Rio Grande Gorge

The Rio Grande Gorge cuts dramatically through the high desert west of Taos, dropping nearly 200 metres from the plateau to the river below. The gorge is visible from the highway but the full impact doesn't hit until you walk to the edge. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge carries US 64 across the canyon about 15 kilometres west of Taos, and the pullout beside the bridge is an obvious stop.

For a better experience than roadside tourism, follow the trail that runs along the rim of the gorge. The Taos Valley Overlook, accessible from a parking area just north of the bridge, offers panoramic views across the Taos Plateau Volcanic Field. Whitewater rafting in the gorge is popular in spring when the snowmelt is running; outfitters in Taos offer full-day and half-day trips.

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The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, opened in 1965, was at the time the second-highest suspension bridge in the United States. Looking down from its railings into the gorge — 200 metres straight down to the river — gives a visceral sense of how suddenly this canyon appears from the flat desert plateau that surrounds it.

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