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Rio Chama River Trips

A friendly and beautiful float trip with some of the best camping and river wilderness in the southwest

Dates

March – October

Participants

6+

Cost

Starting at $125.00

Difficulty

Easy

Overview:

Our Four and Five day Rio Chama adventures are typically canoe and kayak trips and are ideal for groups looking for more opportunities for hikes and explorations along the Chama Canyon, or just for a group looking to relax into the beautiful solitude of the Chama wilderness.

Remember, we are generally the only groups on the river mid-week and have the canyon to ourselves!

4-Day: This length is ideal if you are looking to do a nice mid-week trip and have more camp time and better opportunities for side hikes.

5-day: This length is ideal if you are looking to take full advantage of the sort of hikes and explorations that are not generally possible during the standard 3-day, or even 4-day, itineraries.

Either length allows for mellow mornings and an easy pace on the river, which is ideal if we have lower flows. These trips are easily customized to fit your groups needs and desires.
Give us a call at 575-758-2628 or email info@farflung.com for information or to book a longer, specialty Chama experience!

We offer a wide variety of specialty multi-days on the Rio Chama. Every year we offer trips featuring live music, yoga instruction, gourmet cooking, instruction and more! Some trip dates are set, other trips are available to groups on the dates that fit their schedule!

Highlights:

Inclusions:

Exclusions:

Reviews:

The Rio Chama day stretch is one of northern New Mexico’s most popular family friendly river section. This trip is great for families and groups looking for a scenic wilderness day float in one of the most beautiful and iconic areas in the Southwest. This 8-mile stretch begins beneath a secluded Benedictine monastery and ends just above Abiquiu Reservoir, where this silty desert river rolls to a halt among the rainbow cliffs of this remote four-corners location.Trips meet at 9:00 AM at Bode’s General Store in Abiquiu, NM. After a scenic drive along the multi-hued sandstone cliffs of what we like to call “Georgia O’Keeffe country”, we will launch near the Christ in the Desert Monastery in a wide high-desert valley. Guests can expect fantastic scenery, fun and splashy class II whitewater and a delicious riverside lunch. After a great day on the water,we will take out at Big Eddy river access point at the head of Abiquiu Reservoir and plan to have you back to your vehicles around 4pm

Chama one-day minimum guest requirement:

