Embudo Creek
01. Near Rio Lucio to Hwy 75
| Difficulty | IV-V(V+) |
| Length | 5.8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 170 fpm |
| Gauge | Embudo Creek at Dixon, Nm |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 2 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 12, 2026 |
River Description
Embudo means 'funnel' in Spanish, and this river certainly lives up to its name! Shortly after it is formed (at the confluence of the Rio Pueblo and Rio Santa Barbara), it plunges into a narrow granite gorge which contains 5 miles of continuous Class V to V+. This is old-school creeking; not really any big vertical drops to run, but extremely continuous rapids with big hydraulics. High-water runs are hectic, and there will be extended sections without being able to eddy out. In general the rapids are very clean, smooth, water-polished granite drops. There are very few strainers and sieves, so the primary danger is flush drowning. This is an isolated area with an Indian reservation near the put-in and a conservative Hispanic community near the takeout. They don't like boaters or outsiders, period. Harassment in the past has included throwing kayaks into the rapids while you're scouting, firing shots off in your direction, and vandalizing your car. This usually has been the result of out-of-state boaters driving through town at 60 mph with a stack of boats on the roof; Can you say 'easy target?' It's best to drive slowly in this area, be respectful, and keep a low profile. If you do that, you probably will have no problems.
River Features
Parking for Put-in
This is the parking location for the put-in and used for driving directions. You hike down to the river from this point.
Put-In
This entry point to the river is on river right and requires a strenuous hike down to the river of approximately 1/4 mile.
Class IV
Fast Class IV will last for about 1/4 mile.
Long Rapid
This is one of those aptly named rapids. The start of the rapid is very ambiguous, essentially at some point you will have noticed the continuous Class IV just got a hell of a lot burlier! About a mile of non-stop Class V later you will come to something resembling a pool, this could be considered the end of Long Rapid. This is the deepest part of the Embudo Gorge and swimming is not an option.
Cheese Grater Falls
This is an impressive rapid, distinctly steeper than anything else in the upper gorge. However, of the big rapids it is one of the easier ones. It starts off with a nice boof at the entrance, then power left to miss an undercut, then a left to right move as you lose some elevation.
MJ Falls
You can almost see MJ Falls from CheeseGrater Falls, they are separated by about 3 rapids. MJ has a pushy twisting entrance with a stout hole at the bottom.
Rio De Las Trampas
The Rio De Las Trampas (River of the Traps) carves a small side canyon into the upper gorge river left just after MJ. Keep your eyes peeled, blink and you'll miss it. There is a waterfall 50 feet from the river that is worth a stop to check out. If this trib is cranking expect the rapids to be jucier downstream.
Carnival Rapid
The last drop of the upper gorge is a twisting rapid that takes advantage of boaters exhausted from the hard paddling above and takes them for a ride they wonÂt forget! Boof hard left at the entrance, then boogie right to miss a big overhanging f-u rock.
Class III
A mellow ½ mile of Class III separates the upper and lower gorges. If you're in over your head, or if the level is greater than 3.4, it's highly advisable that you retreat up one of the gullies on river left in this mellow section. The best gulch is an obvious notch, located where the river takes a right turn. The hike out is very easy.
The S-Turns
The lower gorge starts off with Pinball and Slamdance, these rapids are stacked right on top of each other and have severe zigzagging lines. The last drop in Slamdance is a perfectly formed river wide hydraulic. At high water this rapid will blend in with Slots of Fun and Taco Garden into a giant mile long V++ monstrosity.
Slots of Fun
Slots is the poster boy of the 'funnel river.' There are about 5 distinct Class V drops flowing headlong into the next, with each one bigger than the last, culminating in a completely boxed in 15 footer. The 15 footer is super bony and not recommended to run below 3.0. This rapid is extremely difficult to portage. It can be portaged in its entirety on river right, however this is referred to as the 'pure misery' portage. The only other option is to portage halfway down on the left, do a death ferry, and finish on the right. With the exception of the death ferry, this is a much easier portage!
Taco Garden
At the bottom of Slots of Fun the gorge opens up and the river bed gets wide and shallow but the gradient keeps cranking right along for another ½ mile. This section was named Taco Garden back in the day of long pointy boats, but these days pinning and folding your boat is a lot harder!
Arroyo Take-Out
This take-out is located on river left at Arroyo, approximately 2 miles upstream of the Highway 75 bridge. It is the preferred take-out and consists of a public parking pullout. If approached by adjacent landowners who assert that the area is private property, please remain courteous and respectful. Nearby landowners have expressed concerns about litter left by river users. Help maintain good relations by packing out all trash, keeping noise levels reasonable, and changing in and out of paddling gear discreetly.
Highway 75 Bridge Access
Although Arroyo is the recommended take-out, boaters may also continue approximately 2 miles downstream to the Highway 75 bridge over Embudo Creek and take out there. This is the access described in Colorado Rivers & Creeks II and offers a simpler shuttle. However, the reach between Arroyo and the bridge contains potential strainer hazards and irrigation diversions that can become particularly hazardous at higher flows. If utilizing this access, remain alert and scout as necessary.
