April 10-12, 2026
Green River,Utah
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The Best Geology Fest
in the West!
Join us for a weekend of free field trips with Utah’s finest geologists, paleontologists, and rock art conservationists. Meet the organizations that preserve and protect our public lands while discovering a bounty of rocks and minerals from vendors at our pop-up market outside the John Wesley Powell River History Museum.
Field Guide
Everything you need to know all in one place.
SCHEDULE
2026 Event Schedule coming soon.
FAQs
Have questions about the event, field trips, or transportation? Click below to view FAQs.
R. E. BURRILLO
Opening Lecture:
Friday, April 10 AT the john wesley powell river history museum 6:00PM - 7:30PM
American Archaeology - The Past, Present, and the Future of the Past
Archaeology has long captivated the American public, yet pop culture mythology often obscures the harsh realities, thrilling discoveries, and complex moral decisions that archaeologists confront out in the field. Journalist and conservation archaeologist R. E. Burrillo illuminates the joys and contradictions of digging into humanity’s past: the history of the practice, its evolution into science, the influences of nationalism and colonialism, and its ongoing problems with exploitation and misrepresentation. With rollicking storytelling and an insider’s expertise, Burrillo challenges us to celebrate curiosity even as we rethink what archaeology is, whom it serves, and what’s at stake for our future and our understanding of ourselves as a species.
Friday lecture is FREE and open to the public. All welcome.
Field Trips
All field trips are half-day to full-day trips. Maximum group size for each trip is 25 people. We recommend signing up on the first day of the festival.
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![Man standing next to a dinosaur skeleton exhibit at a museum.]()
Jim Kirkland
Utah State Paleontologist
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![Paleontologist Julia McHugh in the field]()
Julia McHugh
Paleontologist & Curator—Museums of Western Colorado
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![A man kneeling next to a large white fossil of a prehistoric animal, possibly a mammoth, in a desert-like environment.]()
Josh Lively
Curator of Paleontology Prehistoric Museum
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Emily Lessner
Paleontologist—Bureau of Land Management Moab
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![A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and glasses, smiling at the camera, in front of a natural rock formation with small caves and smooth, stratified surfaces.]()
Benjamin Burger
Paleontologist
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![A man smiling in front of a glacier with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.]()
Paul Murphey
Paleontologist—San Diego Natural History Museum & Denver Museum of Nature and Science
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![Paleontologist Logan King]()
Logan King
Paleontologist—Colorado Northwestern Community College
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![A man wearing glasses, a red cap, and a blue T-shirt with the text "Still Running AGAINST THE WIND EMERY, UTAH" stands outdoors near rocks and trees. He is holding a tablet displaying a slide with text and a diagram.]()
Paul Anderson
Exploration Geologist
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![Smiling man wearing a wide-brimmed hat standing in front of the Grand Canyon.]()
Tom Chisdey
Exploration Geologist
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![A smiling man wearing sunglasses, a beige cap, a white shirt, and a backpack standing outdoors with trees and clear sky in the background.]()
David Berry
Geologist
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![A smiling man with glasses and gray hair standing outdoors in front of a rocky background.]()
William W. Little
Geologist
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![A desert landscape with a large, layered rock formation under a blue sky with a few clouds, and sparse desert plants in the foreground.]()
David A. Little
Geologist & Instructor
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![A smiling woman in a blue plaid shirt and sunglasses posing with a man in a Hawaiian shirt and large straw hat in front of Native American artifact murals.]()
Diana & Steve Acerson
Rock Art Conservationists
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![A man with gray hair and beard wearing a black baseball cap and gray t-shirt, holding a young child with blonde hair and a dark hoodie, outdoors on a gravel pathway, with a wide sky filled with clouds and a desert landscape in the background.]()
Geoff Smith
Rock Art Conservationist
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![A guide wearing a cowboy hat, sunglasses, and a white t-shirt standing next to ancient cave paintings on a rock wall. The cave paintings depict animals, humanoid figures, and symbols.]()
Layne Miller
Rock Art Conservationist
Science Moab presents:
SCIENCE ON TAP with sam bagge
SATURDAY, April 11 AT RAY’S TAVERN
25 S Broadway, Green River, UT
DOORS AT 6:30PM
PRESENTATION AT 7:30PM
Running Rapids for Science: Stories from Studying a River Emerging from Lake Powell Reservoir
Join Science Moab at Ray’s Tavern on Saturday night for Science On Tap! Sam Bagge, who graduated from the University of Utah in 2025 with a masters degree in geology, will be presenting about her research on Lake Powell reservoir sedimentation. Using community photo matches from the Returning Rapids Project and data from her graduate research, Sam’s program will share her story of studying Cataract Canyon as the Colorado River re-emerges from Lake Powell. From running rapids and navigating sediment slumps to measuring change along the 80ft sediment walls, the program will illuminate how a side canyon is coming back to life as sediment moves out and how sediment is redistributed across the larger study area.
In other words: we’ll be learning about fascinating, brand-new geology happening right now: directly downstream of Green River! Join us for a beer, a bite to eat, a fascinating program, and a fun-filled evening. This event is presented in collaboration with Science Moab, which is dedicated to making the place-based science of the Colorado Plateau accessible to all.
Doors open at 6:30pm, and the program runs from 7:30-8:30. Please be sure to come early if you want to order food and drinks!
Travel
John Wesley Powell River History Museum
1765 E Main Streeet | Green River, UT 84525
Plane
CNY – Canyonlands Field Airport – Moab, UT (34 mi)
GJT – Grand Junction Regional Airport, CO (102 mi)
Car
Via I-70. There are no car rentals in Green River.
Bus
Salt Lake Express and Greyhound.
Train
Amtrak Green River station (GRI) – California Zephyr line