Group of 4 or $600 minimum required. This is a fantastic stretch of river that we love, but unfortunately this trip is 200 miles round trip of driving for us, so our minimum requirements are firm. We encourage groups of 3 or less who don’t wish to pay the minimum amount to call our office at 575-758-2628 and it is likely that we can combine your group with another in order to reach the required number of participants.
The Rio Chama is a benchmark for great western float trips. This family friendly river has some of the best camping and river wilderness found in the southwest. Our two day trip will allow you to experience a fun overnight reprieve in an incredible wilderness. The trip begins in alpine woodlands as a clear, rushing trout stream and ends at the head of Abiquiu Reservoir as a silty desert river, rolling among the rainbow-colored cliffs the Georgia O’Keeffe country. Lovely, wooded campsites and lively, easy rapids make the Chama one of the best river outings anywhere.This trip is available with Live Music,Gourmet Cuisine, and Yoga instruction.
Day 1: We will meet at Bode’s General Store in Abiquiu, NM at 9am. After organizing your gear and purchasing any last-minute items we will head to our starting point in Chama, NM, about an hour north. Our drive will feature vistas of the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the massive Brazos Cliffs and the village of Tierra Amarilla, the center of Reyes Tijerina’s land grant revolt of the l960’s. Our launch point is at El Vado Ranch, a rustic, riverside fishing resort. The Chama River will immediately whisk us away through a series of swift riffles and into the evergreen-lined canyon. Once in the Chama Canyon Wilderness we will negotiate a series of class II rapids and make camp on an old high-water bench, under shelter of ponderosa pines and Douglas firs. Besides the peace and beauty of a designated Wild and Scenic river, Far Flung travelers also enjoy abundant opportunities for trout fishing and hiking. Day 2: Enjoy a leisurely morning and a hearty, hot breakfast. If time allows, we can start our day with a nice scenic hike up one of the numerous side canyons or even to the top of Navaho Peak for a spectacular vista. As we wend our way downstream the colorful canyon walls will grow taller and narrower, and we will encounter more fun class II rapids. As we emerge from the Chama canyon wilderness area, we will observe a quiet zone as we pass by the serene and remote Christ in the Desert Monastery. Once past the monastery we arrive to our takeout at Chavez canyon. We will aim to take out mid-afternoon and have you back to your vehicles by around 3 p.m.
The Rio Chama is a benchmark for great western float trips. This family friendly river has some of the best camping and river wilderness found in the southwest. You will enjoy three days of solitude and incredible wilderness. The trip begins in alpine woodlands as a clear, rushing trout stream and ends at the head of Abiquiu Reservoir as a silty desert river, rolling among the rainbow-colored cliffs the Georgia O’Keeffe country.Lovely, wooded campsites and lively,easy rapids make the Chama one of the best river outings anywhere.This trip is available with Live Music,Gourmet Cuisine, and Yoga instruction.
Day 1:We will meet at Bode’s General Store in Abiquiu, NM at 9am. After organizing your gear and purchasing any last-minute items we will head to our starting point in Chama, NM,about an hour north. Our drive will feature vistas of the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the massive Brazos Cliffs and the village of Tierra Amarilla, the center of Reyes Tijerina’s land grant revolt of the l960’s. Our launch point is at El Vado Ranch, a rustic, riverside fishing resort. The Chama River will immediately whisk us away through a series of swift riffles and into the evergreen-lined canyon. Once in the Chama Canyon Wilderness we will negotiate a series of class II rapids and make camp on an old high-water bench, under shelter of ponderosa pines and Douglas firs. Besides the peace and beauty of a designated Wild and Scenic river, Far Flung travelers also enjoy abundant opportunities for trout fishing and hiking.

Day 2 :Enjoy a leisurely morning and a hearty, hot breakfast. If time allows,we can start our day with a nice scenic hike up one of the numerous side canyons or even to the top of Navaho Peak for a spectacular vista. As we wend our way downstream the colorful canyon walls will grow taller and narrower,and we will encounter more fun class II rapids. We will choose from one of the many spectacular campsites and settle in for our second night beneath the stars in the Chama Wilderness. Day 3:We will encounter more rapids and multi-hued sandstone cliffs up to 1000′ high. As we emerge from the Chama canyon wilderness area, we will observe a quiet zone as we pass by the serene and remote Christ in the Desert Monastery. Once past the monastery we will begin the lively whitewater of the Chama day section and enjoy a long series of fun and splash Class II-III rapids as we near into the top of Abiquiu Reservoir. We will aim to take out mid-afternoon and have you back to your vehicles by around 3 p.m.
The Rio Chama is runnable March thru October, with the main season being May thru August. The watercraft used for your trip can vary depending on date, time of year and dam releases. Weekend trips in the summer are guaranteed to be doable in rafts. Due to dam releases our spring, fall and mid-week trips may be inflatable kayak and canoe trips depending on water flow.

Discounts:
For discount opportunities see individual trip pages and join our mailing list using the form at the bottom of the page.

Season: March-October
Custom Dates Available for groups of 4 or more

Scheduled Weekend Dates:
See “Season” section on this page.

Mid-Week Trips
Available March thru October. Due to the schedule of dam releases they are most commonly done as canoe and kayak trips.
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas (see some of our recipes here). In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!

