Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
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Undergraduate Programs

Field Trips

UH students on Enchanted Rock granite dome. Photo by AR Robinson.

UH students on Enchanted Rock granite dome. Photo by AR Robinson.

Students enrolled in GEOL 1303 Physical Geology and GEOL 1103 Physical Geology Lab have the option to attend field trips. These trips take place on campus and at various locations throughout the Texas area. Students unable to attend in-person trips can utilize our virtual options. Please direct any questions regarding upcoming field trips to Jinny Sisson or Daniel Hauptvogel.

In-Person Field Trips

Registration

Summer 2026 field trips are run by the instructor, Dr. Lytwyn. Please contact her for more information.

Note: Central TX and Galveston trips require confirmation about 2 weeks before the trip. Keep an eye on your Cougarnet email for confirmation instructions. Campus tours do not require confirmation.

Field Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Field Trip Descriptions

Curious about the rock cycle? Then come on this trip to see minerals, faults, intrusions, fossils, and an unconformity. There are typically 4 stops on this trip, with the last stop at Enchanted Rock State Park where you can take in a gorgeous, late-afternoon view of Central TX. A physical geology faculty member will lead this trip. Trips leave UH at 6:00 am and return around 10:00 pm. A 55-passenger coach bus is used for this trip, with a restroom on board. The bus will make 3 stops throughout the day where you can purchase food and drink supplies, or you may bring your own.
See the source of building stones used for both historic Texas missions and the oldest buildings at UH. Then learn about groundwater, deformation, mass movement, weathering, and landscape formation. The trip will leave UH at 7:30 am and return at ~8:00 pm. A physical geology faculty member leads this trip. A 55-passenger coach bus is used for this trip, with a restroom on board. The bus will make 2 stops throughout the day where you can purchase food and drink supplies, or you may bring your own.
A chance to explore the Upper Texas coastal area and examine coastal and river processes (depending on which faculty member is leading the trip). You can expect to learn about beach erosion, sediment transport, ocean currents, and more. A physical geology faculty member leads this trip. Trips leave UH at 8:00 am and return around 5:00 pm. A 55-passenger coach bus is used for this trip with a restroom on the bus. The bus will a stop where you can purchase food and drink supplies, or you may bring your own..
Deepen your connection with rocks and minerals by looking at building stones, outdoor art, and rock gardens on the UH campus. Physical geology teaching assistants lead this tour, and you'll learn about the rocks that some buildings, walkways, and hallway walls on campus are made from. Tours are ~1-hour long, with many options for days and times each semester. These are held rain or shine.

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips do not require registration and are completed at your own pace. Be sure to follow the submission instructions outlined in the "Assignment and Instructions" document for each trip. The TX coast VFT is not available at this time.

Virtual UH Rocks! Tour

The virtual version of our UH Rocks! tour uses Google Earth to show a dozen different building stones throughout the UH campus.

Assignment and Instructions | Virtual Tour link to Google Earth

Virtual Field Trip to Central TX

In this virtual trip, you'll watch videos of faculty explaining field trip stops, answer questions, and make geologic interpretations on high-resolution images.

Assignment and Instructions | Virtual Tour link to Google Earth

Virtual Field Trip to the Upper Texas Coast (currently unavailable)

This virtual trip includes videos explaining field trip stops and 360° images showing key geologic features. 

Virtual Field Trip to the Earth's Mantle

Geoscientists use computerized tomography (CT) to create three-dimensional images of Earth's interior, similar to doctors using CT scans to create images of the body. The images are created from the speed of seismic energy seen traveling through the Earth. On this trip, you will explore the Earth's mantle in several different tectonic settings, including convergent margins, passive margins, and a mantle plume (hot spot).

Assignment and Instructions