The scenic Chama River Canyon, with its colorful sandstone bluffs rising along both sides, is located in northern New Mexico. The area was formerly a trade center for the Plains and Pueblo Indians, and has been a place of inspiration for many artists, notably Georgia O'Keefe. The constant alternating 3/4 and 6/8 eighth note pattern in Ernst Bacon's 'Fording the Chama River' suggests the constant rippling of the river.