Lakes and Reservoirs on the Rio Chama

Fishing, swimming, rafting, sailing, water skiing, canoeing, and kayaking are available on three easily accessible lakes up river from Abiquiu. Abiquiu Reservoir Dam, creating Abiquiu Lake was constructed in 1963 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and now covers about 2,000 acres of former Ghost Ranch land. This is the second of three dams, creating Heron & El Vado Lakes, constructed on the Chama River watershed between 1935 and 1972.  Swimming, camping, hiking, fishing and picnicking are offered at Canjilón Lakes located near the 10,000 foot Cerro Canjilón.

Chama River Wilderness

The Wild and Scenic Chama River runs through the 50,300-acre Chama River Canyon Wilderness where you can enjoy the rush of a whitewater raft trip. The walls of the Chama Canyon are a striking variety of colors from yellows to maroons marking the distinct layers of sedimentary rock. With the elevation differences, the vegetation varies from Pinon and juniper to ponderosa and fir with lots of Gambel oak, chamisa and cactus.  Above the high sandstone bluffs and prominent rock formations that line the river canyon, the trail system is in need of maintenance.

Echo Amphitheater

The sandstone walls of this National Forest Service site provide a remarkable resonance. The ‘theater’, naturally hollowed out by ages of erosion creating concave cliffs of buff and crimson, create lasting echoes.

Plaza Blanca

Given its unusual and spiritual landscape it’s no wonder that Plaza Blanca, is painted and photographed by countless artists every year including Georgia O’Keeffe. The canyon wall faces of gray to whitish sedimentary rock formations have been sculpted by wind and moisture in whimsical figurines.

Pedernal Peak

Cerro Pedernal (Flint Peak), one of the most recognized landmarks in north-central New Mexico, is located in the northern Jemez Mountains, was depicted in numerous paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe.  Cerro Pedernal lies in the transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande rift. The andesite and basalt flows capping Cerro Pedernal, which give the mountain its distinctive flat top, erupted from the northern Jemez volcanic field about 8 million years ago. http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/tour/landmarks/cerro_pedernal/home.html

The Poshouinge Ruins

Remnants of an old pueblo above the Chama River Valley include a large pueblo with over 700 ground-floor rooms surrounding 2 large plazas with a large kiva in the larger plaza.

On Location – Movie Filming

The stunning landscape has attracted numerous movie makers to set all or a portion of their films in Abiquiu from Indiana Jones to City Slickers.

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