yucca baccata Yucca baccata Read More…
Spring Flowers, Rio Grande Posted On: May 14, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: claret cup cactus, cliff fendler bush, desert globemallow, evening primrose, green hedgehog cactus, Racecourse run, run-off, Taos, Taos Box Spring Flowers and More Along the Rio Grande. The Claret Cup cactus is starting to pop! What a sight. Claret Cup Claret Cup Read More…
Start Of Spring Along The Rio Grande, 3-30-19 Posted On: March 30, 2019 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Nature Tagged In: Bighorn sheep, Rio Grande nm, Taos Start Of Spring Along The Rio Grande. I have been keeping an eye on the Gauging Station creekbed lately, expecting that the creek would soon begin to run. A couple of days in the 70s did the trick, and today, there it was. Gauging Station Creek comes down the canyon that you cross at the “Horseshoe Curve” on Hwy 68, a few miles south of Taos. https://newwaverafting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/GaugingStationCrek.m4v The Rio Grande is rising as well, with the flow today at 688 cfs. What else? The swallows have returned, and they were catching mayflies over the river. Read More…
“Our rafting experience was AMAZING” Posted On: July 27, 2017 By: Steve Miller Filed Under: Testimonials Tagged In: Taos “Our rafting experience was AMAZING due in part to the expert guide we had. I can’t remember his name but his aunt & uncle have ownership in the rafting company. We rafted in the AM trip on July 18th and had a blast. I had rafted before but my significant other had not. He being from Chicago and me from Montana made the difference. I am recommending your company to others and will continue to do so. Thank you for a wonderful morning. – Chris Danner and Bob Fisher Read More…