El Vado Reservoir to Abiquiu Reservoir
Rio Chama • NM
Length
31.0 mi
Difficulty
Class II-III
Shuttle
45 mi / 75 min
🪪 Permit required
— BLM Taos Field Office
— Apply ↗
Permits required. Friday & Saturday launches Apr 15 – Sep 15 distributed by lottery, applications due before Jan 31.
The Chama Wild & Scenic run — 31 mi of Class II–III desert canyon
from Cooper's El Vado Ranch down to the Chavez Canyon take-out.
Continuous boatable wave-trains with named drops Aragon, Skull Bridge,
and Gravel Pit. Dam-released; reliable May–August. Multi-day standard
with first-come BLM camps along both banks. Permit required Apr–Sep;
BLM Taos lottery for weekend launches. Class IV+ at flood (>3,000 cfs).
✓ Real river route loaded