River runs

New Mexico river runs

Live streamflow, whitewater class, and length for every paddleable section in New Mexico with a named USGS gauge. Built for kayakers, rafters, and canoeists.

Runs in New Mexico
101
Class range
I–V
Across the U.S.
331
Updated
Jul 11
Open the New Mexico paddle layer on the map Whitewater + paddle runs filtered to New Mexico.
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July
11
2026
River runs
New Mexico offers a variety of thrilling whitewater opportunities for kayaking and rafting enthusiasts. One popular destination is the Rio Grande, particularly the Taos Box section. This 16-mile stretch of river features Class IV rapids and stunning views of the surrounding canyons. The optimal streamflow level for the Taos Box is between 500-800 cubic feet per second, providing a challenging yet enjoyable experience for experienced paddlers. Another must-visit spot is the Chama River, known for its scenic beauty and diverse rapids ranging from Class II to Class IV. The optimal streamflow level for the Chama River is between 400-800 cubic feet per second, ensuring a fun and safe journey for all skill levels.

For those seeking a more remote and challenging adventure, the Pecos River offers a rugged and wild experience with Class III-IV rapids. The best time to paddle the Pecos River is during the spring runoff when streamflow levels are higher, usually around 300-600 cubic feet per second. Safety is paramount when navigating New Mexico's whitewater rivers, so be sure to check streamflow levels, wear appropriate gear, and always paddle with a buddy. By following these tips and exploring the diverse whitewater opportunities in New Mexico, you're sure to have an unforgettable and exhilarating experience on the water.
Full directory

New Mexico river runs

Every paddleable section in New Mexico keyed to a named USGS gauge. Sortable, quickly filterable. Tap any one for current discharge and the gauge it reports off.

