Facilities

We support your mountain research & education with labs, meeting rooms, lodging, dining, & more.

The Mountain Research Station is a fully equipped field campus designed to support a broad range of research and education efforts. 

The MRS provides infrastructure for fieldwork, laboratory work, teaching, and on-site residence, allowing scientists and students to live and work in a high-elevation montane setting. Laboratory space, classrooms, housing, and dining services are all located within a compact, walkable campus.

Historic buildings like the Megaron and the Wildrose Dining Hall stand alongside new and renovated facilities like the John W. Marr Alpine Laboratory, the Moors-Collins Family Lodge, the Kiowa Classroom and Laboratory, and the Tundra Laboratory. Together, these facilities support year-round data collection, residential field courses, scientific conferences, public outreach programs, and extended residential stays.

 
 

Map of MRS campus

Map of the main campus of the Mountain Research Station, CO, including roads, labs, and cabins
Google maps satellite view of the Mountain Research station showing its dirt roads and buildings (screenshot March 2026).

Satellite view of the Mountain Research Station's main campus from Google Maps. Labels show the locations of the main parking lots, labs, lodge, dining hall, Megaron, apartments, and cooking cabins.

See additional maps of research areas

Reservations & user fees

Reservations for housing, dining, classrooms, and lab spaces are required for everyone except course students. Housing is in very high demand during the summer field season, so please contact us well in advance of your group's needs. Cancellation of a reservation may result in a fee (see user fees for details). Non-student users will be invoiced after their stay, and payments are due within 30 days.

The University of Colorado Mountain Research Station relies on fees contributed by researchers, undergrad courses, and other users  to maintain and operate its facilities. Individual students in an undergrad course do not pay fees directly. Instead, they pay via their tuition, which covers their food and lodging.

See User fees

Facilities outline

Labs & observatory

To help researchers and students with their work, two labs and an observatory are located on the station's campus and another lab high up on the alpine tundra. All are open year round, have WiFi access, and are configured for both research and teaching. Services include printing, library, classrooms, meeting center, herbarium, insect collections, and more. 

More on labs & observatory

Meeting rooms

Researchers and students staying on the station campus need meeting space for classes, team gatherings, and presentations. The station provides four main options. Not all of these facilities have WiFi access, so be sure to see the details on each individual space before making a decision. The MRS also has a portable sound system that can be accessed upon request.

More on meeting rooms

Lodging

We offer housing for students, researchers, organized K-12 events, and conference attendees. 

  • 1 lodge for 32 people (8 sleeping rooms, 4 beds each). Year round.
  • 2 apartments (2 bedroom). Year round.
  • 4 summer cooking cabins (1-2 bedroom). June 01 - Sept 30

  • 36 summer basic cabins (1-2 people). June 01 - Sept 30

More on lodging

Dining

The Mountain Research Station has its own dining hall serving excellent food. All meals include vegetarian options. Vegan meals should be requested in advance. Service is available early June through mid-August, when summer field courses are in residence.

More on dining

 

A few photos of our many facilities

Rustic dining hall, lodge, and cabin in a Colorado forest

A panoramic view of the dining hall, lodge, and Limber cooking cabin.

The Marr Lab's main entrance

Researchers approach the Tundra Lab from the north.

Tundra Lab location

A 3D satellite view from Google Maps looking to the west and showing the Mountain Research Station near the bottom and the Indian Peaks near the top. The location of the Tundra Lab is labelled.

A 3D satellite view from Google Maps looking to the west and showing the Mountain Research Station near the bottom and the Indian Peaks and Continental Divide near the top. The location of the high-elevation Tundra Lab is highlighted. It's about 4.4 miles (7 km) by road and trail from the Station.

 

Learn about the Tundra Lab

  Want to see more facilities?

Learn how our infrastructure can support your research and education goals, enabling you to live and work in a high-elevation montane setting.

Laboratory space, classrooms, housing, and dining services are all located within a compact, walkable campus.