Freestone · Mixed · New Mexico

Rio de los Pinos (NM/CO border)

The Rio de los Pinos is one of those quiet little border streams that crosses and re-crosses the New Mexico–Colorado line, winding through meadow and rincon country with the Cumbres & Toltec railroad somewhere up the valley.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

90% confidence in this read
Water temperature for steelhead
Ideal
13°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time8013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6412% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
12.7°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
20°C
Wind
SW 26 km/h
Moderate breeze
Pressure
1017 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.4 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
1.4 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for steelhead
When
Early summer once snowmelt drops, and autumn
Where
The Rio de los Pinos is one of those quiet little border streams that crosses and re-crosses the New Mexico–Colorado line, winding through meadow and rincon…
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • The river crosses the NM/CO state line repeatedly — applicable regulations and the required licence change with the bank, so verify reaches and rules against NMDGF (and Colorado where relevant) before fishing
  • A Habitat Stamp is required on USFS/BLM land in New Mexico
  • Access is mixed public/private; confirm legal access first.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Rio de los Pinos is one of those quiet little border streams that crosses and re-crosses the New Mexico–Colorado line, winding through meadow and rincon country with the Cumbres & Toltec railroad somewhere up the valley. It's small water, wild browns with cutthroat and cutbows in the colder reaches, and it asks for the same things every good small stream does: a light line, a careful approach, and the patience to fish the likely lies rather than thrash the whole pool. Access is a genuine puzzle here — the river threads through a mix of public, private and cross-border land, so it pays to work out exactly where you can legally fish before you go. Once snowmelt drops in early summer it's a lovely dry-dropper river, and the autumn fishing is quieter still. A small, honest stream for anglers who like to earn it.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3