Orilla Verde, Revisited. 08-19-2026

Geraint August 18, 2026 8 Comments

Greetings from Orilla Verde Recreation Area and the Rio Grande, in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. I hope everyone had a great week.

Just five miles north of the Village of Pilar, New Mexico, is the Taos Junction Bridge, a wonderful location for a view looking upstream along the Rio Grande. The river isn’t looking so healthy right now, so I hope you enjoy these images from better days as we look forward to wetter weather and plenty of snow this coming winter.

The images are in no particular order, and one caption will suffice for all of them, as they were taken at the same location.

I feel privileged to be able to return to the same places many times. Each visit can feel like the first when I see a familiar landscape in a different light.

Enjoy!

Early fall on the Rio Grande — Rio Grande, in the Orilla Verde, Recreation Area.

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Winter light in the Orilla Verde, RA — Winter light in the Orilla Verde, Recreation Area.

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And the bridge with a view!

Want to see more of this most beautiful area, check out my book. I have more in stock.

As always, thanks for looking. I’m heading to Abiquiu again this week, including a detour through this area. We’ll see what transpires in the way of photography. Have a great week. G

Golden Eagle, Snow, Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico

Geraint December 10, 2020 10 Comments

Golden Eagle in a snowstorm Orilla Verde Recreation Area in the Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico. The tree is a decades-long roosting place for Bald Eagles. This tree succumbed to the elements over the last few years and made room for hawks, osprey and golden eagles. Everything falls in to place perfectly. Thanks for looking. G

Orilla Verde, Rio Grande, Fall Colors

Geraint September 15, 2020 6 Comments

Orilla Verde Recreation Area in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Fall colors were evident yesterday evening during the sunset before the stars came out. I was on my way to photograph the Milky Way with the river and reflections. Things didn’t turn out as planned but the lead up and time spent out under the New Mexico skies made it all worthwhile. Thanks for looking. G

Bighorn Sheep Ram, Orilla Verde, New Mexico

Geraint July 25, 2020 6 Comments

Bighorn sheep ram in the Orilla Verde, Pilar, New Mexico. “Is this the best I got? You bet, for now.” And an afterthought, “do I have something in my teeth?” Looking good dude, looking good! Thanks for looking. G

Down On The Rio Grande, Taos Junction Bridge

Geraint April 12, 2018 No Comments

Down on the Rio Grande, at the Taos Junction Bridge, in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area. The spring colors are beginning to go on display. The area is getting “luscious”. I hope we see you here this year. Thanks for looking. G

Young Bighorn Sheep, Rio Grande Gorge

Geraint February 4, 2018 8 Comments

Young Bighorn sheep in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area of the Rio Grande Gorge. Beautiful drive today along the High Road to Taos. Picnic in an alpine meadow above Truchas with a couple of Alpaca onlookers, in 55 degree temperatures. Returning home through Dixon and the Orilla Verde RA, in the Rio Grande Gorge we encountered a number of young bighorns. This one bolted up out of the steep cliffs below us to the east and across the road, only to stop on the west side of the dirt road and pose right next to us, for a number of images, before moseying off grinding on sage brush shoots. A good day! Thanks for looking. G

Bald Eagles, Sentinels Of The Rio Grande Gorge

Geraint January 17, 2018 1 Comment

Bald Eagles. Sentinels of the Orilla Verde in the Rio Grande Gorge. Omnipresent at this time of year. I chose this image, and there are many others, mostly because of their unified focused attention. The light levels were low, as the sun was still rising over gorge rim and the canyon was predominantly in shadows. It evoked in me a sense, that nothing goes unnoticed here in the Orilla Verde, along the Rio Grande in Pilar, NM. I had a short lens on the camera this day, so this was the image I got. Sometimes I will place no more importance on the shot (lens, aperture, shutter speed, exposure, sharpness), than the feeling I get from a scene, like this, and how much it propels forward in the realm of life’s discovery. When I come across a scene like this, there is no holding me back and I am propelled far beyond my expectations! I often get asked “what camera do you use?” … “how do I capture what I see?” … “is the light right?” Sometimes you just have to go with the feeling. If I don’t feel it I don’t hit the shutter button. I like to experience my feelings, that, and authenticity is where I reside as much as possible. The photograph is an appreciation of my experience. Thanks for looking. G

Beautiful Bald Eagle And Moon

Geraint December 25, 2017 2 Comments

Bald Eagle and a partial moon in the Orilla Verde, Pilar, New Mexico. This is the first time I’ve see this bald eagle in this tree for a couple of years. I’m not saying that it hasn’t roosted here in a couple of years, I’m saying I haven’t seen it here for a couple of years. So yesterday it was a magnificent sight to see … one bald eagle in it’s roost and the waxing moon rising over the Rio Grande Gorge to put it all in context. Thanks for looking. G

Bighorn Sheep Rio Grande Gorge

Geraint October 22, 2017 6 Comments

Bighorn Sheep in the Rio Grande Gorge. Bighorn juveniles testing their mettle on the rocks in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Thanks for looking. G

Taos Junction On The Rio Grande

Geraint October 20, 2017 2 Comments

Taos Junction on the Rio Grande. Another beautiful day again today in northern New Mexico. This image made from the Taos Junction Bridge in the Orilla Verde RA in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, is one of my favorite locations. This location always continues inspire me when I pull over and park by the river. Fall is in full swing here in northern New Mexico. Drop in if you can, we’ll be glad to show you around and share this great part of the American southwest with you. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Orilla Verde