City: Boulder, CO

Category: Parks & Recreation

Address: 1850 Table Mesa Drive

Description: For a really short hike, but one with a great view, stroll out behind the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR—pronounced “en-car”), at the west end of Table Mesa Drive (see the Attractions and Area Overview chapters for details on the research center). The Walter Orr Roberts Nature Trail (0.4 mile round-trip), named for NCAR’s founder, is perfect for those with limited time or who don’t want to walk much. It’s also wheelchair-accessible. The drive up the NCAR mesa is beautiful, and you’re sure to spot some grazing deer along the way. The nature trail is a pleasant ramble along the mesa top, offering great views and a fine introduction to the local flora, fauna, and terrain.The NCAR building, known as the Mesa Laboratory, was designed by the internationally acclaimed architect I. M. Pei (who also designed new sections of the Louvre in Paris and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.). It’s made of Lyons sandstone mixed with concrete to tint it pink and blend with the Flatirons rock formations. The design is reminiscent of Anasazi ruins like those of Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado. If it looks familiar, you may be remembering Woody Allen’s comedy Sleeper, which was filmed partially at NCAR.