"We can't get the Chama out of our minds ... It was without doubt one of the best holidays we have ever had and we cannot thank you enough for having organized it all so brilliantly. All our expectations and more were met - the sheer beauty of the river, the landscape of the wilderness, the sound of the water, camping under the stars (and a full moon to boot!), hiking up that beautiful canyon, not to mention the fantastic food we ate wherever we stopped - the steaks, the corn, the breakfast burritos, the succulently seared salmon - oh, it's been the stuff of our dreams ... The trip was UNFORGETTABLE!"
Christopher Sykes &
Isabella Bywater
Yorkshire, England
Rio Chama
Between El Vado and Abiquiu, the Chama flows through a magnificent sandstone canyon – New Mexico’s most spectacular wilderness boating. This landscape, with its flat-topped mountains and fantastic rock formations, was made famous by the painter Georgia O'Keeffe, who lived in Abiquiu. The current carries us past cliffs towering up to 1500 feet, striped in vivid shades of pink, vermilion, and white, dotted with stands of immense old-growth ponderosa pines. Lush cottonwood groves feather the river’s edge, where deer and their fawns come to drink. If you’re lucky, you’ll see even more of the animals that live in this gorgeous wilderness: bears, elk, cougars, beavers, wild turkeys, and bald eagles.
The Chama is perfect for families. Most of the trip is a peaceful float, taking us effortlessly to places inaccessible by road. On the first day we stop for lunch at a historic homestead which was a hideaway for horse thieves. If it's a three-day trip, we also have time to stop at hot springs, and hike to Indian ruins and fossilized dinosaur footprints. On the last day, we run easy Class 3 rapids. If you want more thrills, try out a funyak and run the rapids single-handed!
Camping on the Chama is a unique experience. Access to the canyon is strictly limited, so you are guaranteed a wilderness experience. The canyon is wide and lush, and we make camp under majestic trees or in glorious meadows carpeted with wildflowers. The dawn mist shrouds the pink sandstone in a silver glow. You wake as if to the beginning of a new world.
The Chama is also perfect for group trips. In August we have special wine-tasting and gourmet weekends, and we're happy to make individual arrangements for groups of ten or more. For more information about group trips, click here.
In association with Women of the Earth, we run a special four-day trip on the Chama for women only, with women guides, extra personnel (for example, a yoga teacher or a painter), and guided discussions around the campfire. For more information, call Women of the Earth on (949) 222-1720.
If you’d like a vacation that benefits the environment, join us in restoring the Chama wilderness. In April and May we plant cottonwoods and other native species to reduce erosion and increase the diversity that was lost due to overgrazing decades ago. In summer and fall we care for the trees and maintain trails. Contact us for more details.
WHITEWATER RATING: Class 3
RECOMMENDED MINIMUM AGE: 6. Younger children can leave the trip at lunchtime on the last day, before the larger rapids
MEET: Ride with us from Taos, or meet us halfway if you're coming from Santa Fe or points south.
SEASON: Variable: Usually April to mid-June, and mid-July to early September.
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