101 entries
River run Streamflow Class
Headwaters In Gila National Forest To Eastern Boundary Of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument 0 cfs II-IV
1/4 Mile Below The Power Lines To Confluence With The San Francisco River 0 cfs ·
1.5 Miles Above Confluence Of Left And Right Creek On Left Prong To Confluence Of Left And Right Prongs Dix Creek 0 cfs III-IV
Headwaters Nf Rio Ruidoso To Nf Boundary 0 cfs II-III
Confluence Of 2 Headwaters For South Fork (Sec 28, T10s, R11e) To Southern Boundary Of South Fork Campground 0 cfs II-III
Headwaters (Sec 27, T8s, R17e) To Confluence Of Streams In Sec 34, T8s, R17e 0 cfs III
Headwaters (Hale Canyon) To Nf Boundary · III-IV
Headwaters To Eastern Boundary Private Land · III-IV
Arizona/New Mexico State Line To Confluence With Harden Cienega Creek 13 cfs ·
Confluence With Harden Cienega Creek To Apache Sitgreaves National Forest Boundary 13 cfs II-III+
Nf Boundary With Silva Ranch To The East To Nf Boundary With Tnc To The South 0 cfs III-IV
15 Springs To Fr 106 Bridge 3 cfs ·
Headwaters (Off Continental Divide) To Nf Boundary With Private Land 0 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Nf Boundary 1 cfs III-IV
North Boundary Of K135 To Southern Tip Of K136 · III-IV
Concrete Bridge To Nf Boundary 209 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With San Leonardo 209 cfs V
Confluence With San Leonardo To Nf Boundary 5 cfs III
Headwaters To Confluence With Rio Pueblo 5 cfs II-III
Confluence With Rio Angostura To Osha Diversion 5 cfs III+-IV
Headwaters To Junction Of Trails 707/68 (Sec 35, T12s, R11w) 2 cfs ·
Headwaters To Aldo Leopold Wilderness Boundary 9 cfs III-IV
Aldo Leopold Wilderness Boundary To Gila Wilderness Boundary 9 cfs III-IV
Gila Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With East Fork Gila River 0 cfs ·
Gila Wilderness Boundary (Below Snow Lake) To Gila Wilderness Boundary (Sec 24, T12s, R14w) 0 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Northern Boundary Gila Cliff Dwellings Nm 0 cfs II-III
Headwaters To Red River 3 cfs ·
Headwaters To Cabresto Creek 13 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Cabresto Lake 13 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Private Land Boundary 20 cfs III
Spring Creek To Private Land Boundary 3 cfs III-V
Hopewell Lake To Nf Boundary 20 cfs ·
Eastern Boundary Of Private Land Along Sitting Bull Canyon In Sec 19, T24s, R22e To Eastern Nf Boundary · III-IV
El Rito Ranger District Boundary To Felipito Bridge 20 cfs III+
(La Cueva, Flechado, Gallegos, Tio Maes, La Presa) To Osha Diversion 5 cfs II-III
Northern Boundary Nm To Eastern Boundary Gila Cliff Dwellings Nm 0 cfs II-III
Trail 810 To Private Land Boundary (T11s, R19w, Sec 6) 13 cfs II-III
Headwaters To Trail 810 13 cfs II-III
Below Ellis Ranch To Private Land Boundary 3 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Nf Boundary (To Eastern Parcel Of Forest Valley Subdivision) · ·
Serna Land Grant Boundary To Nf Boundary 0 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Rio Grande Del Rancho 0 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Rito De La Olla 0 cfs II-III
Headwaters To Confluence With Big Dry Creek 13 cfs II-III
Headwaters To Confluence With Las Animas Creek 2 cfs III-IV
Junction Of Water Canyon And Holden Prong To Aldo Leopold Wilderness Boundary 2 cfs III-IV
Aldo Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary 807 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Comanche Creek 3 cfs II-III
Private Land Boundary Below Canjilon To Nf Boundary 430 cfs III
Fr 106 Bridge To Confluence With Rio Chama 152 cfs II-III
Confluence With Rito De La Olla To Nf Boundary 0 cfs III
Goose Creek To Fawn Lakes Campground 13 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Red River/Upper Gaging Station 13 cfs ·
Abiqui Dam To El Rito Creek 152 cfs III
Jicarilla Apache Reservation Boundary To Confluence With Vaqueros Canyon 957 cfs II-III
Jicarilla Apache Reservation Boundary To Nf Boundary 957 cfs ·
Headwaters To Alamitos Diversion 5 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Santa Barbara Campground 209 cfs ·
Santa Barbara Cg To Concrete Bridge On Fr 116 209 cfs III-IV
Headwaters Of Three Rivers, Including 5 Segments Branching South And East To Western Nf Boundary At Three Rivers Campground 0 cfs II-IV
Nf Boundary To Above Mccrystal Campground 3 cfs III-IV
Confluence Of Turkey Canyon And Robinson Draw (Sec 33, T24s, R22e) To Confluence Of Turkey And Dark Canyons In Sec 26, T24s, R22e · III-III
Confluence Of Horse Canyon Headwaters In Sec 11, T25s, R22e To Confluence Of Horse And Payne Canyons In Sec 1, T25s, R22e · III
Headwaters Of Horse Spring In Sec 13, T25s, R22e To Confluence Of Horse Spring And Horse Canyon In Sec 11, T25s, R22e · III-IV
Headwaters Of Side Channel In Sec 12, T25s, R22e To Horse Canyon In Sec 2, T25s, R22e · III-II
Headwaters In Sec 12, T25s, R22e To Payne Canyon In Sec 1, T25s, R22e · III-IV
Long Canyon To Nf Boundary 7 cfs III-IV
Northern Boundary Of Sec 25, T18s, R11e To Confluence Of Sacramento River And Apple Tree Canyon 7 cfs III-IV
Confluence Of Western Headwaters (Sec 36, T18s, R12e) To Northern Boundary Of Private Land 1 cfs III-IV
Headwaters Rio Penasco, Water Canyon And Benson Canyon To Confluence Of Benson Canyon And Rio Penasco Sec 10, T17s, R12e 7 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Red John Box · III-IV
Red John Box To Nf Boundary · III-IV
Headwaters Of Middle Fork Big Canyon And North Fork Big Canyon To Nf Boundary · ·
Headwaters Of Cottonwood Canyon In Sec 32, T25s, R22e To Confluence Of Cottonwood And Dark Canyons In Sec 10, T25s, R22e · III-V
Southern Boundary Of Sec 3, T26s, R21e Along Dark Canyon To Confluence Of Dark And Fir Canyons In Sec 25, T25s, R21e · III-IV
Headwaters Of Channel In Sec 9, T24s, R22e To Sitting Bull Canyon · III-IV
Pine Canyon (East Of Private Land In Sec 26, T24s, R21e) To Confluence Of Sitting Bull Canyon And Last Chance Canyon · III-IV
Eastern Boundary Sec 12, T18s, R10e To Nf Boundary At Oliver Lee State Park 7 cfs II-III
Headwaters To Comanche Point 3 cfs III-IV
Main Fresnal Canyon From Eastern Boundary Sec 6, T16s, R11e To Main Fresnal Canyon To The Western Boundary Sec 6, R16s, R11e 7 cfs III-IV
Headwaters Of Big Canyon To Nf Boundary · III-IV
Bridge On Hwy 522 To Red Wsr 25 cfs III-IV
Headwaters Of All Streams Within Mckittrick Canyon Watershed To Nf Boundary · II-III
Eastern Boundary Of Private Land In Sec 2, T25s, R22e To Confluence Of Turkey And Dark Canyons In Sec 26, T24s, R22e · III-IV
Headwaters To Costilla Creek 3 cfs III
Nf Boundary To Nf Boundary 3 cfs III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Diamond Creek 2 cfs III
1/4 Mile Above The Powerlines To 1/4 Mile Below The Powerlines 0 cfs ·
0.5miles Above Confluence Of Left And Right Prongs Dix Creek On Left Prong To 0.1 Miles Above Diversion On Dix Creek 13 cfs II-III
Gila 5 cfs V
Trampas 4 cfs III-IV
Bluewater Creek 2 cfs III-IV
Rio Grande 4 cfs ·
Rio Pueblo De Taos 191 cfs III-IV
Tierra Amarilla 4 cfs II-III
Rio Nutrias 100 cfs ·
Rio Embudo 4 cfs III-IV
Arroyo Hondo 191 cfs ·
Rio Bonito 0 cfs III-IV
Ojo Sarco 4 cfs II-III
Agua Caliente 0 cfs III-IV
River runs FAQ

