Cooper's El Vado Ranch

Cooper's El Vado Ranch operates on the Rio Chama in northern New Mexico, serving as the official put-in site for rafting the scenic 32-mile Chama River Canyon. The river features class II and III-rated rapids flowing through the Rio Chama Canyon toward the Rio Grande, passing through Heron Lake, Abiquiu Reservoir, and the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests. The ranch also offers trout fishing in the Rio Chama and nearby El Vado Lake, where rainbow and brown trout of 18–20 inches are common. Nine log cabins on the 100-acre property provide full housekeeping facilities, and the on-site store stocks fishing tackle, bait, and supplies. Additional activities include boating, water skiing, swimming, hiking trails, and a historic swinging bridge crossing.