Mount Blue Sky Field Station

Our Home in the Mountains

The Mount Blue Sky Field Station is an alpine research station owned by the University of Denver and located in Arapaho National Forest. It's available year-round to academic groups and individual researchers with interests in the geology or ecology of the Colorado Front Range. The facility, location and setting are ideal for small (10- to 30-person) groups seeking a rustic, natural and affordable setting to serve as a basecamp for accessing the diverse natural features of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Groups that may find the station helpful include summer geology field camps or ecology field courses from academic institutions within or outside Colorado. Facilities may be reserved by the day or week and accommodate one user group at a time.

Reservations and Rates

Rates are based on group size, length of stay, season and requirements for lab space, technical support and bed/bath linens. Submit a request for additional information or to make a reservation.

Surroundings

The land between Denver and Echo Lake hosts a diverse mosaic of ecosystems, ranging from grasslands and foothills on the western edge of the Denver Basin to the montane and subalpine ecosystems of higher elevations. In addition, the station rests on the northwest flank of the Bear Creek Watershed and Mt. Evans Wilderness Area, a natural outdoor laboratory of some 30,000 hectares that overlooks the Denver Metro Area and includes more than 60 miles of access trails leading to various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

The Mt. Goliath Research Natural Area, home to the highest cultivated garden in the U.S., sits at over two miles above sea level, amidst old-growth bristlecone pines. Here, students and researchers can observe sub-alpine specimens and formations such as krummholz, the deformation of trees that occurs in extreme conditions.

The Mount Blue Sky alpine rises nearly 1,000 meters above tree line and offers exceptional ungulate viewing (deer, elk, mountain goats, big-horned sheep), birding (including white-tailed ptarmigan and black-capped rosy finch) and botanizing.

Facilities

Lodge

Our two-story lodge has...

  • central heating
  • a fully equipped kitchen
  • two bathrooms with showers
  • a laundry room
  • a pantry with two standard-sized refrigerators
  • large communal space with fireplace for use as a dining room, study area and lecture/meeting room

Cabin

A one-story cabin is available for use by individual researchers or small academic groups up to 6 people. It features...

  • two bedrooms with bunk beds
  • a large and fully equipped kitchen
  • central heating
  • a single bath with tub/shower
  • a large living room with wood stove