About New Mexico river runs

What does whitewater class mean?

The international whitewater scale (Class I–VI) rates a river's difficulty. I is moving water with riffles. II is straightforward rapids with clear channels. III requires complex maneuvers in fast water. IV is intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring decisive boat handling. V is extremely long, obstructed, or violent rapids with significant hazard. VI is considered impossible to run.

Where does the New Mexico streamflow data come from?

USGS streamgauges. Each New Mexico paddle run is keyed to a specific gauge that paddlers and outfitters have agreed represents flow on that section. Gauges report every 15 minutes; we re-pull throughout the day.

What's a runnable level?

Run-specific. A creek that's classic at 200 cfs might be too low at 100 and dangerously flooded at 1,000. Always cross-reference with a guidebook or a New Mexico paddling club for the run's accepted gauge ranges before launching.

Can I get an alert when a run hits prime flow?

Yes. Save any paddle run as a favorite in the Snoflo iOS app, set a flow window (e.g. "alert me between 800 and 1,500 cfs"), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses into range. Free with a Snoflo account.

Is this a substitute for local guidebooks and trip leaders?

No. Snoflo is informational. Always carry appropriate skills, gear, and a sober assessment of the day's flow. For high-consequence runs (Class IV+), paddle with people who know the run and never solo. American Whitewater is the authoritative source for U.S. river information.

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