Outings are normally free and open to non-members, although we do like it if you join the Club to increase our local and national clout.
Events can be also found on our event calendar, and many on the Chapter Meetup site. The Santa Fe Group outings are listed on their Meetup site. Remember that outings may be added or changed as the season progresses.
Important! We rely on participant self-screening to ensure an outing that is safe and appropriate for all. We will do our best to detail the outings so you can decide if your fitness level and experience are fitting. Some things to consider are the elevation:
- Are you acclimatized to the stated elevations expected?
- Are you recovering from sickness or medical procedure or taking any medication or have a recent change of medication that may reduce or impact your fitness and ability?
- Do you have any issues or concerns that might impact you and possibly the whole group’s safety?
Please contact the outing leader with any questions or concerns.
Sign-up using the link below each listing. This link will take you to the calendar event listing with more information and registration.
We look forward to seeing you outside. We have quite varied offerings this season. More outings will be added, so please check these links periodically. We rely on participant self-screening to make sure outings are safe and appropriate for all. We do our best to detail the descriptions so you can decide if your fitness level and experience are appropriate.
– Debbie Bryant, Chapter Outings Chair
Notes
- Do you like to hike? Would you like to lead hikes? If so, please consider becoming a Sierra Club outings leader. Contact Debbie Bryant (bryade@gmail.com) for details.
- Gauging interest in a second “Introduction to Backpacking” class this year. New Mexico has thousands of miles of trails waiting for you. Whether you want to get away for a weekend of solitude with your family or solo thru-hike from Mexico to Canada, adventure is, literally, right in our backyard. Perhaps you’re merely curious and not quite sure how to begin backpacking or even if it’s for you? This one-day class is always at capacity, so we are considering holding a second class this year. This clinic is designed for those who have never shouldered a backpack as well as those who just want to learn how to safely hike in the backcountry. If you are interested, please email Terry Owen (teowen@comcast.net).
July 2026
Friday, July 10 – Nambe Lake hike. Keep your eyes on the Santa Fe Sierra Club Meetup group as they do some beautiful hikes and this is just one example. The trail is 6.5 miles roundtrip with 2,000 ft elevation gain. The majority of the trail runs up along the creek, making this a very pleasant experience. When you get to the alpine lake, you will be stunned how beautiful it is. Well worth the hike up! The group will accommodate a range of hiking paces. There will be an option to eat and rest at leisure or take some of that break to hike around the lake before hiking back.
Leaders: Alan Shapiro and Glenn Wohl
Level: Moderate/Strenuous
Location: Windsor Trailhead, Santa Fe
Details and sign-up on the Santa Fe Sierra Club Meetup site.
Wednesday, July 15 – Green Book Club. 6-7:30 pm. Join the Green Book Club to read and discuss a wide range of books that address different facets of green advocacy. This month’s choice is Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring.” Originally published in 1962, “Silent Spring” is an exploration of the dangers of DDT as it accumulated upwards in the environmental hierarchy, especially in birds. It was landmark advocacy writing that led to revolutionary changes in the laws and regulatory procedures affecting our land, air and water. The questions Carson raised are with us today in every discussion of how much of substance X can be released into the environment, who it will impact and who pays the costs (think in NM of “processed water”). Please bring your coffee and your book.
Leader: Robert Grant
Location: Albuquerque office, 2501 Yale Blvd SE Suite 104, Albuquerque
Register for this event
Saturday, July 18 – Ruidoso – Eagle Creek Trail at Alto Lakes. 9am-1pm. Join us for a short brisk hike through the cool pines of Ruidoso. Our hike starts at the Alto Lake Parking lot & we’ll take a leisurely 2 mile round trip hike along and behind Alto Lake, and we might catch a glimpse of some wild horses or elk. This trail is used by bird watchers and hosts several songbirds, ducks and hawks. The Eagle Creek Trail has a minimal elevation gain and we’ll discuss a little of its hydrology. We will also discuss & view two drinking ground water wells along the trail. This area has several drinking water wells that the Water Dept. for the Village of Ruidoso uses for public consumption. We will discuss a little about the water system and how it is maintained and sent into distribution and storage. Finally we will discuss EPA Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, laws, sampling & testing, public notice issues and Consumer Confident Reporting. No dogs. Bring: water, snack, foul weather gear, binoculars
Leader: John Pijawka
Level: Moderate
Location: Ruidoso
Register for this event by July 16. Limit 8 people.
