Most nature trails emphasize flora and fauna. This week, though, the spotlight is on the wild and varied climate of Colorado's Front Range.
A new interpretive trail opens this week at the Mesa Laboratory of the National Science Foundation-supported National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
Inspired by a similar trail at the Swiss Meteorological Institute in Gstaad, the Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail is the first interpretive trail in North America dedicated to weather and climate. The trail is named after the founding director of NCAR and first president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR, NCAR's "parent organization"). The 0.4-mile (0.6-kilometer), wheelchair-accessible loop trail features 11 signs, each focusing on a single weather related phenomenon that may be observed--or whose effects may be evident--from points along the way.
The Mesa Lab itself features a number of weather-related exhibits, and is open to the public for self-guided tours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays.