To take advantage of the range of geology available in the northern Rocky Mountains, two field excursions are included within the course.

The first takes place at the start of each course, using localities encountered on the drive to the IUGFS, to develop a sense of the regional stratigraphy and structural and tectonic setting of the region.

The first excursion involves stops in the Black Hills, Powder River Basin, Big Horn Mountains, Big Horn Basin, Owl Creek Mountains, Wind River Basin, Wind River Mountains, Absaraka Mountains, Jackson Hole, and Teton Mountains, and Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.

As a break between the two part of the course, a second excursion to Northwest Montana is taken to study the Montana Overthrust Belt in Sun River Canyon, Glacier National Park, and Flathead Valley continental glacial history.