The Lower Canyons are daunting. A typical route down this portion of the Rio Grande takes anywhere from five to ten days and the rapids range from Class II to Class IV in intensity. Some of those Class IV rapids are so intense that to have rafted them is a serious mark of pride. Even without the rapids, this is strenuous, as the shortest river run floats from the put-in at Heath Canyon to Dryden Crossing, a distance of 83 miles. You can raft all the way to Forster’s Ranch and the end of the Wild and Scenic section of the Rio Grande, if you’re willing to paddle 119 miles. People sometimes go even further, to Langtry, but the weir (or dam) at Forster’s Ranch is too dangerous to raft and making a portage around it is essential.
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