New Mexico Rafting & Kayaking on the Rio Chama in August

Rio Chama below Skull Bridge at 417 CFS.

At this point in the boating season, the 9-mile day stretch of the Rio Chama is the best rafting and kayaking option in New Mexico. The Bureau of Reclamation has been releasing flows just above 400 CFS on Saturday and Sundays. They’re moving water from El Vado reservoir to Abiquiu reservoir that is destined for Santa Fe and Albuquerque, but it's also for boaters who have drawn a permit on the “Wild and Scenic” wilderness section, which is upstream of the Chavez boat launch. Most years there is enough water for rafting during the week, but the winter of 2024-2025 was pretty bad and weekend releases are the unfortunate result.

Still, 417 CFS on the weekends is better than 200 CFS on the Rio Grande seven days a week. The water is colder too, because it’s a fresh dam release, and there also doesn’t seem to be any significant algae blooms, like those that are breaking out all along the Rio Grande, where the water temp is probably around 65+ degrees at certain times of the day.

Small rafts with modest loads and inflatable kayaks will work just fine at these water levels. TRKR has a 12-foot Tributary raft and several Tributary Tomcat IKs for rent that are perfect for these flows. The 12” Rocky Mountain Paddle Cat is also a great choice because it’s sleek and maneuverable, and it’s typically easier paddling side by side with someone than it is fore and aft.

The put in for the day stretch of the Rio Chama is at the Chavez boat launch, which is around 12 miles west of Highway 84 on FS 151. Chavez is a primitive boat launch (no concrete) and it hasn’t changed much over the past decade except for a new sign. The bank is a foot or so above the river, which can make it tricky getting into your boat. You can load up on shore and then beaver slide into the water or give the bank a rest and crawl into the boat and then you’re on your way.

Be wary of stepping into the Chama—the riverbed is often filled with sediment and the boater may sink into the mud, which can be alarming. If your sandals or shoes aren’t tight, you might lose them in the mud.

Chavez boat launch at bottom left.

After leaving the Chavez put in, the river winds through a couple of flat water turns but then turns sharply to the left and then immediately turns right again and drops a bit while following a sandstone wall on river left. This is “Wall” rapid and you can hear it as you come around the first corner. It’s a nice straightforward pool drop with a clear wave train. The only thing to watch out for is the sandstone wall on the left. So you don’t want to smash into it. If you’re rowing a raft, you may need to ship your oars if you get too close to the wall.

Wall rapid is a fun short drop, and you get wet, even at 400 CFS. Your goal should be to stay in the wave train. If you do that then you won’t hit the wall. When I was a rookie, the older guides told me a story about a swimmer who got smashed between the boat and the wall. Nobody died, but I was warned not to get too close. Of course, in my first year, I smashed into it a bunch of times, mostly in a gear boat with oars. If I had just stayed in the current then I never would have touched the wall. Keep paddling.

Wall rapid at 470 CFS. Stay in the wave train.

After Wall rapid the river drifts along for a bit, winding its way through the soft sandstone, then it turns 90 degrees to the right. As you come around the corner you can see the horizon line for the next rapid, a class II+ called “Meander.” This rapid is a couple of hundred yards long and dog legs to the left. There is a gradual drop at the top, which can have a few good hits, but then the rapid is littered with rocks, some of which are challenging to see, especially on muddy days after a rainfall, when the river turns chocolate brown.

Meander catches a lot of people by surprise because there are a lot of rocks, and so it requires pretty precise paddling decisions. If you get tossed out of your boat here, remember to get flat and slide over obstacles like a piece of paper. Or grab onto a rock and hold on to it until another boat comes along to rescue you. Be very careful about putting your feet down and trying to stand up—you can easily break your ankle or worse.

Meander rapid at 470 CFS. Be looking everywhere for rocks that you can't see.

After “Meander” the river calms down again for a few miles and this is where most people stop and have lunch or take a break. At the end of this section there will be a horizon line on the river again which is a welcome sight after a couple miles of flat water.

Bridge rapid (aka Skull) has a long rock garden at the top and then dog legs to the left and then turns south again as the gradient increases. The 50 yards above the bridge has some good waves and there’s a fun hit on the left just above the bridge. The clearance under the bridge is more than adequate. They call it Skull Bridge because you can potentially hit your head on the bridge at higher flows. I’ve seen the Chama as high as 4,000 CFS and you can reach up and touch the bridge with your hand if you like, but there isn’t much chance of cracking your skull.

River guide, Bradley Thomspon, flying under Skull Bridge at 4,000 CFS.

You can take out at Skull Bridge or put in here if you like, but there is no boat ramp of any kind. The stretch below the bridge has a few more rapids than the upper section. They’re mostly straight forward drops with small wave trains. Just downstream from the bridge, the river will split, with a side channel heading to the right and the main channel to the left. Stay left because one of the best hits on the entire run is where the right channel rejoins the main channel. You’ll get wet.

Below Bridge (Skull) rapid. The river splits and channels to the right but returns and makes for a nice hit at the confluence.

The river will meander for a short period and then it’ll pick up speed and drop into Gauging Station rapid, a pretty straight forward class II. The river hugs the cliff wall and there are a few small boulders to avoid. The big attraction here is the Hoodoo up on the river left cliffside. The large boulder sits on a very precarious column of topsoil conglomerate, and the whole thing looks like it’s going to come down on you at any second. I’ve been thinking about this happening for 15 years, though, and yet it still remains.

Just after the gauging station the river turns right and then left again. The left turn is a class II+ called “Screaming Left.” It has a sandstone wall on the right side of the turn, and the current will try to push you into it. There are exposed rocks in the river that can prevent the boater from getting to the inside of the turn, so the boater needs to stay in the middle of the current, and paddle hard to stay away from the wall on the right. If you do hit the wall, it’s not a big deal, the wall isn’t undercut, it just makes for a good laugh.

River guide, Dano Vigil, rows his crew past the Screaming Left wall without touching it. Pretty smooth.

Immediately after Screaming Left is a shallow rock garden and it’s pretty challenging getting though it in a raft without having to get out of your boat and push. There is a line just right of center, find it, if you can. The final half mile to the Big Eddy take-out is lined with sandstone cliff walls which have been hollowed out by water and wind erosion. There are tons of swallow nests that hang under some of the cliff overhangs. Watch out for rattlesnakes—they can slide off the cliff and into your boat.

Big Eddy take out is on the left. Don’ t miss it. The boat ramp is upstream of the big eddy. The takeout is larger and more established than the put-in, but if it’s a Sunday afternoon, then the ramp will likely be crowded with the multi-day rafters and all their gear and families strung out all over the place. Good luck being patient and sorting your way through all of this mayhem and remember that everyone is on vacation. Now, get out there on the Chama and do some boating. If you have any questions about rafting on the Chama, or anything outdoor related in New Mexico, you can email me at taosraftandkayakrentals@gmail.com.