This page contains information for Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) users who are planning a visit to the lab.
DART is created by the Data Assimilation Research Section (DAReS), a small group of data assimilation experts, software engineers and physical scientists.
DAReS is housed within the Computational & Information Systems Lab (CISL), which is one of the seven constituent labs of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NCAR is managed by a non-profit entity known as the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).
DAReS and CISL are headquartered within the Mesa Laboratory which is located at 1850 Table Mesa Dr, Boulder, CO 80305.
Mesa Laboratory
The Mesa Laboratory is located on the southwest edge of Boulder, atop a mesa overlooking the city. Weather is highly variable in Colorado, so take care to check the weather forecast ahead of your visit and pack appropriate clothing. Here are drone videos of the lab in spring and winter conditions.
Parking
There is ample parking outside the building and it is free for staff, visitors, and the public. The mesa serves as a trailhead to an extensive network of trails (AllTrails.com counts 15 different trails that depart from the Mesa Laboratory trailhead) so the parking lot is usually busier on weekends than on weekdays. UCAR also provides shuttle services along certain routes in the city of Boulder. For more information, see the Visitors' Map and Shuttle Routes section below.
Cafeteria
The ML Café is located on the first floor of the laboratory and it is open for both breakfast (7:30 am - 9:30 am) and lunch (11:30 am - 1:30 pm). It is open to the public and has a regular menu and rotating lunch specials.
Gym
There is a (very) small gym in the second-level basement of the Mesa Laboratory. You will need to use your visitor badge to access it. The gym includes a dumbbells, a treadmill, an elliptical machine and various exercise machines.
NCAR Locations within Colorado
In addition to the Mesa Laboratory, there are three other locations within Colorado that house NCAR staff.
They are:
- Foothills Laboratory at 3450 Mitchell Ln Boulder, CO 80301
- Center Green at 3090 Center Green Dr, Boulder, CO 80301
- Research Aviation Facility at 10802 Airport Ct, Broomfield, CO 80021
UCAR provides a free shuttle service between the Mesa Lab, Foothills Lab and Center Green.
Visitors' Map and Shuttle Routes
This URL is a link to a map containing the NCAR/UCAR Shuttle Routes and the locations of each of the NCAR laboratories:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1PKYknmQZc7CvnYCTk_1qRHL7Nwg0xuo&usp=sharing
Shuttle Schedule as of October 18th, 2022
Hotel Information
Visitors often stay at the Residence Inn by Marriott Boulder because it is next to the Center Green Campus and makes it easy to catch a UCAR shuttle to the Mesa Lab.
The Embassy Suites and Hilton Garden Inn are also along the UCAR shuttle route and are closer to Downtown Boulder.
There are many shops and restaurants along the Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder.
- Residence Inn by Marriott at 3030 Center Green Dr, Boulder, CO 80301
- Embassy Suites by Hilton at 2601 Canyon Blvd, Boulder, CO 80302
- Hilton Garden Inn at 2701 Canyon Blvd, Boulder, CO 80302