Kayak Love

New Mexico · river

Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

86

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:10:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:25:16 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Ruidoso New Mexico Village Hall.jpg by AllenS, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

3 mph

gusting to 9 mph

Air temp

61°F

66% chance of rain

River flow

72.5 cfs

very high for this date

Weather outlook

Friday · 93

  • Mon

    56

  • Tue

    0

  • Wed

    2

  • Thu

    73

  • Fri

    93

    Best

  • Sat

    87

  • Sun

    48

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
10p17
11p422
12a920
1a924
2a47
3a38
4a49
5a37
6a38
7a17
8a313
9a822

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 72.5 cfs is 632% above the median for this date — which counts as very high water here.

The median flow on this date is 10 cfs, across 71 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 3 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Rain — 66% chance in the next 6 hours-14

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in New Mexico →