New Mexico whitewater - Rio Chama, San Juan 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
  This section of Rio Chama in Rio Arriba County is 25 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class I-II section. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in New Mexico is often easier than elsewhere, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind that quite a few of the sections here are pretty easy. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors have people coming from far and near. There are some good sections to paddle in this river system, the Abiquiu Dam to confluence with Rio Grande section is one
    of them. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so go ahead and pack your camping stuff. The beautiful San Juan Mountains scenery is an added bonus. If you'll be staying in a hotel you're in luck, lodging is available very near the river, but you'd
better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Espanola, as you can see on the road map further down. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a pretty small number of paddling places. The scenic beauty of Rio Arriba County and the water flowing gracefully down Rio Chama are in themselves reasons enough to come here to paddle. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground.

Briefly about the general area:
Not much rain falls here at Rio Chama; August
 
is the wettest month with most rain, and the driest month of the year is February. During the warm days of summer at Rio Chama highs are usually in the 80's. All through the dark hours of summer temperatures fall down into the 50's. Throughout the winter highs are generally in the 40's, and throughout the dark hours in the winter at Rio Chama temperatures drop to the 10's.
So much entertaining stuff to do in the San Juan Mountains, not enough time. Don't leave Rio Chama without first going for a hike along the Palacio Trail. Go for a hike on the Apache Trail; Santa Fe National Forest is a forest that you can go to.

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

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Current weather conditions at Rio Chama, San Juan Mountains, New Mexico
WXPort

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
2 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...

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Alamos, Nm, Los Alamos
15 miles away
The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Alamos is conveniently located just five minutes from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, twenty minutes to the Jemez Mountains with skiing, hiking, fishing,...



OTHER_INFO
  San Juan Mountains Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the San Juan Mountains.

San Juan Mountains Outdoors Info
Complete outdoors info for the San Juan 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.
 

   

OUTDOORS
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, 1703 vertical feet
Sipapu Ski, 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
Ski Rio, New Mexico , 69 miles away, 2150 vertical feet
Angel Fire, New Mexico , 70 miles away, 2077 vertical feet
Wolf Creek, Colorado , 83 miles away, 1604 vertical feet
Eldora, Colorado , 103 miles away, 1600 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Rio Chama:
The Abiquiu Inn, Abiquiu , 2 miles away
Best Western Hilltop House Hotel, Los Alamos , 15 miles away
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Alamos, Nm, Los Alamos , 15 miles away
Ashley Hotel and Suites, 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

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater