Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
Pawnee National Grassland

Mount Goliath Natural Research Area

Dos Chappell Nature Center

The Nature Center contains excellent exhibits that interpret how living things adapt to the harsh environments of the sub-alpine and alpine tundra. The main attraction is the Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine tree. These trees are 700 to 1,600 years old, making them some of the oldest tree species in the world. As you walk in the nature center, a nearly 900-year-old nonliving example grasps your attention.

Once you've viewed the exhibits, explore the nearby rock gardens and examine the small wildflowers in bloom behind the nature center. Experience an enchanted forest of old gnarled trees by traveling the quarter-mile Bristlecone Loop trail.

The amenities available at the nature center include a male and female vault toilet, parking lot and Forest Service staff and volunteers to answer questions.

Mount Goliath Research Natural Area

The Mount Goliath Research Natural Area (RNA) is set aside to protect and study the significant population of Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine ( Pinus aristata ) located near the northern limits of the tree's range.

The history of the Mount Goliath RNA dates back to 1932, when the US Forest Service designated 320 acres of the Bristlecone Pine forest as a “Nature Study Area.” The site was officially registered as a “Natural Area” in 1950 and the acreage was reduced to160 acres to eliminate a portion crossed by the highway. In 1970 the designation changed to “Research Natural Area” to place the management efforts of the Forest Service on research, study, observations, monitoring and education.

The Forest Service's desired management plan outcome for the Mount Goliath RNA is to maintain natural conditions by allowing ecological processes to prevail with minimal human intervention. Please respect this area by not damaging or removing anything from the site, dead or alive.

M. Walter Pesman Trail

This trail was aptly named in honor of the work performed by Walter Pesman, a renowned Denver landscape architect and author of a wildflower identification book called Meet the Natives. There are two access points for this trail. The lower trailhead is located behind the nature center and goes up hill. The upper trailhead is located two miles up the road at a small parking lot and goes down hill. This 1.5-mile hike is rated as moderate.

Site History

Since the Mount Evans Road opened to the public in 1931, the Mount Goliath area has been a popular stop for visitors taking advantage of the scenic vista and Bristlecone Pine forest. In 1958, the M. Walter Pesman Trail was created in a cooperative project between the Forest Service and Denver Botanic Gardens. The popularity of this site caused people to "love it to death." This prompted the Garden Club of Denver to join hands with the Forest Service and Denver Botanic Gardens in 1996 to rehabilitate and improve the site. In 1998, Dos Chappell, the founder and Executive Director of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, made rehabilitating this area the group's main priority. At the M. Walter Pesman lower trailhead, the highest rock garden in the world was created primarily through the guidance of the Denver Botanic Gardens. Since then, extensive gardens have been created to represent the many ecosystems of the sub-alpine and alpine tundra.

Under the direction of Dos Chappell, Volunteers of Outdoor Colorado completed significant trail work by closing off many social trails for re-vegetation and erosion control. In just two days, a total of 1,200 hundred feet of new trail was built, 400 feet of which is accessible. Immediately following the trail work, Chappell began his quest for a nature center. He also was instrumental in obtaining a program grant for the building's construction. Unfortunately, Mr. Chappell unexpectedly passed away while the building was being constructed. Due to his dedication and devotion to this project, it was decided the nature center would bear his name for prosperity. The Dos Chappell Nature Center was completed in 2004 thanks to many contributions and grants made in Dos Chappell's name.

Return to Mount Evans Byway

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USDA Forest Service, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, Pawnee National Grassland
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Last modified March 05, 2008