Rio Chama - Day Run / Monastery Run
Deep in the mesas of northern New Mexico, the Rio Chama has carved a lush river corridor through the sandstone layers, providing a unique and surprising gem of a river trip in what is otherwise a fairly dry, desert environment. The Chama, which originates deep in the 12,000 foot peaks of the southern San Juans, runs out of those mountains and then alternates back and forth between canyons and open parks before ultimately joining the Rio Grande in the town of Espanola. Along the way the river offers numerous boating stretches, from class II family floats to class IV and V gnar above the town of Chama.