The Upper Taos Box is one of the quintessential classic whitewater runs found in New Mexico. The Upper Box of the Taos River is just the first 6-miles, that run down deep in the gorge. There is no access between the put-in and the takeout points, so bring any spare paddles/rescue gear/whatever you need to get out in case of emergency. The biggest technical difficulty in the box are the sieves, of which there are many, and the rapids are typically long boulder gardens. Another issue is the takeout point, of which there are two options. The most popular, and what is shown here, is taking out at Big Arsenic Trail, but you have to hike out almost 1-mile, gaining 750 feet. The other option is to continue another 9 miles on flatware, and lots of paddling. There are no easy rapids on this run, this is for experts only. All private boaters are required to register with a ranger or at self-serve stations at each access point - no reservations or fee required