Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 14 routes on Rio Grande

New Mexico | Taos County / Ute Mountain Run

Rio GrandeStateline BLM access to Lee Trail, New Mexico

A shorter, 13-mile all-New Mexico Class II option on the Ute Mountain reach from the Stateline BLM access to Lee Trail.

Route location

Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 13 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical timePlan a full 4–7 hour day with scouting
ShuttleCar shuttle
Ute Mountain above the upper Rio Grande gorge in New Mexico.
Route photoUte Mountain and upper Rio Grande gorge; same-river and reach-area context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photographPhoto by Bureau of Land Management via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
Pulling the latest gauge and weather. This usually takes a few seconds.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 13 river milesStateline BLM access to Lee Trail, New Mexico
DifficultymoderateBLM rates Ute Mountain Class II but warns that erratic canyon winds can make the long trip difficult. It has sparse camps, no mid-run road access and a steep primitive gear carry at Lee Trail; strong intermediate moving-water skills and self-rescue judgment are appropriate.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out vehicle at Lee Trail, then drive north to the Stateline west-bank access. Confirm the primitive access approach and current road conditions before launching.
PermitsCheck posted rulesBLM requires advance reservations for private boaters on the Ute Mountain segment and self-registration at the access station. The New Mexico reach is closed April–May; verify current launch limits and rules with the Taos Field Office.
CampingDay tripNo overnight camp is assumed. BLM reports very few camping opportunities on the Ute Mountain reach and steep climbs to rim camps; use established campgrounds outside the route and verify access separately.
SeasonJan-DecBLM closes the New Mexico segment in April and May for raptor breeding protection. The reach is most useful during spring runoff; outside the closure, launch only when the direct Lobatos gauge and current local conditions support a full-day trip.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A shorter New Mexico-only trip option within the Ute Mountain corridor; it shares the downstream section with the full Lobatos-to-Lee route.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Stateline BLM launch (in-channel marker at the state line)
Open mapDirections to put-in

The Stateline pin is on the Rio Grande at the state line; the access trail and parking are on the west bank and must be located separately.

Finish

Take-out

Lee Trail river landing (in-channel marker before steep carry)
Open mapDirections to take-out

Use only BLM-designated launches, reserve in advance, and obey the April–May closure.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The Stateline pin is on the Rio Grande at the state line; the access trail and parking are on the west bank and must be located separately.
  • Use only BLM-designated launches, reserve in advance, and obey the April–May closure.
  • Lee Trail landing is followed by a steep primitive quarter-mile carry; verify trail and parking conditions.
  • No reliable mid-run road exits; arrange the shuttle and carry a conservative daylight and rescue plan.

Watch for

  • At least 300 cfs planning minimum; compare the live Lobatos gauge with the route-specific flow notes
  • Erratic canyon wind, cold water and blind drops
  • Raptor closure, BLM reservation and limited camping
  • Steep Lee Trail gear carry and remote rescue delays

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Ute Mountain above the upper Rio Grande gorge in New Mexico.
Ute Mountain and upper Rio Grande gorge; same-river and reach-area context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photographPhoto by Bureau of Land Management via Wikimedia Commons
U.S. federal government work: public domain

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.

Data status
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
  • Checking data sources and update times.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteRio Grande near Lobatos, CO
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred range600 cfs to 1,500 cfs
Low threshold300 cfs
High threshold2,000 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreAmerican Whitewater Rio Grande recreational flow assessment, Lobatos Bridge to Lee Trail
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named reach and public accessStateline to Lee Trail; about 13 miles; Class II

    BLM designates Stateline and Lee Trail on the Ute Mountain reach. Southwest Paddler describes a public west-bank Stateline access and the shorter 13-mile trip to Lee.

    Source

  • Scored flow band300 cfs lower guard; 600–1,500 cfs preferred; 2,000 cfs upper scoring guard

    The BLM 300 cfs minimum and American Whitewater reach-specific 600–2,000 cfs optimal user-preference assessment apply to the parent Ute Mountain reach. The preferred band is conservatively capped at 1,500 cfs using the route guide advanced/expert caution; not a safety guarantee.

    Source

  • Direct same-river gaugeUSGS 08251500 Rio Grande near Lobatos, Colorado

    This station is upstream at the Lobatos launch on the same Ute Mountain flow corridor; recheck trend and BLM advice before the Stateline trip.

    Source

  • Water-entry anchorsStateline channel marker to Lee Trail river landing

    BLM names both as designated water access sites. The Stateline marker is interpolated on the Rio Grande NHD line at the state boundary, not on the west-bank trailhead; the Lee marker is on the Rio Grande channel before the required carry.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in New Mexico

All 38 routes
New Mexico route guideBrowse every tracked New Mexico route.Taos County / Ute Mountain RunJump to routes in this region.

More on Rio Grande

All 14
Calabacillas Arroyo access to Central Avenue accessAlbuquerque / Rio Grande Valley State ParkEasy · About 7.5 river milesCalabacillas Arroyo access to Rio Bravo Boulevard accessAlbuquerque / Rio Grande Valley State ParkEasy · About 13 river milesCentral Avenue access to Rio Bravo Boulevard accessAlbuquerque / Rio Grande Valley State ParkEasy · About 5.5 river milesCounty Line BLM Site to Embudo gauging-station public accessRio Grande Bosque / EmbudoEasy · About 6.5 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Rio ChamaEl Vado Ranch to Chavez Canyon · about 63 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 22.25 river milesRio ChamaEl Vado Ranch to Big Eddy · about 63 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 31 river milesRio ChamaChavez Canyon to Big Eddy · about 69 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 8.25 river miles

Quick answers

Rio Grande paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Stateline BLM access to Lee Trail, New Mexico route on the Rio Grande?

Paddle Today watches Rio Grande near Lobatos, CO and treats 600 cfs to 1,500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does the Stateline BLM access to Lee Trail, New Mexico route on the Rio Grande start and end?

This route starts at Stateline BLM launch (in-channel marker at the state line) and ends at Lee Trail river landing (in-channel marker before steep carry), about 13 river miles on the water.

Is the Stateline BLM access to Lee Trail, New Mexico route on the Rio Grande suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update