On The Chama River Road. 05-27-2026

Geraint May 27, 2026 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. I hope everyone had a great week. This week, a flashback to 21 years ago and photos I shot on the Chama River road to the desert monastery. I was looking for other subject matter, but went down a gopher hole and found myself looking at images of trips made with my friend Dwain and our kids.

Dwain is driving the truck in the photo. I saw it come over the rise in my rear view mirror, stopped got out and had him back down the hill and to drive my way again. This is the shot I got. It has been a best seller since and a true remembrance of a great friendship. This dead tree fell a few weeks later and no doubt wound up in someones campfire. Dwain passed away in 2010. I’ll always treasure our friendship

Panel truck on the Chama River road , NM — Dwains panel truck on the Chama River Road , NM

This was the time of year when the kids got out of school and the first camping trip of summer was always along the Chama River road. We went camping and made trips elsewhere but this was the first of the summer and always the favorite.

Below, if you expand the image you can see our camp site. The tall cottonwood fell down shortly after Dwain passed. Dwain was a master wood and stone carver. I like to picture Dwain and the cootonwood together wherever that may be.

The view from our go to campsite. The kids favorite place to wallow in the river and sandy mud.

Ten minutes upstream is an old bridge with this vista.

Two minutes upstream for our campsite is this bend in the river. A tranquil spot to watch the river flow and the sun setting. The evening continued with marshmallows and smores and Dwain telling stories around the campfire.

As always, thanks for looking. Thanks for indulging me. Have a great week. G

Fall Color, Orilla Verde, Rio Grande Gorge, NM

Geraint November 24, 2020 No Comments

Fall Color along the riverbank in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area, the Rio Grande Gorge, NM. I took an early morning drive when the sun rises and illuminates the walls of the canyon along with the sky, reflected in the placid river. I liked the light on the chamiso bush and the way the reflection created the playful background. Thanks for looking. G

Orilla Verde, Rio Grande, Fall Colors

Geraint September 15, 2020 6 Comments

Orilla Verde Recreation Area in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Fall colors were evident yesterday evening during the sunset before the stars came out. I was on my way to photograph the Milky Way with the river and reflections. Things didn’t turn out as planned but the lead up and time spent out under the New Mexico skies made it all worthwhile. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Chama, Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Geraint August 30, 2020 No Comments

Rio Chama with the reddish rock butte, Cerrito Blanco in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Popped over to Abiquiu yesterday to scout some locations for night sky photography. We pulled over at this spot where the river is full (they released water from the dam) and always muddy. This favorite location on my photo tours was lush and fresh. I made this three image vertically stitched panorama on my iPhone. Then it rained heavy. I should have worn my wellies. Stay tuned, I’ll be back with the results from the night sky shoot after the new moon in a couple of weeks. Thanks for looking. G

Green Willows, Orilla Verde, NM

Geraint May 7, 2020 4 Comments

Green willows and a few cottonwood trees, Orilla Verde in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Watching the seasons and colors change along the banks of the river and living here, surrounded by all this beauty, does this soul good. Thanks for looking. G

Canada Geese, Rio Grande, Pilar, NM

Geraint April 1, 2020 No Comments

Canada Geese, setting up a nesting spot on an island in the middle of the Rio Grande, Pilar, NM. They’ll be hatching a brood of goslings soon. A beautiful day in a beautiful location and a lovely spot to raise a family. Thanks for looking. G

March, Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM

Geraint March 21, 2020 12 Comments

March along the Rio Chama in Abiquiu, New Mexico. During this self imposed quarantine I’m touring the archives. I’m going slow, pedaling my virtual bicycle, savoring moments in images made over the last few years. Today, outside the kitchen window there were clouds and sunny skies much like this day from two years ago in Abiquiu. Be safe and please stay well. Thanks for looking. Geraint.

Ute Mountain, Rio Grande Gorge, Northern NM

Geraint March 15, 2020 2 Comments

Ute Mountain, with the Rio Grande Gorge, northern New Mexico. A quick cell phone photo on a photo tour/workshop last week. At this point the photographer I took out was flying his drone. I enjoyed having both feet on the ground but his images had a spectacular elevated perspective. I’ll see if I can share them in due course. Now I want a drone. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Grande, Blanca Peak, Colorado

Geraint March 6, 2020 No Comments

Rio Grande, Blanca Peak, Colorado. Crossing over the Rio Grande this evening on the Lobatos Bridge, afforded us this beautiful view of the river north to the Blanca Massif. It was great to get out on the dirt back roads and not have to negotiate snow and mud. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Grande Gorge, Hwy 142 Colorado

Geraint January 25, 2020 6 Comments

Rio Grande Gorge, from the bridge on Hwy 142 Colorado, or as I like to call it, ‘where the Rio Grande Gorge begins’. The rock walls, here, begin to rise above the river, now frozen in the throes of winter. From this spot, I could hear the ice groaning, moaning and stretching against the rocks and bridge pylons, much as my joints feel on cold winter mornings. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Rivers