New Mexico Geological Society · Socorro, NM

(575) 835-5410

NEW MEXICO GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Annual Fall Field Conference

Albuquerque area · October 21–24, 2026

2026 registration

Registration for this year’s Fall Field Conference is handled through EventCombo. Full event details, pricing, and sign-up are available on the event page. This platform makes registration easier and more reliable. For questions or assistance, email nmbg-nmgs@nmt.edu.

View event details & register on EventCombo →

About NMGS Fall Field Conferences

Almost every fall since 1950, the Society has held a field conference to some part of New Mexico and, in some cases, to border states. From the beginning, the conference has been accompanied by a guidebook with detailed road logs as well as peer-reviewed papers relevant to the region. These guidebooks remain as invaluable references to the geology of the conference study area and most are available for purchase.

Itinerary

Icebreaker — Wednesday, October 21:

Day 1 — Thursday, October 22 — Sandia Mountains: Proterozoic & Mesozoic stratigraphy and structure in the Juan Tabo area; Great Unconformity and late Paleozoic tectonics at Doc Long Picnic Area; hydrogeology and stratigraphy at Placitas – Crest of Montezuma; rift-margin structure at Placitas.

  1. Juan Tabo area (two hikes): Proterozoic & Mesozoic stratigraphy & structure; Sandia Mountains piedmont geomorphology
  2. Doc Long Picnic Area: Great Unconformity & late Paleozoic tectonics (lunch)
  3. Placitas – Crest of Montezuma: Hydrogeology & stratigraphy
  4. Placitas: Rift-margin structure
  5. BBQ, 6:30 PM at the Education Building, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, 2901 Candelaria Rd NW
Day 2 — Friday, October 23 — Santa Fe Group, NW Albuquerque Basin:

  1. Zia & Cerro Conejo Formations: Lower & middle Santa Fe Group stratigraphy and structure (hike & lunch)
  2. Ceja del Rio Puerco: Upper Santa Fe Group stratigraphy and structure
  3. Banquet, 6:30 PM at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Rd NW
Day 3 — Saturday, October 24 — Rio Grande Valley & Albuquerque Volcanoes:

  1. West Bluff Park: Quaternary history & hydrogeology
  2. Albuquerque Volcanoes (Petroglyph National Monument): Volcanic history & features (hike & lunch)
  3. Boca Negra Canyon (Petroglyph National Monument): vesicle cylinders (optional stop)
What to bring: For each day of the field trip, please bring shoes suitable for climbing steep slopes and walking distances of up to 5 miles, sunscreen, a hat, and clothing appropriate for the weather (especially if rain is forecast).

Field trip routes for Days 1–3. Open the full-size map.

Lodging

Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn
A group rate of $121.37 (plus taxes) is available at: Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn, 1015 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104.

Group Booking Code: Q62EM3N4

Best Western booking must be made by September 21, 2026.

Additional hotels in the area

Each registrant is responsible for making their own lodging arrangements if not staying at the group-rate hotel. Lodging fees are not covered by registration.

Future conferences

Widespread enthusiasm for the Fall Field Conferences has led to receipt of many proposals for future conferences. Therefore, the schedule of upcoming field conferences is now outlined for the next several years. The field conference venues and names of organizers are listed below. All members are encouraged to volunteer assistance to the organizers or to contribute to the guidebooks. If you live near or are involved with the geology in the vicinity of the future conference sites, please consider contacting one of the organizers.

2027: Geology of the El Paso - Juarez Borderland

2028: Las Cruces Country

If you have an idea for a future field conference, please contact the President of the NMGS.

2027: Geology of the El Paso–Juarez Borderland
October 27–30, 2027
Contact Jason Ricketts: JRicketts@utep.edu

Author information & student support

Instructions for authors, style guide, review forms, and copyright release forms are available for guidebook contributors.

Fall Field Conference scholarships support eligible students and educators.

Photos from past conferences

Everyone is invited to share their best digital photos of past conferences with the Society membership. To contribute photographs, contact the society webmaster.

Thanks to our sponsors

The 2026 Fall Field Conference is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors.