Surrounded by concrete and traffic lights, Arvada’s has one mission — bring people back to nature.
Founded in 2002 and located in what was once a 3,000-square-foot single-family home, the center is tucked away in the heart of a residential neighborhood that opens up to 83 acres of prairie grasses, wildlife and — as the name suggests — majestic views of the Front Range.
This August, the center at 7030 Garrison St. will be celebrating 15 years of bringing the great outdoors back to the suburbs through classes and programs that educate visitors of all ages on animal and environment sustainability.
“Itap all about the science of nature,” said Karen Miller, who has been the center’s director since it opened. She described Majestic View’s mission as promoting a stronger awareness and better understanding of the world’s natural resources.
The Majestic View Community Park includes a lake, wetlands area, water-conservation demonstration garden and more than 80 acres of open space and trails. The center houses interactive displays, a children’s play area and educational wildlife exhibits that include a taxidermied Canada lynx, gray wolf and black bear, among other high-country Rocky Mountain animals.
Some of the are Beginning Tai Chi, Winter Survival: Night with a Naturalist, Watercolor and Tea, Wildlife Trafficking, Kite Making and much more. But in honor of its 15th anniversary, the center will host not regularly offered that will be dispersed throughout the year.
The center is calling this list of events its “grand tour,” and the first activity, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” on Feb. 25, is a guided walk along a short section of the 13-mile Ralston Creek Trail.
The other 14 events in the grand tour will include stargazing, hiking, picnics in the garden and nature photography lessons to name a few. Aug. 5 will be the official birthday bash celebrated at the center with food, walks, bike rides, partner booths and live entertainment.
“I was excited to see how everyone has stepped up,” Miller said. The center, run almost completely by volunteers, has been planning the grand tour since last summer.
Most of the volunteers and instructors for Majestic View either have a teaching background or a science background, Miller said. And their turnover rate is almost nonexistent.
Jody Weiland, an Arvada resident since 1961, spent 29 years as a teacher and now volunteers as an instructor at Majestic View alongside her husband who spent 36 years teaching. They both have a passion for animals and primarily instruct classes on birds and insects. They’ve been with the center since it opened.
“We want to instill a love of nature, the environment and how to protect it and keep it healthy,” Weiland said. And while she especially loves teaching preschoolers, she often has parents tell her they learned something from her classes too.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, we can all learn something new,” she said.
Each year, Majestic View welcomes in more visitors than the last — 2016 saw more than 23,000 visitors. And like its volunteers, a first-time visitor often becomes a longtime visitor.
Instructor David Sullivan has been with the center since it opened and has mentored several of his students who are now assistants, like 16-year-old Emma Donnelly. Donnelly first came to the center when she was in kindergarten, and now inspires others.
“Majestic View is a place for kids to come and experience nature,” Donnelly said. “Itap an environment where they can play while learning about whatap important in Colorado.” Majestic View is one of Arvada’s hidden gems, she added.
Summer Ulin, 13, has been attending Sullivan’s classes since she was 6 years old and hopes to someday follow in Donnelly’s footsteps.
“People who live in the neighborhood still come in and say, ‘Oh wow, this is a neat little place,’” Miller said. “Even if you live nearby you might not be aware of it. So we have new people coming in all the time.”
Over the last 15 years, Miller has watched the center’s progress firsthand, tracking all the milestones. To date, Majestic View has seen more than 212,000 visitors, hosted more than 5,000 events and logged more than 16,000 volunteers hours. They hope their grand tour event will only continue to increase these numbers.
“Places like Majestic View are really important because it takes an urban and suburban environment and gives it a chance to connect with nature,” said Angela Borland, an environmental education specialist with the center. “We are so removed from nature these days, this is a chance to reconnect.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
More information about the Majestic View Nature Center, 7030 Garrison St., Arvada, and classes offered can be found by visiting or by calling 720-898-7405. For additional details or to view all 15 grand tour events visit . All grand tour events are free and open to the public, but space is limited and registration is required.