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Arkansas River Tours |
800-321-4352 |
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Bill Dvorak's Kayak/Raft Expeditions |
800-824-3795 |
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Far Flung Adventures |
800-359-4138 |
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New Wave Rafting Company |
800-984-1444 |
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Santa Fe Rafting Company |
800-467-7238 |
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Canyon R.E.O. |
800-637-4604 |
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| Section |
El
Vado Dam to Big Eddy above Abiquiu Reservoir |
|
Location |
Rio
Arriba County, northwest of Espanola, northern New Mexico |
|
Driving Time |
Albuquerque—2.5
hours |
|
Difficulty |
Class
II-III |
|
Trip Length |
24-32
miles (38-51 km) or less |
|
Trip Options |
Paddle
raft, oar raft; two and three days |
|
Season |
April-August |
Originating in the high
San Juan Mountains of south-central Colorado, northern New Mexico's
Rio Chama becomes a major tributary of the famed Rio Grande north of
Espanola. Long recognized for its pristine canyon beauty, the Rio
Chama, first protected by the state's Scenic and Pastoral Rivers
System, is also a National Wild and Scenic River. Its red and yellow
sandstone canyons, celebrated in the art of the late Georgia
O'Keeffe, are some of the Southwest’s best for hiking and
photography.
Chama
Canyon, the largest of Rio Chama's canyons, runs nearly 33 miles (49
km) from El Vado Dam to Abiquiu Reservoir. Most of its Class III
rapids—Dark Canyon, Little Bridge, Skull Bridge, Gage Station, and
Screaming Left Turn—are within 3 miles (5 km) of the Big Eddy
take-out.
Chama's
dam-controlled water flow makes it a very popular one- or two- day
trip for families as well as anyone desiring a relaxing and scenic
canyon trip. The canyon's campsites are either hidden among the
ponderosa pines and fir or abut the beautiful sandstone walls. While
the best rafting times are April through mid-June, water releases
from the dam permit weekend trips in late July and August.
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