Sierra Club started with outings!
Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter outings are free and open to the public. Outings are listed in the quarterly Rio Grande Sierran, on our event calendar and also as a quarterly text listing. The Northern Group outings are generally listed on the Santa Fe Group Meetup site, and Chapter outings may also be listed on the Rio Grande Chapter Meetup site.
We offer hikes at all levels of difficulty, and the difficulty level is listed in each outing, along with trip and leader details. Below are general Sierra Club protocols for all outings.
- Participants must sign a standard Participation Agreement, required when registering for each outing.
- Backcountry outings – participants must fill out a short medical form and provide it to the leader for backcountry outings or where a medical facility is more than one hour away. Forms will be destroyed or returned to the participant immediately following the outing.
- Minors – the participation agreement must be completed and signed by parent or legal guardian (accompanied or unaccompanied).
- Leaders may alter the destination or cancel a trip due to weather, unfavorable conditions, or insufficient number of participants. The trip leader will contact you via the information you provided during registration.
- Leaders reserve the right to turn away anyone whose experience or equipment appears unsuitable.
- Dogs are permitted only if specifically noted in the trip details.
- Bring water, lunch, sturdy hiking boots or shoes and clothing suitable for the weather.
- All mileages are round-trip.
Interested in being a trip leader? Contact Outings Chair Debbie Bryant.
- Select the appropriate month by using the left and right arrow buttons
- Locate the event or outing for which you’d like to register
- Click on the name of the outing or event and a registration form window will open
- Provide the requested information in the registration form. Upon completion, click on the red “Submit” button at the bottom of the form.
- If a liability waiver (participation agreement) is required to participate in the outing, a subsequent form will appear. Read and acknowledge the waiver (participants under the age of 18 will need a parent or legal guardian to complete the form with them) by checking the appropriate boxes at the bottom of the form. If you wish to submit a paper form instead, please request the form in advance from the Outings Leader listed in the announcement. Otherwise, click on the box labeled “Submit Digital Waiver”.
Please visit the calendar for more information or to register for any of these events.
January 2026
Thursday, Jan. 1: New Year’s Day Snowshoe at Ellis Trail. 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.- ish If you can walk, you can snowshoe! If you would like to learn or just enjoy some time on your snowshoes, sign up to meet at Ellis trailhead in the Sandias. This high-altitude, three-hour-long outing is approximately 3.5 miles round trip with between 300-500 feet of elevation gain. We depart from the lower Ellis trailhead parking lot and proceed along the Ellis Trail with several stops to enjoy stunning views all the way to the Continental Divide.
Friday, Jan 2: Cranes and Moonrise in the South Valley: 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Easy hike in the Bosque to the Rio Grande for sunset while the cranes and geese return to roost with added bonus of the full Wolf Moon. Walk will be 2-3 miles at easy pace. We will be back at our vehicles at approximately 5:30 p.m. Terrain is flat but there are trip hazards, and we will walk in dusk/dark. Please bring walking sticks if you use them, headlight or flashlight. No dogs please. Easy, flat trail, no elevation gain, root trip hazards.
Thursday, Jan. 8 Zero Waste Tour of BARCO Recycling Facility: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Come see how all of our blue-bin recycling is sorted. Find out how much is actually recycled and get answers to other recycling questions. Must be able to climb stairs and not be bothered by a very noisy environment. Vests, helmets, eye protection and ear plugs will be provided. Dress warmly as buildings are not heated.
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Easy Mystery Hike in Santa Fe, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. This hike will have some steady ups and downs and should end up being about four miles. The mystery will be revealed when we meet at the Albertson’s at Zia Road and St. Francis Drive in Santa Fe. We can likely carpool if all are interested and comfortable. Despite this being a relatively easy hike, please wear appropriate footwear and bring adequate water, snacks and layers. The elevation will be between 6,000-7,000 feet with approximately 350 feet of elevation change.
Saturday, Jan. 31: Cross-Country Ski Tour near Valles Caldera National Preserve, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Four-mile cross-country ski tour on trails in the Jemez area near the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Exact location depends on snow conditions. Options include the mellow terrain along the Guaje Canyon Trail along Canada Bonita out to a viewpoint into the preserve, following the roads within the preserve, the Upper Frijoles Overlook trail and the Los Griegos area. You will need minimal skill on your skis so you can control your speed on the downhill sections.
February 2025
Sunday, Feb. 1: Snowshoe at Valles Caldera Hidden Valley or Coyote Call Trail, 8 A.M. – 2:30 P.m. Both are beautiful, choice by leader, based on conditions. Experience needed. If you have snowshoed before, sign up to meet at the Sandia Casino parking lot off of Tramway to arrange carpooling to Valles Caldera. We will meet at 8:30 a.m. Drivers must have experience driving in snow and in high-clearance, all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles. It will take us about 1.5 hours drivetime each way. This high-altitude, about three-hour long snowshoe is approximately 3.5 miles with 500 feet elevation gain.
Saturday, Feb. 7: Cross-Country Ski Tour near Valles Caldera National Preserve, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Four-mile cross-country ski tour on trails in the Jemez area near the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Exact location depends on snow conditions. Options include the mellow terrain along the Guaje Canyon trail along Canada Bonita out to a viewpoint into the Valles Caldera National Preserve, following the roads within the preserve, the Upper Frijoles Overlook trail and the Los Griegos area. You will need minimal skill on your skis so you can control your speed on the downhill sections.
Saturday, Feb 28: Cross-Country Ski Tour Near Valles Caldera National Preserve 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Four-mile cross-country ski tour on trails in the Jemez area near the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Exact location will depend on snow conditions. Options include the mellow terrain along the Guaje Canyon trail along Canada Bonita out to a viewpoint into the preserve, following the roads within the preserve, the Upper Frijoles Overlook trail and the Los Griegos area. You will need minimal skill on your skis so you can control your speed on the downhill sections.
March 2026
Sunday, March 1: Snowshoe at Ellis Trail in the Sandias, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.-ish. For those who have been snowshoeing before. Sign up to meet at Ellis trailhead in the Sandias. This high-altitude, three-hour-long outing is about 3.5 miles with between 300-500 feet of elevation gain. We will depart from the lower Ellis trailhead parking lot and proceed along the Ellis Trail with several stops to enjoy stunning views as we approach the Continental Divide.
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