Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area

About Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area

The Rio Chama WSA is located in northern New Mexico. The landscape consists of gently rolling sagebrush-covered plains and a 900 foot deep canyon of colorful siltstone and sandstone carved by the Rio Chama. Piсon woodlands cover the hills, and forests of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir cover the north facing slopes. The diversity of habitat types provide for a variety of wildlife. This scenic area includes excellent opportunities for river rafting; the Rio Chama is designated as a Wild and Scenic River. This WSA is adjacent to the Chama River Canyon Wilderness, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

How to Get There

From Highway 84, about 31 miles north of Abiquiu, turn west on NM 221 in the town of Cebolla. Where the pavement ends at a T intersection, turn right on County Road 303 and drive for just over 8 miles, where the road becomes the boundary of the WSA on the left side of the road. The WSA can also be reached by rafting the Rio Chama.

Plan Your Visit to Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area

Heading to Rio Chama Wilderness Study Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)