National Park Service Rocky Mountain National Park U.S. Department of the Interior Continental Divide Research Learning Center 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado 80517 (970) 586-1394 [email protected] McGraw Ranch Research Center 2010: What to Expect for Groups Cost The main house has two kitchen stations that include an electric range/ Per the direction of the Superintendent, oven, refrigerator, sink, microwave, there is no cost for NPS groups to use dishwasher, coffee maker, and storage the facilities at McGraw Ranch for cabinets. Cookware and dishes are meetings and conferences. We may provided. Food is not provided. Limited need to limit the number and timing of laundry facilities are available on site. conferences held at the facility. Please do not bring Getting here Pets, kids, or spouses. If you bring You will need to rent a car or take a them on your trip, they will have to shuttle (a private service which requires have accommodations/activities in advanced reservations) from Denver Estes Park. International Airport. It takes about photo courtesy Ruth McGraw two hours to travel from DIA to Estes Audio-visual Park. In winter (November to mid- May), we strongly recommend you have We have: conference call ability, McGraw Ranch Road is four-wheel drive. The private dirt road wipe board and easel, laser pointer, privately owned. Please to the ranch is usually plowed, but the extension cords, screen, and projector. drive 20 mph, pull over Bring your own computer. We have for on-coming cars, and areas around the ranch house, cabins, a few shared phone lines for dial-up wave to our neighbors. and parking area will likely be snowy. internet access, a fax machine, and a The facilities shared printer. The cabins are rustic, but comfortable. Communication Each guest will be assigned a private or shared room. Two cabins are single Because the ranch is nestled in a draw occupancy with private baths; four are surrounded by peaks, your cell phone private rooms with shared baths; two or Blackberry will not work here. Most are shared rooms with shared baths. guests get coverage about a mile up the Each cabin has an electric heater, road and in town. Bring a calling card closet, bed, desk, chair, small dresser, if you want to make phone calls from and lamps. There are no televisions or the ranch phone and a computer if telephones in the cabins. you want to check email. The daytime phone number at the ranch, if you need Bring your own pillows and linens to be reached, is (970) 586-1471. (mattress sizes vary), food (in rodent- proof containers), computer, and The weather sundries including towels. Pack a The ranch is at 7,840 feet. Expect snow flashlight or headlamp, and an alarm and/or rain, mud, and wind. All year clock. Pack clothes to match the long we can get gloriously sunny and possibly inclement weather, sturdy warm days. Conditions will change footwear, and a day pack for hikes. often from warm and dry to cold and wet. 61 McGraw Ranch Research Center 2010: What to Expect, page 2 Communications Accessibility Cell phones do not work at McGraw The kitchen, laundry, work room, Ranch. While phone lines are available conference room, computer lab, one for voice and dial-up internet access, no cabin, and field lab are compliant with long distance service is provided. Non- the Americans with Disabilities Act. NPS personnel are not permitted to use Researchers should discuss special NPS computers. To receive US mail at needs when making a reservation. the park, researchers must request a post box from the property manager Travel to and from McGraw Ranch (at the warehouse) or from the US Post The closest airport is Denver Office in town. Researchers are not International. Because McGraw permitted to have mail delivered Research Ranch sits six miles northeast to the park administrative of Estes Park, a private car is necessary. address. Access is via an unpaved, narrow, steep, Housekeeping private road. The 20 mph speed limit must be obeyed at all times. Exceeding Each occupant will be responsible for the speed limit is grounds for eviction. cabin and common area housekeeping. A list of general housekeeping chores Parking is posted, and every resident will An agreement with the road owners complete at least one chore from the restricts the number of parking list, at least once every other day. This spaces available to researchers and to is a condition of occupancy. Some visitors. If necessary, the ranch ranger cleaning supplies, including vacuum will assign parking spaces. Visitors cleaners, are available for use. On-site must park on the road between the laundry facilities are available. designated signs. Bicycles may be Smoking stored in the barn; bicycles are not to be stored inside rooms. Smoking is not allowed in any building at McGraw Ranch. Guests Overnight guests are not permitted at McGraw Ranch. Pets Pets are not allowed in buildings at McGraw Ranch and may not be left outside or in vehicles overnight. For more information contact [email protected] or call (970) 586-1394 60.