Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River Permit
Southwest Rivers · New Mexico
22 wilderness miles of northern New Mexico sandstone canyon, on water released from El Vado Reservoir. Friday and Saturday launches go through a lottery.
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Rio Chama Quick Facts
Rio Chama Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Rio Chama in Southwest Rivers, New Mexico requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Rio Chama is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Rio Chama lottery typically opens December 1 and closes January 31, with results announced February 14.
- The permit season for Rio Chama runs April 15 through September 15.
- The Rio Chama route covers 22 miles, rated moderate.
Key Information
Key Dates
Permit Details
What to Expect
Route Details
Highlights
- •Class II to III water through a wilderness canyon
- •Scheduled reservoir releases, with water leaving El Vado between 10 a.m. and noon on Friday and taking about 12 hours to reach Chavez Canyon
- •35 commonly used camp areas marked with posts and names, none of them reservable
- •A private launch facility at Cooper's El Vado Ranch with its own per-person fee
- •An equipment inspection at launch, with a 3-year suspension for showing up without required gear
Best Time to Visit
BLM splits the season into early season from April 15 to July 15 and release season from July 16 to September 15, when weekend flows are augmented Friday through Sunday for boaters. Recommended minimums are 80 to 100 cfs for kayaks, inflatable kayaks, packrafts and canoes, 150 cfs for rafts under 10 feet, 200 cfs for rafts over 10 feet, and 500 cfs for rafts over 14 feet.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Flows that BLM describes as highly variable and not guaranteed, driven by irrigation demand and storage decisions
- !Extremely low flow trips that need small boats and light packing
- !A wilderness canyon with limited access for evacuation
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Backcountry Tips
- Today: 63% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Tomorrow: 72% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Day 5: 91% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
Today
55°
40°
63%
Fri
53°
40°
72%
Sat
65°
40°
25%
Sun
59°
43°
44%
Mon
55°
39°
91%
Tue
51°
34°
79%
Wed
63°
36°
29%
How to Get This Permit
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between December 1 and January 31. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced February 14. Check your email and your Recreation.gov account.
Apply again next time
PermitSnag reminds you about the Rio Chama lottery dates we hold, so you can apply again. You can also enter as a pool with friends.
Difficulty Assessment
Fitness and endurance required
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Route finding and trail clarity
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Experienced hikers with excellent fitness and relevant technical skills.
Recommended Experience
Multi-day backpacking or river experience recommended.
About This Permit
The Rio Chama permit covers the 22 miles from Cooper's El Vado Ranch to Chavez Canyon, through a BLM Wilderness Study Area and the designated Chama Canyons Wilderness. BLM calls it the wilderness section and rates it Class II to III. A permit is required from April 15 to September 15. Outside those dates boaters self-permit on site before launching.
Only Friday and Saturday launches go through the lottery. Everything else is first-come, first-served starting April 1 at 8 a.m., which is also when unclaimed lottery permits release. Because releases from El Vado are scheduled, BLM uses Friday and Saturday as the definition of weekend and Sunday through Thursday as weekday.
Quota is counted in launches per day and it is genuinely small. Early season allows 6 total weekend launches, 2 each on Sunday and Monday, and 1 each Tuesday through Thursday. Release season allows 11 weekend launches, 3 each Sunday through Wednesday, and 1 on Thursday.
Rules & Regulations
- •Permit required April 15 to September 15 between El Vado Ranch and Chavez Canyon, self-permit on site outside those dates
- •Group limit is 16 heartbeats, and dogs count toward it with a limit of 2
- •The permit holder must be 18 or older
- •Permits are non-transferable and no alternates are allowed
- •Lottery covers Friday and Saturday launches only, one permit per season
- •All other days are first-come, first-served from April 1 at 8 a.m.
- •Friday permits may launch Friday or Saturday, Saturday permits must launch Saturday
- •Campsites are not reservable, including the four large group camps
- •Cancel at least 5 days before launch or face a no-show penalty that blocks permits for the current and following 3 calendar years
Plan Your Trip
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at Rio Chama
Applications open December 1, 2026 and close January 31, 2027. Results are posted February 14, 2027.
Track this permit and your concierge takes those dates from here: an email when applications open, another before the deadline, and one when results post. You apply once and stop watching the calendar.
Better odds with a crew
Rio Chama permits are drawn by lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Rio Chama
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Experienced wilderness guides
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Lottery Statistics
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
Apply with a crew to multiply your combined odds, and let auto win-detection tell you the moment you win — you never have to check Recreation.gov. Win-detection reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Rio Chama FAQ
How does the Rio Chama lottery work?
It covers Friday and Saturday launches only. Applications run December 1 to January 31, results come out February 14, and winners have until March 15 to accept. Every other day of the week is first-come, first-served from April 1 at 8 a.m.
How many Rio Chama permits are issued per day?
BLM publishes the quota by season. Early season allows 6 total weekend launches, 2 each on Sunday and Monday, and 1 each Tuesday through Thursday. Release season allows 11 weekend launches, 3 each Sunday through Wednesday, and 1 on Thursday.
Do I reserve campsites with a Rio Chama permit?
No. BLM states there are no campsite reservations. There are 35 commonly used camp areas marked with posts and names, and four large group camps, none of them reservable.
Do dogs count toward the Rio Chama group limit?
Yes. The launch limit is 16 heartbeats and dogs count toward your group size, with a limit of 2 dogs.
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Where to Stay
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