Taos, New Mexico has been famed for its art scene since the days of Georgia O’Keeffe, and for celebrity appeal since Julia Roberts bought a place here a few years back. Those of you jet-setting to Taos this summer might try something different… getting wet!
Taos has long been one of the première whitewater rafting destinations in America. This year, the best of best rafting outfitters–Los Rios Rafting –has moved to a new location closer to town. If you want the best Class Four rapids around, try their “Taos Box” day trip. If you survive and want to recover and soak your aching bones, you might try the Ojo Caliente resort.
The Taos Box is the perfect day trip for the adventurer and amateur alike, and you might even see Julia Roberts. After picking up your wetsuit and boarding a bus near downtown Taos, you’ll go a few miles north of town and set your boat into the deep canyon waters of the Rio Grande. The arid landscape contrasted with blue water could be something out of a Georgia O’Keeffe painting.
The rafts fit four people plus the guide. Our companions were two video editors from LA with multiple cameras, so we can’t wait to see their finished product. On our trip of five boats there was a family with an eleven year old as well as some wayward Air Force mechanics on leave. Our guide was polite to everyone, and was extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the area.
Don’t let the first half of the day fool you, the placid waters of the Rio Grande are perfect for getting acclimated to the demands of your raft guide, but the excitement is yet to come. A highlight of the floating part of the trip is crossing 666 feet under the Rio Grande Gorge bridge which you might recognize from such films asTerminator Salvation and Twins. We also saw Big Horn Sheep and more birds flying inches over our head than we could remember. Lunch was a superb choice of cold cuts.
The pace literally picks up after lunch when the rapids get serious. Even though these were Class Four rapids, we never felt any danger. The eleven year old was fine and the airmen were sated with adventure. Still we finished our trip during an unusual summer hail storm, so the risk of cold and fatigue cannot be discounted.
For our second day, we went to Ojo Caliente resort about thirty miles southeast of Taos over the aforementioned 666 foot high bridge. The resort has a series of public and private mineral baths and treatment rooms. The best sequence is Cliffside pool, Iron Pool Arsenic pool then massage then repeat. It also has cottages for those who wish to stay overnight, but the Artesian restaurant on the grounds is a perfect place for a taste of the area. The prickly pear lemonade is quite simply the best non-alcoholic drink in America after a long soak and an even longer float.
For more info: Losriosriverrunners.com | Ojospa.com
Author: Jon Miller
photo: losriosriverrunners.com