Saturday July 25 – Annual Member Appreciation Picnic. Sierra Club members and friends are invited to join us for a potluck of yummy offerings, plus panoramic views, bird watching, fresh air and sunshine!
When: July 25, 2026, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Capulin Springs Picnic Area in the Cibola National Forest. For details, visit http:www.rec.gov
Some highlights – This picnic site is surrounded by heavily wooded land that affords shade to escape the heat of the day. The spring at Capulin Spring runs year-round and is a much visited spot by birders, especially in the dry season because thirsty birds flock to this area for a nice, cool drink of water. Bring a potluck offering to share.
Organizer: Susan Gorman
Location: Sandia Mountains
Register for this event
August 2026
Saturday, August 1 – Cienega Nature Trail QiGong Walk. 10am-noon. Have you noticed there are fewer wildflowers? Want to learn more about this? Join us in the lower Sandias to observe and discuss. We’ll learn a simple walking practice that allows us to slow down and deeply absorb nature’s messages and calm. QiGong is related to Tai Chi and after practice on paved trails, we’ll observe what is in bloom in this lush green meadow and see what insect pollinators are out. Along with nature illustrator and QiGong practitioner Laurie Lange, we will note how the drought has decreased our wildflowers and the severity of the loss. Not suitable for those with balance issues; long pants and closed toe shoes required. This will be less than a one-mile walk. Young adults encouraged; youth with parent or legal guardian.
Leader: Diane Reese
Level: Easy
Location: Sandia Mountains near ABQ Cienega Nature Trailhead
Register for this event
Sunday, August 2 – Valles Caldera South Mountain Hike. 7am-3pm The South Mountain Trail in Valles Caldera is lovely and very peaceful. We will walk from the second (inner) visitors center through a forested section and up to a mountain meadow. This trail is eight miles with 1,200 ft elevation gain, ending up about 10,000 feet up. If you are wanting to enjoy life and increase your fitness at the same time, this hike might be for you. Please note that there is not much cell service on the way there/back; we can convoy. Also you will need to pay for parking or have a national park pass. Completing a medical form is required as this is considered a backcountry hike. You will need to show it to the hike leader, then put it in your pack for future use.
Leader: Debbie Bryant
Level: Moderate/ strenuous
Location: Valles Caldera
Register for this event
Thursday, August 13 – Zero Waste Tour of ABQ Computer and Electronics Recycling, 10-11:30am. Almost anything with a cord or cable can be recycled at this business as well as phones. Larger items do require a fee. See how all data is wiped from devices. They also refurbish computers, laptops, etc. and sell them at reasonable rates.
Leader: Laurie Zunner
Level: Easy
Location: Albuquerque
Register for this event by August 11.
Saturday, August 15 – South Fork Trail #19 and Placer Gold Sifting in the Lincoln National Forest. 9am-3pm. We’ll be hiking Trail #19 that follows the South Fork of the Rio Bonito above the closed South Fork Campground. We’ll discuss the devastating 2012 Little Bear Fire, the historic original and present Bonito Pipeline and history of the Nogal Mining District and discovery of gold and other mineral resources starting back in 1865. Be prepared for weather and stream crossings with an approximate 250 ft elevation gain and 3-4 miles of hiking. We’ll also spend some time placer gold sifting, so bring your kit. They are available locally at Big Five Sporting Goods and on Amazon with lots of info on YouTube. Bring sandals. sunscreen and lots of enthusiasm. This is a six-hour event, so bring lunch/snacks and sturdy hiking boots/poles etc. No dogs please; appropriate for participants 18 years and older.