***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***

Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. You will also receive this list as part of your confirmation email. As part of the trip we will provide tents, waterproof drybags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment. Sleeping ads and sleeping bags are not included, though if needed we provide a sleep kit (1 sleeping bag and sleeping pad) for an additional $12/night. Please click here to look at a more in-depth list of required and recommended camp gear: Going Camping? Here’s what you’ll need.
Get ready to pitch a tent, sling a hammock, throw down a pad, and relax! Every day we will prepare and serve you a delicious riverside lunch, not limited to, but often including an array of home-roasted sandwich meats and homemade dips and salsas (see some of our recipes here). In addition, our camp dinners and breakfasts are a classic staple of the Far Flung experience, as 40 years in business has not only taught us the principles of reading white-water…but also of cooking and camp ambiance!

***Please let us know ahead of time about any allergies or special food requirements***

Camp Gear:
Following is a list of required and recommend items for this three-day camping excursion. You will also receive this list as part of your confirmation email. As part of the trip we will provide tents, waterproof drybags for all of your personal items and camp chairs for fireside relaxation and enjoyment. Sleeping ads and sleeping bags are not included, though if needed we provide a sleep kit (1 sleeping bag and sleeping pad) for an additional $12/night. Please click here to look at a more in-depth list of required and recommended camp gear: Going Camping? Here’s what you’ll need.
One Day: A cancellation more than two-weeks in advance will result in a full refund minus 10% of total trip cost; A cancellation within two weeks will result in a 50% refund of total trip cost; A “no-show” on the day of the trip will void any refund. Please feel free to call us at any time with questions.

Multi-Day: A cancellation more than two-weeks in advance will result in a full refund minus 10% of total trip cost; A cancellation within two weeks will result in a 50% refund of total trip cost; A cancellation within one week will result in a 25% refund of total trip cost; “no-show” on the day of the trip will void any refund.

Cancellation Policy:

At a glance:

Season

Day Trip Season:
7 days a week, March-October as flows and dam releases allow. Please call for more information.

Camping Trip Season: March-October
Custom Dates Available for groups of 4 or more. Smaller, private groups welcome but require surcharge.

Weekend trips are organized by launches and each launch can accommodate 16 guests. Some weekends we have more than one launch, which can be used to provide separate trips to different groups, or launches can be combined to accommodate a large group or event. See below for weekend date and launch options.

*Two-Day Trips: Can start on Friday or Saturday of any weekend listed below.*

2026 Scheduled Weekend Dates:
If the weekend you are interested in is not available consider our mid-week trips or inquire to see if we have another option. We can often make things work!

May: 22-24 (2 launches or 32 spaces)
June: 5-7 (SOLD OUT), 19-21 (LVDY River Music), 26-28 (Pat Byrne + Colin Brooks River Music)
July: 3-5 (10 spaces), 10-12 (SOLD OUT), 17-19 (SOLD OUT), 24-26 (SOLD OUT), 31-Aug 2 (Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore)
August: 7-9 (SOLD OUT), 14-16 (16 spaces), 21-23 (2 launches: 1 available with 16 space, 1 Sold Out), 28-30 (2 launches or 32 spaces)
Sept: 5-7 (16 spaces), 12-14 (16 spaces)

Mid-Week Trips
Available every weekday March thru October. Due to the schedule of dam releases they are most commonly done as canoe and kayak trips. During spring and early summer runoff it is common for them to be raft trips.
Mid-Week trips differ from weekend trips in that we are often the only ones on the river. There are far less groups launching mid-week and you will be able to enjoy great wilderness solitude. Also, for a more active group this is a great option because everyone will paddle their own craft.

Mid-Week 4 and 5 days:
For a group looking for a longer trip consider our mid-week launches on the Rio Chama. The extra time can make for a more relaxed pace or allow time for side hikes and a real exploration of the Chama Wilderness.

Participants

We welcome first-time rafters 6 years of age and older. You should be in normal, good health and prepared for the mild exertions of paddling, camping and possible swimming.

Craft

Deposit required to confirm reservation

Cost

One-Day: Adult: $155, Child(11 and under): $125
Two-Day: Adult: $499, Child(11 and under): $399
Three-Day: Adult: $675, Child(11 and under): $475
Four-Day: Adult: $900, Child(11 and under): $650
Five-Day: Adult: $1125, Child(11 and under): $800
Deposit Required

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