Lower Gorge – Racecourse Full Day

Mariana N.

“We did the full day on the Lower Gorge and Racecourse. The first part was beautiful, followed by a picnic by the river. The second part of our day had so much adrenaline, rapids and so much fun!! Kokopelli Rafting exceeded my expectations!”

Aysha T.

“My daughter and I decided to do something we hadn’t done before and rafting was it. We were paired with a family with two adventurous kids and we had a great time. We did a full day and it was restful in the beginning and thrilling after lunch. Our guide was thoughtful and experienced and made whole day really fun. We would absolutely do it again with this rafting company. This is something I will recommend to our out of state visitors and local friends.”

Lindsay H.

“My first time rafting down the Rio Grande and it was amazing! We did the full day rafting trip with guides Justin and Jessie leading our group. We were in the boat with Justin and loved hearing the tales of the river! He made the rafting experience so easy and comfortable. Never once did I feel unsafe! When we stopped for lunch we had a full spread of fruits, chips, salsa, cookies, sandwiches and drinks. I will definitely be rafting this river again and highly recommend Kokopelli Rafting Co!”

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Lower Gorge Racecourse - Dramatic Scenery

Family Fun - Be Sure to Ham it Up for the Camera!

Rio Grande Float - Bighorn Sheep are common sights in the Lower Gorge

Racecourse - Technical Maneuvering at Alberts Falls

Souse hole Rio Grande Racecourse rafting Taos Santa Fe New Mexico

This popular trip combines our two half-day excursions into one exciting day! We start at the Taos Junction Bridge, putting in for a relaxing morning spent floating through spectacular, towering cliffs and mellow, class II rapids. After a satisfying all-you-can-eat lunch freshly prepared by your Kokopelli guides, we return to the boats to tackle class III rapids on the Racecourse. The river narrows, picks up speed, and before we know it, we’re blasting through Albert’s Falls, the Narrows, and on to Big Rock Rapid. The Lower Gorge is a perfect choice for first time rafters, with the morning section offering an opportunity to get comfortable on moving water. Once you’ve discovered the joy of river travel, the excitement increases in the afternoon.

Minimum age is seven, although we reserve the right to raise the age limit during extremely high water levels.

The Rio Grande Lower Gorge runs all season long.

Price: $124* per adult (age 13+); $105* per child (age 6 – 12)

Duration: 5-6 hours from County Line. 7-8 hours from Santa Fe

Meeting Location: Kokopelli Rafting – Santa Fe, NM @ 08:45 am

or County Line River Access – Pilar, NM @ 10:00 am.

Meeting Time: 8:45 AM Santa Fe or 10:00 AM County Line

Difficulty: Class I-III (IV at high water)

2022 Season: April 30 – September 5

Includes: Guide, Gear, Transportation, and Snack

* Does not include: Santa Fe gross receipts tax (8.4375%) or $3.00/person public land user fee

Participant Requirements: Must be in generally good physical fitness, have the ability to brace yourself inside the raft, and paddle periodically as requested by the guide. Must be age 6 and up.

Due to COVID 19, each FULL DAY reservation has a 10-person minimum, as we are no longer co-mingling unrelated parties on the same trip during the pandemic due to food handling and longer transportation times. Individuals and small groups may still book separately online, provided their total group size is 10 or greater. Parties with less than 10 people are encouraged to call 505-983-3734 to discuss alternatives, including our half-day Rio Grande Float and Rio Grande Racecourse trips, which have a 4-person minimum. Safety has been our top priority for over 30 years, We appreciate your understanding and look forward to rafting with you!

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*Prices do not include taxes or federal user fees.