Río Grande del Norte National Monument

Río Grande del Norte follows the Rio Grande through a basalt gorge up to 800 feet (240 m) deep across the Taos Plateau of northern New Mexico. Easy rim trails and overlooks look down on the river, and steep trails drop to its banks for fishing, camping and hiking along the water.

Fast facts

• Established: 2013
• Size: about 242,500 acres (981 km²)
• Gorge: up to 800 feet (240 m) deep, cut into volcanic basalt
• Highest point: Ute Mountain, 10,093 feet (3,076 m)
• Gateways: Taos, Questa and Cerro
• Managed by: the Bureau of Land Management

The landscape

The Rio Grande runs through a narrow gorge in layered black basalt, with springs, cottonwoods and willows at the bottom. The plateau above is open sagebrush grassland dotted with volcanoes, the largest of them Ute Mountain. The river was one of the first in the country protected as a Wild and Scenic River, and elk, bighorn sheep, raptors and river otters live here.

Best time to go

Spring and fall are best. Summer is warm on the rim and hot in the gorge, with afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. Winter is cold and windy on the plateau, around 7,000 feet (2,130 m), but the gorge can be walked on sunny days.

Getting there and around

The Wild Rivers Recreation Area is west of NM 522 near Cerro, north of Questa, with a visitor center and campgrounds along its rim road. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge carries US 64 over the gorge west of Taos. The Orilla Verde area near Pilar, south of Taos, has river-level campgrounds and trails.

Things to do

At Wild Rivers, easy rim trails and overlooks look down on the gorge and on La Junta, where the Red River joins the Rio Grande. Near Taos, walk onto the Gorge Bridge for the view straight down, or follow river-level trails in the Orilla Verde area.

The La Junta Trail drops about 800 feet (240 m) in 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the confluence, and the Big Arsenic Springs Trail descends to springs and a few riverside campsites. The River Trail links them for loops along the water. Paddlers run the Taos Box, one of the classic whitewater trips in the Southwest, and hikers climb Ute Mountain’s slopes in the north.

Staying safe

The climb back out of the gorge is steep and hot in summer, so budget your energy and water for it. Trails are rocky, with loose basalt and drop-offs. The river is cold and fast with serious rapids in places; do not swim in current. Watch for rattlesnakes in warm weather, and stay off the rim in lightning.

Know before you go

Day-use and camping fees apply at developed sites; riverside campsites in the gorge are few and go first come, first served. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm river levels and conditions with the Bureau of Land Management before you go.

Coordinates

36.6403, -105.8770

Magnetic declination

7.6° E (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

Best seasons

Spring, Fall

Difficulty

Easy to strenuous

Access / trailheads

Wild Rivers Recreation Area off NM 522 near Cerro; Rio Grande Gorge Bridge on US 64 west of Taos; Orilla Verde near Pilar.

Water

At developed campgrounds. Springs in the gorge; treat all water.

Cell / satellite coverage

Fair on the rim; little to none in the gorge.

Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency

Emergencies: 911. BLM Taos Field Office: 575-758-8851.

Permits & regulations

Day-use and camping fees at developed sites. First-come riverside campsites in the gorge.

Leave No Trace

Camp at designated sites in the gorge, pack out all waste, and leave springs clean for wildlife.