Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden, where desert plants, streams and lakes beneath cliffs create a varied landscape.
The arboretum was established in the 1920s, at the foot of Picketpost Mountain just outside the town of Superior. Its main loop trail, about 5 km long, passes a cactus garden, collections of arid plants from Australia and South America, canyon streams and Ayer Lake. The landscape here is wilder than that of the city botanical gardens. In autumn, the trees along the streams turn yellow, a rare sight in the desert. Admission is about USD 25. It is about an hour's drive from Phoenix and can be combined with the Superstition Mountains area on the same day.
Opening hours
08:00–17:00 (summer 06:00–15:00)
Nearby sights
- Tortilla Flat
- Lost Dutchman State Park
- Goldfield Ghost Town
- Canyon Lake
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
- Saguaro Lake
- Taliesin West
- Butterfly Wonderland