Spring 2026 Planetary Geology Field Studies: Chiricahua National Monument
By Joe Schools. Photos courtesy
This spring the graduate field trip focused on the volcanic processes in Southeast Arizona with stops in and around Chiricahua National Monument and the Clifton-Morenci Mine.
We departed from Tucson Friday morning, stopping to learn about the intrusive silicate volcanism of the region and to hunt for some clay dunes in Wilcox Playa. That afternoon we arrived in Chiricahua National Monument. We learned about the ecology and biology of the monument, went searching (unsuccessfully) for coatis, and avoided (successfully) any jaguars or mountain lions. After learning a bit of indigenous history of the region at the visitor center, we gazed upon some of the famous rock spires of the monument and made camp for the night. We took advantage of the dark skies and gazed upon Jupiter and its moons through one of the department telescopes.
Bright and early Saturday morning we departed camp for the trailhead to hike through the volcanic wonderland of silicic igneous rocks. Along the way we learned about the processes that create, erode, and destroy these hoodoos, also called rock spires. We departed the national monument that afternoon heading north, making a pit stop in New Mexico to learn about paleolake Animas. We decimated whole populations of insects as we drove to our campsite in the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area. We once again took advantage of the dark skies and used the telescope to observe the shadowed craters on the crescent moon. Some of the students used a UV flashlight around camp and were horrified to learn just how many scorpions live around us in Arizona.
Sunday morning, we explored more of the volcanic outcrops of Southeast Arizona. We then made our way up to the Clifton-Morenci Mine to gaze upon man’s destructive nature and learn about one of the largest copper deposits in the United States. We departed the mine and made our way back to Tucson, where the students unloaded the vehicles and organized the equipment in record time.
This trip was led by Research Scientist Joe Schools, assisted by Associate Professor Jessica Barnes and Research Scientist Sam Crossley. The graduate student class consisted of Elana Alevy, Maddy Christensen, Sophie Clark, Ruby Fulford, Carson Fuls, Gabriel Gowman, Kylie Hall, Joanna Hardesty, Lori Huseby, Melissa Kontogiannis, Chaucer Langbert, Cole Meyer, Carter Mucha, Fuda Nguyen, Lily Robinthal, Anna Taylor, and Madison Tuohy.
