Rio Grande Adventures: Paddling, Fishing & Float Trips

The river runs right through Sierra County, and it is one of the most underrated stretches of water in the Southwest. Here's how to get on it.

The Rio Grande enters Sierra County above Elephant Butte and leaves it below Caballo, and the sections in between offer some of the most approachable river recreation in New Mexico. This isn't whitewater country — it's a gentler, wider river, ideal for paddling, fishing, and long lazy floats.

Below Elephant Butte Dam, the tailwater section is cold, clear, and productive, holding rainbow trout in the cooler months and walleye and catfish through the year. Local anglers will tell you the fishing changes dramatically with dam releases, so it's worth checking flow conditions before you go — or hiring a guide who already has.

For paddling, the stretch between the dam and the town of Truth or Consequences is popular with kayakers and canoeists. Flows are generally mild during irrigation season, and there are several informal access points. Outfitters in the area rent boats and can arrange shuttles when the water is running.

Birding along the river is excellent and criminally under-publicized. Cottonwood bosque along the banks draws herons, egrets, sandhill cranes in season, and bald eagles that winter around Caballo Lake just downstream. Early morning is best, and the light on the water at that hour is worth the alarm clock.

Percha Dam and Caballo Lake State Parks, both a short drive south, give easy river and lakeside access with picnic areas and campgrounds. Several of our properties sit within walking distance of the water — tell us what you want to do on the river and we'll connect you with the right guide or outfitter.