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Life on the river.
The Cliff House sits on private property along both banks of the Pecos, and most days here start and end at the water.
Private property · Both banks
Your own peaceful stretch of the Pecos.
The Cliff House sits on private property along both banks of the beautiful Pecos River. This secluded setting offers remarkable privacy, and it's rare to encounter anyone else along this stretch of the river. Below the house, a level, grassy meadow with hammocks and campfire areas leads down to the water.
- Private land on both banks
- Riverside meadow & hammocks
- Multiple campsites
- Flows year-round
The monsoon waterfall
Thirty feet of falling water, right beside the house.
Beside the Cliff House, arroyos from the surrounding mesa meet at a sandstone cliff roughly 30 feet wide and 30 feet tall before dropping toward the Pecos. Between storms the ledge is dry, and its big boulders are a favorite place for kids to scramble, but only when everything is dry.
During the monsoon season, typically July through October, storms in the surrounding area frequently bring the waterfall to life. Depending on the rainfall it can be anything from a gentle stream to a powerful, raging torrent, and when it runs you can watch it from the Jacuzzi tub. A boulder wall about 5–6 feet tall stands between the falls and the house.
During monsoon season, the waterfall is a spectacular sight. As with any natural waterway in New Mexico, guests should use caution around flowing water and avoid the waterfall and drainage areas during or following storms.
The dam & spillway
Moving water, all year long.
Below the house, a dam on the property creates a wide, beautiful spillway across the Pecos. Unlike the seasonal waterfall beside the house, which runs only after monsoon storms, the river and spillway flow year-round, through winter and even in freezing weather.
It's one of the most photogenic spots on the property and a favorite place to fly fish.
Please note: the dam isn't a swimming or boating feature, and the water just above and below it isn't automatically safe. Currents and conditions change, so please take care near the spillway, especially with children.
Fishing
Trout, year-round.
Fish the Pecos throughout the year for rainbow and brown trout, right from the property's riverbanks: the riffles below the spillway, the calmer water above it, or the meadow banks. Winter fishing can be surprisingly good, too.
The house has shared fishing supplies, but their condition and completeness vary, so please bring your preferred gear.
Nearby lakes
Monastery Lake, just north of Pecos: a stocked, family-friendly trout pond on the grounds of the old Benedictine monastery, with good accessible access. Cochiti Lake, west of Santa Fe: winter rainbows, plus pike, walleye and smallmouth bass.
All fishing is subject to New Mexico fishing regulations and licensing, river conditions and seasonal restrictions.
Canoe, kayak & tubing
Float from the property's riverbank.
Gear at the house: two kayaks, two canoes, inner tubes and life jackets for adults and kids.
Canoe and kayak: head upriver from the dam. Outside spring runoff (about April to June) the water is calm and 1 to 4 feet deep, and you can paddle roughly a mile upstream before you reach a large rock dam. Runoff season brings faster, deeper water for experienced paddlers who want to run longer stretches downstream.
Tubing: summer is the time, when the Pecos is a refreshing 70°F or so. Drift lazily above the dam, or play in the small rapids below it. There's a short, kid-friendly run where you can float down and walk back up again and again.
Safety: always wear a life jacket. Downstream, the San Jose dam is dangerous. Stay to the right and exit at the pier well before it. Ask us about routes and current river levels before heading out.
Camping by the river
Sleep to the sound of the Pecos.
There are multiple campsites on the property near the river, with room to spread out and the canyon rising all around. Bring a tent and a book, and let the river do the rest.
Campfires are permitted only when local fire restrictions and property rules allow.
The campsites are for registered Cliff House guests; they aren't rented separately as a public campground. Planning to camp? Let us know when you book.
Private trails & boulders
Beneath the bluffs, beside the river.
Several hundred feet of private trails, just for Cliff House guests, wind below the house beneath the bluffs and alongside the river. Up around the house, more trails thread through giant boulders and rock formations, some the size of trucks, a remarkable landscape to explore. Stay clear of the waterfall area during and after storms.
The river corridor continues for miles downstream for longer explorations. Land beyond the Cliff House belongs to others, so please respect posted boundaries and private property.
For longer hikes, the Pecos Wilderness and Santa Fe National Forest are close by, with trails climbing from piñon and juniper into ponderosa pine and high mountain country.
Off-road adventures
Backcountry trails, in every season.
Nearby public lands, including more than a million acres of national forest, offer miles of backcountry trails for guests who bring their own suitable vehicles: 4×4s, dirt bikes, ATVs or UTVs. Explore dry red-rock arroyos, mesa-top lookouts and forest roads climbing into tall pines, in summer sun or winter snow.
These trails are off the Cliff House property, and Jeeps or other off-road vehicles are not included with the rental. Stay on designated routes and respect posted private land.
- Barillas Peak: our favorite, with an easy route via Pecos or a rugged one for lifted vehicles
- Rowe / Glorieta Mesa: miles of easy dirt roads with sweeping views
- The dry arroyo: a giant sandbox, but never during or after rain
- National forest via San Juan: a few rough miles, then wide-open country
Cell service drops out in the forest, but your phone's GPS still works if you load maps at the house first.
Want to explore by Jeep? Visitors can look into Jeep Wrangler rentals at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), subject to availability and rental restrictions.
Winter at the Cliff House
A year-round retreat.
Snow on red rock, quiet trails and the river still flowing below: winter is one of the most beautiful seasons at the Cliff House. Warm up by the wood-burning fireplace with radiant heat underfoot and the snowy canyon framed in the glass doors, fish for winter trout below the spillway, or head out on nearby public-land trails with your own 4×4.
Ski Santa Fe is an easy day trip when the snow is falling.
Skiing & winter getaways
A Cliff House tradition
The painted rocks.
Over the years, guests have painted river rocks with names, dates, flowers, favorite animals and little memories of their stay, then left them around the patio for the next visitors to find. The collection grows a little with every stay and has become one of the Cliff House's most charming traditions.
Feel free to paint one of your own and add it to the collection.
Wildlife
Quiet company at the river.
Trail cameras on the property regularly catch the animals that come down to the river. Mornings and evenings in the meadow are the best time for birdwatching and spotting wildlife. Bring binoculars.
Weddings & intimate ceremonies
Say "I do" by the river.
The Cliff House has hosted weddings before, with the Pecos River and red canyon walls as the backdrop. Intimate weddings and small ceremonies are welcome with advance approval and are subject to property guidelines. There is no additional wedding fee for approved weddings; standard lodging charges apply.
Weddings at the Cliff House
Beyond the property
Santa Fe, skiing & history.
Santa Fe is about 30 miles away, with galleries, New Mexican food and Meow Wolf. In winter, Ski Santa Fe is about a 1 hr 15 min drive and Sipapu about 1 hr 30 min (see Winter getaways). Closer to home are Pecos National Historical Park, Villanueva State Park and the Pecos Wilderness.
Explore the area guide
Your own peaceful stretch of the Pecos
Book the whole property.
The entire private property along both banks of the Pecos, just for your group.