Rio Brazos (New Mexico) abruptly west into the Brazos Box, one of the largest canyons in New Mexico with a maximum depth of more than . Here, it passes the Brazos Cliffs, receives Gavilan and Encinado Creeks, and picks up an unnamed tributary which feeds Brazos Falls, reputedly New Mexico's highest waterfall with a total drop of . Northeast of Tierra Amarilla, the river emits from the mountains, receiving Chavez Creek from the right. It passes the settlements of Ensenada, Brazos and Los Ojos before flowing into the Rio Chama about northwest of Santa Fe. The Brazos is a perennial stream, reaching its highest
Hole in the Rock (rock formation) them along the relatively benign terrain beneath the Straight Cliffs of the Kaiparowits Plateau. However, when this led them to the 1200-foot (400 m) sandstone cliffs that surround Glen Canyon, they needed a way to cross to the eastern rim. They found (and named) Hole in the Rock, a narrow, steep, and rocky crevice and sandy slope that led down to the river. Directly across the river was Cottonwood Canyon, a tempting route up to Wilson Mesa on the other side. They worked for months to prepare the road, using blasting powder to widen the upper section and hand chisels