We used to go up to Chama Area a lot with our kids. Once without a canoe & several times with it.
I see you have reservations, but I'm cutting & pasting so there will not dough be some campground info. Here's what I have:
Heron Lake State Park has a nice lake and hiking trails and creek fishing. The state park is about 20 miles from Chama, about 30 minutes. Heron Lake is an anglers delight, stocked with Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon. *Heron lake has 6,000-acre normal surface acres. The lake has approximately 35 miles of shoreline. Maximum depth at the dam is 215 feet when full and 142 feet at minimum storage level (7,186 feet elevation). Lake is restricted to sailing and no-wake speed operation of motorboats. Coldwater fishery. Rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, carp, and kokanee salmon. Optimum fishing levels around 7,170' Ice fishing depending on conditions. One can will find good lake kayak/canoe exploration above the Narrows up Willow Creek and along the west side from the West Side Primitive Camping area. Another day can be spent exploring some of the Rio Chama Canyon with water backed up the Canyon where it enters El Vado Lake. North Ramp Access point for that paddle is just 2 miles west of Heron Lake on the way to the Stone House Lodge on NM 95.
Heron Lake State Park: One can drive, bike or walk to a section of Vado Lake State Park, but Vado Lake allows speed boats, canoed a lot on *Heron, even canoed on the section of Vado by Heron up the Rio Chama which is "flooded" or backed up by Vado Lake water for some distance until it became two shallow to canoe easily).
One can hike down from the Dam Area to the Rio Chama at Heron. We didn't take time in 2012 to hike down. It was very neat down in the canyon as I remember from years ago. Many fisherman fish along the Chama River by Chama as well.
There are Llama 'farms' or maybe ranches between Chama & Los Ojos which can be seen grazing from the Hwy. We stopped a couple Osprey nest between there as well & one near the campground area a Heron SP.
If time allows check out the wool weavers workshop Tierra Wools in Los Ojos near the turn off to Heron Lake SP.
Clicky Two neat stops, north of Abiquiu, worth a see would be the Echo Amphitheater, a Natural rock formation, and the Ghost Ranch Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitor Center, located on U.S. Highway 84 just one mile north of the main Ghost Ranch entrance, has exhibits and a gift shop. A very nice museum in "O´Keefe Country." The Echo Amphitheater is past the visitor center some miles.
We did the Chama to Alamosa route last summer. No real problem. Just have to drive like one is in the mountains. I believe it is even more fun to drive up following the Steam Train. Getting ahead of the Train to stop at some of the key sites to get extremely neat Photos of the Train & Hearing the oh so neat sounds of a steam train chugging up the grades. Watching it take on water at the Cumbres Pass Station. Seeing it off in the distance going through the hills & dales & meadows.
Cumbres Pass, elevation 10,020 ft. Chama is at 7,871 ft.
A nice drive to Antonito, the second pass between Chama & Antonito is La Manga Pass (10,230').
NM/CO Route 17 Cumbres Toltec Steam Train runs from & to Chama & Antonito turns soon after Cumbres Pass Station & head cross country to Antonito. One or two Train Chasers followed it into the back country some way. Waved at them often, but not sure how they got out in the back country. Ha!
Heron Lake State Park, Chama, Train PhotosWe enjoyed visits in the
Trujillo Meadows Area by Cumbres Pass....the CG seems to be closed this summer, but perhaps the Forest area isn't & the Trujillo Meadows Reservoir. I remember a long ridge leading off not far from the entrance. Might be a nice place to hike. Should be cool up there as well.
Another neat day trip would be from Chama South to Tierra Amarilla, then East toward Taos. A very scenic drive up into some Alpine country, then down in valleys & hills, the Rio Grande Gorge area, then down to Taos. A neat little tourist & art mecca.
At Taos, we have enjoyed seeing the old buildings, checking out the Art Galleries & Museums.
There is the Taos Pueblo, one can pay to see some of it. We did that once maybe 40 yrs ago.
Taos Plaza should be walked, shops looked at.
Kit Carson's Home was kind of neat.
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, neat to stop & check out the vistas & look down into the gorge.
Drive to Eagle Nest & Drive to Red River. This could be done in a Loop drive. Not sure if it all could be done in a day trip however from Chama.
Eagle Nest Lake State Park, Cimarron Canyon State Park & Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park.
Very Moving PlaceHigh Road to TaosEnchanted Circle Byway Santa Fe & Bandelier Nat'l Mon'tHere's a link to
Attractions TaosChama has one nice food market (fairly new one) the old one's roof collapsed a few years ago. Should have a fair amount of things. Not been to the new one. Taos would have more food markets.
We ate at a small Mexican food place (years ago) in Chama, can't remember the name. They served the hottest green chile stew I've ever had, but man did it have a good taste. At least try finding a good green chile cheese burger, I'ver read they have good ones there.
I noticed a private campground above the train depot in Chama...the train goes right by it along the backside of. I'm sure there are others. We have only stayed at Heron Lake SP.
Always a lot of History in New Mexico, even in small out of the way villages:
Tierra Amarilla Courthouse Raid.
