Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Said to be North America's highest botanical garden at about 2,500 metres, free to visit, with alpine flowers and a picturesque stream path in summer.
Named after First Lady Betty Ford, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens sit at about 2,500 metres within Ford Park and are among the highest botanical gardens in North America. The garden is divided into zones including an alpine rock garden, a meditation garden and a perennial garden, and thousands of plant species from the Rocky Mountains and other alpine regions are grown here. Streams, small waterfalls and wooden footbridges run through the grounds, and in summer, when the flowers are in bloom, the scenery is especially photogenic. Admission is free, and the education centre hosts exhibitions and lectures. It is about a 10-minute walk from Vail Village and can be combined with the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and the Vail Nature Center. In winter the gardens are under snow, so you can enjoy the snowy landscape, but the flowers are dormant.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset (summer is peak bloom season)
Nearby sights
- Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
- Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame
- Vail Mountain
- Vail Village
- Lionshead Village
- Eagle's Nest & Eagle Bahn Gondola
- Vail Back Bowls
- Blue Sky Basin