Please visit the calendar for more information or to register for any of these events.
October 2026
Friday, October 2 — The Story of the Crash of TWA Flight 260, 70 Years Ago, 7:15-8:30 p.m. We’ll hear the story of the Crash of TWA Flight 260. Terry Owen, an outdoor adventurer and outings leader, will share the story of the crash that occurred on Feb. 19, 1955 in the Sandia Mountains and the memorial hike to the crash site.
Friday, October 9 — Zero Waste Tour of Solutions Compost, Soil and Mulch,. 10- 11:30 am. Come see how this soil business has changed in the last two years. Hopefully we will get to see how the Denali machine separates food from packaging.
Saturday, October 10, Salinas Pueblo National Monument Tour, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico you’ll find Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. We will visit two of the three distinct sites, Quarai and Abo, offering a glimpse into a unique time in history. These sites offer a quiet place to reflect on history, local archaeology and the Land of Enchantment. This outing affords abundant photo opportunities with time to walk about, maybe finding inspiration for a quick poem or a quick sketch. Wear comfortable attire and sturdy shoes. Bring clothing layers, hats, sunscreen,water and a picnic lunch. Total combined walking distance is one mile, at about 6,000- feet. elevation, 50 feet of elevation change.
Saturday-Sunday, October 17-18, Wilderness First Aid Course, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Rio Grande Chapter os sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid course. This course is in high demand and typically fills up months in advance. The SOLO Wilderness First Aid Course is a two-day training for anyone who spends time hiking, skiing, engaging in other outdoor pursuits or just wants to know what to do when things go wrong. The course is a blend of lecture, demonstrations and scenarios. Students will have ample opportunity to practice skills in life-like situations, both as patients and caregivers. At the successful completion of the course, you will be certified or re-certified in Wilderness First Aid.
Saturday, October 24 — Hike to the top of Cerro Grande, Santa Fe Meetup: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. This beautiful out-and-back hike leads through an open forest of ponderosa, aspen and conifers to the top of Cerro Grande (the highest point in Bandelier). You will hike on the rim of the Valles Caldera and enjoy sweeping views into Valle Grande and beyond. Weather permitting, we’ll have at least a half hour on the top to rest, refuel and enjoy those views. If we’re lucky, we will hear bugling eElks and see the herds down in the valley.
Friday, October 30 — Acoma Sky City Pueblo Walking Tour, 10 a.m .- 4 p.m. Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico you’ll find Acoma Sky City Pueblo. Upon arrival we will begin with a walk through the visitor center, gift shop and museum. Then we will travel by Acoma Pueblo bus to the top of the inhabited mesa for a guided tour of the “city,” offering a glimpse into a millennia of unique human migration from Mesa Verde to Chaco to Acoma. Along the walking tour local artisans and residents explain and sell their unique handmade goods and traditional baked items. This Acoma site dates back over 1,000 years, the oldest continuously human-inhabited site in New Mexico.
November 2026
Sunday, November 1 – Fort Stanton Historic Site and BLM National Conservation Area. We’ll be leisurely touring the self guided Fort Stanton Historic Site grounds and hiking on BLM’s Fort Stanton North Trail (short carpool) to the Internment site of the SS Columbus crew at Fort Stanton during World War II. We’ll talk about the history of the area and the recent 2025 Camp Fire. Bring good hiking footwear and dress for the weather.
Saturday, November 7 — Valley of Fires & Malpais, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Come join us for a leisurely morning hike enjoying the cool fall weather at the BLM Valley of Fires Recreation Area west of Carrizozo. We’ll be exploring one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. It was observed by the Indigenous people who inhabited the Tularosa Basin over 5,000 years ago. We will hike tThe Kipuka and Nature Trails as well as a quick scamper up to the overlook. There is minimal elevation gain and a little less than 3 miles of hiking.
Tuesday, November 17, Zero Waste Tour of the Surface Water Treatment Plant, 10-11:30 a.m. Learn how water from the Rio Grande is taken in and treated to become your drinking water. In an introduction, you will see the journey from the San Juan and Chama rivers to the Rio Grande and the treatment plant on a large floor model in the lobby. Then we will do a lot of walking, going in and out of buildings and climbing stairs, seeing different parts of the plant.
December 2026
Thursday, December 10, Zero Waste Tour of BARCO Recycling Facility, 9-10:30 a.m. SCome see how all of our blue-bin recycling is sorted. Find out how much is actually recycled and get answers to moreother recycling questions. Must be able to climb stairs and not be bothered by a very noisy environment.