Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Quick look rating: ⁵⁄₅ View, ⁵⁄₅ Respect for Nature, ⁵⁄₅ Experience, ⁵⁄₅ Will I return
Wow is the best word for this little area!
Now why write about a bridge and gorge, it’s simple, I find it beautiful and want to share this breath taking sight with you!
For the beauty, book mark it! I love nature and would just like to share this sight!
To note: «Off the record»: I’ve heard at one time the largest brown trout on a fly rod, out of New Mexico was caught here on the Rio Grande on a float trip, by a dentist out of El Paso.
The gorge is gorgeous, with no pun intended! Once you come up to the edge, I’ll put money on it the first word out of your mouth is Wow!
Great view! Yes, I’ll be back!

As others have mentioned, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is worth a stop. The views are spectacular and are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Tall rock formations, a meandering river, the plethora of colors unique to New Mexico and several cut-​ins where you an get a little closer to the action all make this a worthwhile pause.
Take advantage of a convenient parking lot (and restroom stop) and take one last chance at buying southwestern souvenirs and/​or honey (cash only) if you’re so inclined. Both lend a bit of a cheesy touristy feel, which prevent me from the full 5.
If you have more time, don’t just stop at the bridge! Make time to hike in the Rio Grande Gorge State Park. You wil not be sad that you did! A $ 3 fee gains endless access to varied landscapes, petroglyphs, and trails for both the novice and experienced hiker alike. Coming from Colorado, where hiking abounds, I expected to enjoy the trails, but I was absolutely dazzled by the colors, the fresh fragrance of sage and the beauty of hearing the Rio rush by in the background.
DO IT! And then post your pictures so that we can reminisce together :)

Beautiful view of Rio Grande, and the highlight of a Taos high road or low road adventure.

This is a must visit while visiting Taos! You will have to park your car and walk the bridge. I must admit I could not look down as the altitude made me alittle queasy. The view is breathtaking and the view will have you wondering. Just how did this happen? What are you waiting for? Check this place out and get some awesome pics!

We were really surprised to find this place as we left Manitou Springs. The gorge is beautiful and breath-​taking. To walk across the bridge is a little disorienting, but it’s quite amazing. It’s free, and it has a rest area attached with bathrooms.
The only drawback is that several vendors set up shop in the parking lot. Mostly they are selling Native American items, and they were all very nice. However, it felt a little out of place.

Super cool place to stop and enjoy an amazing view. There is parking on the side of the road as well as at the rest area. You can walk all the way across the bridge and can get some pretty spectacular shots from the middle. Also, there are people selling stuff on the side of the road so take money if you want to do a little shopping!

A must a must a must! If you’re a Natural Born Killer fanatic you have to come and see this bridge! Beware !!! If a semi or trucks pass the bridge the bridge will shake and you will get scared! Otherwise it’s so much fun!

Love it! My kids loved it! Highly recommend adding this stop to your sight seeing. Lots of vendors selling misc items on the side of the road. It’s windy too, take a jacket if you go in the morning or evening.

Yep, it’s worth the drive out to see this! Just the photo opportunity alone is worth the drive and it’s fun!
It’s part of Americana that you can only experience on road trips that harken back to the golden age of motor travel. When motor courts and hotels lined the old route 66 and the summer trip across country by car was the in vogue thing to do. Yes that kind of Americana.
If you don’t go you’ll regret it later and hold yourself cheap when your friends talk about being on the Gorge Bridge!

I couldn’t make it more than 20% out of the bridge without having a bad vertigo attack– its THAT long and THAT deep.
I went in the morning and it was very pretty with the early sun moving across the gorge and exposing the rock colors. SInce I really couldn’t walk to bridge, I amused myself with the vendors on the side of the Taos– much more reasonable prices than in Taos and with stories to tell.
I met vendors from all over who moved here in addition to native indians who lived here their whole lives.
I learned about the huge number of suicides from the bridge and why they have the «help call button «towers along the road. One poor guy actually brought his dog with him when he jumped and I watched the distraught family pick up the dog from one of the vendors who had caught it while I was there. So sad.

This is not a place for those with vertigo. When we first looked into the gorge, we were a little dizzy. After looking down for a while, I just spaced out enjoying the beauty. I could have stood or sat there for hours. The area by the restrooms have areas where you will see beautiful views of the gorge. It is so peaceful.

Wow!!! Conquer your fear of heights and walk on this bridge. We waited for a big truck to drive on the bridge while we were in the middle of the bridge… omg! The bridge shook under our feet! Wow… that was such a scary and exciting feeling. Had to hold onto the rails to walk back. We’ll worth it. Many vendors on the side of the road as you walk to bridge selling jewelry and leather goods made locally. Everyone was really very nice!

