The falling water levels in the Rio Grande have recently opened recreational opportunities for visitors to the Orilla Verde Recreation Area near Pilar, especially for anglers.
“It’s definitely dropping, which is helping folks out,” Area ranger Justin Dean said. “The turbidity of the water is still relatively high.”
The Rio Grande was still swollen with runoff June 8 and running at 1,800 cubic feet per second. The state Game and Fish Department’s fishing report said the water was high and muddy and the fishing was slow. Ignoring the report proved to be a good move Sunday, when water levels had dropped to 695 cubic feet per second.
I picked a spot near the Palomas campground that had produced trout last year, and three fat rainbow trout each more than a foot long lay on the bank in a less than an hour.
Roland Garcia, of Española, caught two rainbow trout on worms just above where I was fishing. Orilla Verde is just one of the spots his family likes to visit in Northern New Mexico.
“We caught 12 at Tres Ritos and we tried the (Rio Chama) below Abiquiú,” Garcia said. “We caught three.”
Switching to a gold Panther Martin spinner, I caught two more trout, including a 16-incher, to fill out my five-fish limit.
Anglers in the Orilla Verde should be prepared to share the water. Rafters enjoy the solitude of the canyon and the gentle rapids and in some areas, swimmers like to bathe in the cool waters.
Despite the activity along the river, the fishing is good. The Department stocks rainbow trout throughout the summer. Trout that are not caught become adapted to the river and grow larger. Brown trout spawn naturally in the Rio Grande and reach good sizes. Northern Pike and smallmouth bass add variety. Anglers must puchase a fishing license, available at the Rio Grande Gorge Visitor Center in Pilar.
For non-anglers, there is great bird watching by the river and in the piñon-juniper habitat in the canyon, Dean said. A guided birding hike meets the first Sunday of every month through September at 7:30 a.m. at the Visitors Center.
Wildlife is abundant along the river and includes mule deer, beavers and a recently-introduced herd of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.
The canyon walls are covered with the remains of old lava flows from ancient volcanic eruptions.
“There’s really unique views and geology,” Dean said. “It’s unduplicated anywhere else.”
There is a daily $3-per-vehicle fee to use the area. The federal Bureau of Land Management maintains six campgrounds with shelters, fire grills, drinking water and restrooms. Camping fees are $7 a day.
To get to Orilla Verde, take State Road 68 north from Española. At Pilar, turn left, or north, onto State Road 570.