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.
All participants in Sierra Club activities are required to sign a standard Participation Agreement. If you would like to read the Participation Agreement before you choose to participate in an activity, please click here. You will be asked for consent when you register for each outing.
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.
Sign-up using the link below each listing. This link will take you to the calendar event listing with more information and registration.
January 2025
Monday, January 13, 2025: 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 full moon. Walk will be 2-3 miles at easy pace. Terrain is flat, but there are trip hazards and we will walk in dusk/dark. Please bring walking sticks if you use, headlight or flashlight. Bring snacks as we watch moonrise at the picnic area. Dress appropriately for the weather and for cooling temperatures at sunset. No dogs please.
Leader: Diane Reese
Level: Easy – no elevation gain; flat trail but root trip hazards
Location: Durand Open Space, 4750 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105
Register for this event
Sunday, January 26: Coffee Tasting Bike Tour through Downtown & Bosque, 9:30 am. Chase the cold away with a bike tour of downtown coffee shops! We will visit some local coffee roasters, tea shops and cafes in the vicinity of the bosque. Meet at the Hispanic Cultural Center at 9:30 a.m. for this 1.5-hour ride. Find out how easy it is to get around Albuquerque neighborhoods by bicycle, make new friends and enjoy delicious coffee. The route is about 10 miles long and relatively flat. Participants should be able to maintain a speed of 10-12 miles per hour on their road, mountain or gravel bike. This is not recommended for cruisers or similar single-speed bikes and is appropriate for ages 14 and up. Bike helmet, pump, tools and patch kit or spare tube, with sealant in tires required.
Leader: Patrick Burton
Level: Easy-moderate
Location: Albuquerque
Register for this event by January 22
February 2025
Tuesday, February 4: Zero Waste Tour of the Surface Water Treatment Plant, 1-2:30 p.m. Learn how water from the Rio Grande is taken in and treated to become your drinking water. Tour entails a lot of walking, going in and out of buildings and climbing stairs, so dress appropriately and wear comfortable closed-toed shoes/boots. Limit 15 people. Register by Feb 1.
Leader: Laurie Zunner
Level: Easy
Location: 6000 Alexander Blvd. NE, Albuquerque
Register for this event by February 1
Saturday, February 8: Las Cruces’ Lucero Canyon Petroglyphs trail, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Let’s meet to hike the Lucero Canyon Petroglyphs trail. This is four miles with very little elevation gain (229 ft) and normally takes an hour and a half to hike. This hike up Lucero Canyon leads to ancient petroglyphs depicting hunters with bows and arrows, an antelope, a turtle, bulb-headed twins, abstracts, and other intriguing subjects. The path follows the arroyo, which is dusty with loose small rocks.There is no shade or water, so plenty of sunscreen is recommended. Sunscreen is recommended.
Kids over 13 can attend, must be accompanied by a parent. No dogs please.
Trail map
Leaders: Antoinette Reyes, Holly Thomas, Debbie Bryant
Level: Easy
Location: Radium Springs (about 13 miles from Las Cruces)
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Saturday, February 15: Snowshoe on the Sandia Ellis Trail, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Meet at 9 a.m. at Smiths at Tramway and Central (on the Tramway side, close to the gas station and the edge of the parking lot) to carpool or at Ellis trailhead parking lot near the entrance at 9:50 a.m. This high-altitude, three-hour outing is about 3.5 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain. *We will only be doing part of the trail if snowshoeing. We will depart from the Ellis Trailhead parking lot entrance and proceed along the Ellis Trail with several stops to enjoy stunning views to the Continental Divide. We will cover tips for safely traversing on snowshoes and winter hiking as needed/requested. Appropriate for children over 14 with a parent or legal guardian. No dogs, please. Registration is limited to 10 participants. Recommended gear list and additional information will be provided one week beforehand.
Leader: Debbie Bryant
Level: Moderate
Location: East of Albuquerque
Register for this event by February 11
March 2025
Thursday, March 13: Zero Waste Tour of BARCO Recycling Facility. 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. See how all of our blue-bin recycling is sorted. Come 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. Register early; space is limited to 10 adults. Meet at 8:50 a.m. at 5029 Edith Blvd. NE, Abq. Contact trip leader if you need or can give a ride.
Leader: Laurie Zunner
Level: Easy
Location: 5029 Edith Blvd. NE, Albuquerque
Register for this event by March 11
Saturday, March 29: Introduction to Backpacking, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. New Mexico has hundreds of miles of trails waiting for you. Whether you just want to get away for a weekend of solitude with your family or solo thru-hike from Mexico to Canada, adventure is right in our backyard. Perhaps you’re merely curious and not quite sure how to begin backpacking or whether it’s for you? This clinic is designed for those who have never shouldered a backpack as well as those who just want to learn more about how to safely hike in the backcountry. During this course we’ll take you from the basics to the essential things you need to know for an extended thru-hike, using both classroom and hands-on learning. Class runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with a one-hour break for lunch. Appropriate for children 10 and up with parent or legal guardian. Class size is limited to 16 attendees. This class is sponsored by the Sierra Club Military Outdoors Program and everyone is welcome. We’ll cover the following topics: Planning and preparing for a trip, risk management and safety, proper pack fit and pack loading, essential, optional and non-essential gear, care and uses of gear, self-care, and leave-no-trace ethics.
Leader: Terry Owen
Level: Easy
Location: East Mountain Library, Tijeras, NM
Register for this event
Featured image at top: Northern Group Movie Night, Photo by Debbie Bryant