The Semi-arid Grassland Research Center sits under the big sky in northern Colorado, surrounded by unbroken vistas. Conveniently located near Fort Collins, Greeley, Denver, and Cheyenne, the site has full-circle views of the rolling grasslands, the Chalk Bluffs and Wyoming to the north, and the Rocky Mountains to the west. Abundant wildlife – pronghorn antelope, meadowlarks, lark buntings, mountain plovers, migrating and resident hawks, coyotes, swift fox, badgers, burrowing owls and prairie dogs – live in the area. Ecologically sensitive building design integrates the site into the rolling hills and short vegetation of the surrounding grasslands. The SGRC is ideal for a wide variety of visitors interested in getting away for workshops, small conferences, retreats, and opportunities like bird-watching, viewing wildflowers, and star-gazing.

           The SGRC has spaces useful to a broad range of visitors. Typical are day-long to week-long workshops, conferences, retreats, and grassland researchers for longer stays. Others have been writers and groups of naturalists observing bird migrations, including rare and endangered species like mountain plover and burrowing owl. The SGRC presents a unique opportunity for using the surroundings to give students and visitors a sense of place on the grasslands. This co-op CSU & USDA-ARS facility represents the world-class research and educational activities at the site, and gives the broader community a place for meeting in a pristine natural grassland environment.