New Mexico whitewater - Rio Chama, San Juan and Jemez Mountains, Rio Arriba County Rio Arriba county, Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I-II     25 miles   Whitewater rafting and kayaking in New Mexico is often easier than elsewhere, so don't forget that many runs in this state are very easy. The nature scenery of Rio Arriba County and the cool fresh water are in themselves reasons enough to come here to paddle. Since you're on this site you are probably into whitewater rafting or kayaking, either way around here you won't find a large number of other rivers. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. The Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande stretch of Rio Chama is 25 miles long     and is a class I-II section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Espanola, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The San Juan and Jemez Mountains scenery is wonderful. You can enjoy this stretch more if you take your time, so go ahead and pack your camp stove. A good workout and just hanging out with mother nature will make you glad you came. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. The Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande stretch is one of a few paddling stretches in this river system. Briefly about the general area: A forest close to Rio Chama is Santa Fe National Forest, and you can have a splendid hiking adventure along the Apache Trail.   Summertime highs at Rio Chama regularly tend to be in the 80's. All through the moonlight hours it's usually in the 50's. The wintertime comes with highs in the 40's with winter lows in the 10's overnight here at Rio Chama. Rio Chama gets very little precipitation; the wettest month of the year is usually August, that's the one that rains the most, and the driest month of the year is February. Yep, outdoors entertaining stuff truly is abundant here in the San Juan and Jemez Mountains. While you're here at Rio Chama you can take a hike along the Palacio Trail. Rio Chama, Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: I-II Length: 25 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.24 Longitude: -106.43001 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.04219 Longitude: -106.0869 Paddler input for Rio Chama, New Mexico: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Rio Chama, San Juan and Jemez Mountains, New Mexico Local climate location: ABIQUIU DAM 0 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. The Abiquiu Inn, Abiquiu 10 miles away Beautiful 19-room Inn located in tranquil Chama River Valley setting. Guest rooms- suites- and casitas feature stunning Southwestern decor and luxurious beds with pillow-top mattresses. Many rooms wit... Best Western Hilltop House Hotel, Los Alamos 15 miles away This downtown Los Alamos hotel offers the perfect location with breathtaking mountain views. Friendly service, comfortable accommodations and unique amenities describe the Best Western Hilltop House... Ashley Hotel and Suites, Los Alamos 15 miles away Located in downtown Los Alamos next to picturesque Ashley Pond and five minutes from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Ashley Hotel and Suites in Los Alamos is the perfect location for your stay in Los ...   San Juan and Jemez Mountains Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the San Juan and Jemez Mountains. San Juan and Jemez Mountains Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the San Juan and Jemez Mountains. All New Mexico Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in New Mexico. Books about whitewater paddling on Rio Chama, New Mexico List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Rio Chama, New Mexico. Find a whitewater outfitter in New Mexico Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Espanola, New Mexico Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Espanola, New Mexico, the metro area neareast to Rio Chama. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Rio Chama.   Whitewater Near Rio Chama: Rio Ojo Caliente, Rio Arriba County , 13 miles away, Class I-II - 28 miles long (La Madera to confluence with Rio Chama) Rio Grande, Sandoval County , 21 miles away, Class III - 24 miles long (Otowi Bridge to Cochiti Reservoir) Rio Santa Cruz, Santa Fe County , 26 miles away, Class IV-V - 1 miles long (Cundiyo to Santa Cruz Reservoir) Rio Chama, Rio Arriba County , 28 miles away, Class II-III - 7 miles long (Monastary to Big Eddy) Rio Embudo, -blank- County , 29 miles away, Class IV-V(V+) - 5 miles long (Close to Rio Lucio to Highway 75)   Ski Areas Near Rio Chama: Pajarito Mountain, New Mexico , 17 miles away, 1410 vertical feet Ski Santa Fe, New Mexico , 37 miles away, 1725 vertical feet Sipapu, New Mexico , 49 miles away, 1055 vertical feet Sandia Peak, New Mexico , 53 miles away, 1700 vertical feet Taos, New Mexico , 61 miles away, 2612 vertical feet Red River, New Mexico , 67 miles away, 1600 vertical feet Angel Fire, New Mexico , 70 miles away, 2077 vertical feet Wolf Creek, Colorado , 83 miles away, 1604 vertical feet   Hotels Near Rio Chama: The Abiquiu Inn, Abiquiu , 10 miles away Best Western Hilltop House Hotel, Los Alamos , 15 miles away Ashley Hotel and Suites, Los Alamos , 15 miles away Comfort Inn & Suites Los Alamos, Los Alamos , 15 miles away Comfort Inn Espanola, Espanola , 16 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Rio Chama: Abiquiu Inn, Abiquiu, 3 miles away Cottonwood RV Park, Espanola, 15 miles away Oh Kay RV Park, Espanola, 16 miles away   Trails Near Rio Chama: Apache Trail, Rio Arriba County , 2 miles away Palacio Trail, Rio Arriba County , 3 miles away San Lorenzo Trail, Rio Arriba County , 5 miles away Lemitas Trail, Rio Arriba County , 5 miles away Vallecitos Trail, Rio Arriba County , 10 miles away   National Parks Near Rio Chama: Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos - NM , 15 miles away Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Santa Fe - NM , 26 miles away