Was en route from Denver to Santa Fe, and this was a sight that I wanted to see. After having trouble finding it on the way down, we decided to try again on the way back up. I found out it was SO worth the trouble and the extra drive time.
Pictures don’t do it any justice, and if anything, gives you an ounce of it’s beauty at the most. If you’re traveling through the area, you MUST go check the bridge out. Really gorgeous.

The bridge is «A-​OK». However, the trail that runs along the river is OFF THE HOOK. This averages out to a «Yay! I’m a fan» rating in my bookie wookie.
My family spent about two hours walking south from the bridge along the trail on the west side of the river and then back again. Maybe it was longer? Don’t remember accurately. I also do not recall how far this trail runs. We probably meandered about three to four miles. Taking our time, taking some picture. Just enjoying ourselves.
This is a very flat trail. Perfect for us runners who are hill sissies. I’m an admitted «hill sissy».
Anyway, I witnessed people hiking with their families, hiking with their canines, running, biking. It’s a great little trail with some great views.
If you are visiting Taos, or just driving through, this is a convenient place to stop off to for just a short time or an extended time.

Now that you’ve seen the bridge, come over to the park for a picnic or a rest. Or maybe hit up some of the locals selling turquoise and quartz and leather goods. Plenty of spots to camp out for a bit before heading to Taos or wherever you might be going.
NOTE: Thanks, Unilocal (not). The Bridge and the State Park are different businesses and should NOT have been merged.

We were supposed to go hiking in southern Colorado, but with the weather acting up, we decided on a whim to head south and visit Taos and Santa Fe for the first time. Never having been down this part of NM, we weren’t sure what kind of scenery we’d come across.
So when we approached the gorge after a long drive, we were both delighted. The bridge has wide, paved sidewalks on both sides, so it is pedestrian friendly in the summer. There was a group of vendors on the north end of the bridge, but we had parked at the south end and got out to walk to the halfway point. We were happy for a beautiful excuse to get out and stretch. There are no tolls or fees.
Make it a point to stop here for 10 – 20 minutes if you pass through!

Amazing views and a great free activity!
We typed «nature» in to Unilocal and this was the first result. Great job, Unilocal!
Driving across the bridge is fun in and of itself, but there is a parking lot on one side (the side heading away from Taos). Park here and walk to the fence. Peer across the gorge and be on the lookout for sheep scurrying around below.
Once you’ve feasted your eyes, build up the courage to walk onto the bridge. Yes, it shakes when a car drives across. If you’re lucky, an 18-​wheeler will zip across whole you’re walking.

Stunning views.
Five stars for that alone. Just up the road from Taos you’ll find the bridge that was the scene of Micky and Mallory Knox’s wedding in Natural Born Killers. Just pull off to the one of the lots you’ll find at the end of the bridge and have a walk across to take in the scenery. It was a very cool experience and I reeked out a bit when we spotted a herd of Big Horn Sheep along the far ridge. Always cool to see local wildlife.
Pro tip-​the Taos Mesa Brewery is right along this same road (64) on the way back to town, don’t miss it!

Before I begin my review, I have to say that the Unilocal map on the Iphone app is way off on directions to this place. You may end up in Colorado before you realize you are not going to find it. Go to the visitors center in the town of Taos and pick up a map. The maps are available outside even if the visitor’s center is closed. In basic terms, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is out towards the Taos Ski Valley. When it’s time to turn right (if you are coming from Taos) to go to the Ski Valley, turn left instead and you will be there in 5 minutes.
Ok onward to the Gorge itself. In it’s simplest terms, this is the world’s biggest ditch. Of course it’s the most beautiful, breath taking, aww inspiring, ditch as well. On the south side of the bridge there is a parking lot to park your car. There are several Pueblo Indians there as well selling trinkets, even when the weather dips into the teens! Once you park there is a sidewalk on both sides of the bridge as well as little landing to take in the view and get great pictures. When I went the side walk was iced over and very slippery. This makes for some seriously scary walking when you factor in the wind and the fact that there is a 2000 foot drop on the other side of that railing. Honestly if I visited in the summer I would have stayed and admired the views for a lot longer. I probably would give it 5 stars if I didn’t shit my pants from the Hurricane force winds, icy conditions and the fact that I am scared of heights.
Definitely worth the detour if you are anywhere near Taos!

Two words, Just beautiful.
It’s amazing what mother nature and modern engineering can accomplish. The gorge is just incredible. It takes millennium to create such beauty. The bridge is also incredible to look at and the two coexist perfectly.
If you are in the area, STOP HERE. You will also find many artists selling jewelry, rocks and pottery. Most of which was pretty nice. But nothing really appropriate for a five year old. Oh well.