Leader: John Pijawka
Level: Moderate
Location: Near Ruidoso
Register for this event no later than August 13
Thursday, August 20. Green Book Club. 6-7:30pm. Join the Green Book Club to read and discuss a wide range of books that address different facets of being green. This month’s choice is Dan Nott’s non-fiction graphic book “Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day.” Published in 2023, the book details the historical development, decision-making processes, costs and benefits of the Internet, electric grid and water systems. The book won several awards for its STEM-based explanations and teaching value. The analysis is environmentally based. For NM-based people, the water systems section will be particularly interesting. Please bring your coffee and your book. We will have some snacks.
Leader: Robert Grant
Level: Easy
Location: Albuquerque office, 2501 Yale Blvd SE Suite 104
Register for this event
Saturday, August 22 – Migrating Birds Along the Animas River. 9am-11:30am. The Farmington Riverside Trail has been said to be the best thing in Farmington. Let’s look for more migrating birds along the Animas Riverwalk. This is a pleasant stroll, and at least one birdwatcher was heard to brag they have seen up to 34 species at this location. Dress for the weather. 18 year olds or above only. No pets please. Bring water and snacks in order to chat after the hike.
Leader: Mike Foster
Level: Easy
Location: Farmington Riverside Nature Center
Register for this event
September 2026
Saturday, September 5 – Fall Birds Along the Animas. The Farmington Riverside Trail has been said to be the best thing in Farmington. Let’s look for more migrating birds along the Animas Riverwalk. This is a pleasant stroll, and one birdwatcher was heard to brag they have seen up to 34 species at this location. Dress for the weather. 18 year olds or above only. No pets please. Bring water and snacks in order to chat after the hike.
Leader: Mike Foster
Level: Easy
Location: Farmington Riverside Nature Center
Register for this event
Tuesday, September 22 – Zero Waste Tour of the Surface Water Treatment Plant. 10am-noon. Learn how water from the Rio Grande is taken in and treated to become your drinking water. In an introduction, you will see the entire 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. Long pants and closed-toed shoes are required. Bring a hat, water bottle and your questions. This tour is dependent on a good monsoon season to bring the water level in the Rio Grande high enough for the plant to operate.
Leader: Laurie Zunner
Level: Easy
Location: Albuquerque
Register for this event by September 20. Limit 16 people.
Looking ahead
Saturday, October 10 – Salinas Pueblo National Monument Tour. 9am-5pm.Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico you’ll find the 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 this history, local archeology 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. We’ll meet at the Lowe’s parking lot, 12th Street, Albuquerque, then proceed by our vehicles’ caravan on I-40 East to Tijeras, then head south on NM-337. Wear comfortable attire and sturdy shoes. Bring clothing layers, hats, sunscreen, water and a picnic lunch. Total combined walking distance about one mile at about 6,000 feet elevation with about 50 ft of elevation change. Please consider the health of others if you are experiencing any symptoms of being ill. No dogs, except service animals on leash. Youth 10 and older are welcome with an accompanying responsible adult. Those who wish to carpool are responsible for making their own such arrangements, and any reimbursement to the driver with whom they travel.
Leader: June Parsons
Level: Easy
Location: Mountainair
Register no later than October 3.
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 24- 25 — Wilderness First Aid Course (all day)
The Rio Grande Chapter of Sierra Club is sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid course, specially geared toward our members.This course is in high demand and typically fills up months in advance. Our instructor has had many years experience teaching this class. Why attend? People get hurt, sick, or lost. The temperature drops, the wind picks up and it starts to rain. Would you know what to do? If you’re ever more than an hour away from a hospital or one mile from any road, you need this class. Many backcountry emergencies are preventable, and even when bad things happen, sometimes the wrong care can make things worse. By learning a few basic skills, you can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one — and maybe even save a life. The SOLO Wilderness First Aid Course is a two-day first aid course that provides training for anyone who spends time hiking, skiing, engaged in other outdoor pursuits or just wants to know what to do when things go south. The course is a blend of lectures, 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 two-day course, you will be certified or re-certified in Wilderness First Aid. Attendees must participate in all portions and hours of the course and demonstrate understanding to obtain certification.
Organizer: Debbie Bryant
Price: $200 per person.
Location: TBD, Albuquerque area
Class times: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. each day
Register for this event
Featured image – bike ride to Valle de Oro