What a delightful find! I was headed to Phoenix from tucson to visit a friend and decided to take a detour to Boyce Thompson arboretum. I work at a similar facility in Tucson so the Sonoran cactus gardens were nothing I haven't seen before but they were very well done. I did really enjoy the "international" desert areas, though the south American one seemed a little incomplete, only the first half of the loop had plant ID signs. It's well worth it to do the full main loop trail and see the Picket Post house. Path is not stroller friendly though. If you go clockwise as they suggest the second half is downhill and shaded. Don't miss the suspension bridge! I got a little lost near the eucalyptus forest and Australia area, directional signage was a bit sparse compared to the first part of the walk. It was wonderful to wander though. I spent about 2 hours at the arboretum and could have easily spent longer. Oh and it's dog friendly! They even had dog bowls at some of the water fountains. read more

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Absolutely love this place anytime of year! We have a family tradition of going every Christmas Eve. It's a wonderful place to bring out of town visitors. We always bring our dog, this place is super dog friendly with water bowls along the trails. Beautiful and well kept trails, friendly staff, and gorgeous vistas. read more

Went here on Memorial Day, wasn't very crowded and the weather was warm but not the stifling heat that Arizona usually has this time of year.. I just loved this place, every species of cactus you can imagine as well as other desert plant life. Some of the cactus were blooming and the colors were so beautiful.. Acres of walking trails so you can wander off in just about any direction. This place is just outside of Superior and for a shock you should drive through the old part of town as it looks like a ghost town....abandoned buildings everywhere and no people to be seen.... it reminded me of a scene from a scary movie.. read more

Perfect little retreat in the desert. Imagine if this place had a cute little cafe to hang out at. Anyways the guided tours are wonderful and I've learned a lot from them. If you come at the right time this is a very peaceful place. I hope it continues to exist for many more years. A true gem. read more

Definitely deserving of its five star average rating... the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is an arbitrarium of fascination. An oasis of learning. All the plants are labeled. I've never seen so much agave in my life!! Who knew there were so many different kinds of cacti? Next time I will bring a picnic lunch and I plan to spend more time in the Eucalyptus grove! read more

This is one of the prettiest places in Az. I absolutely love it. Worth the day trip. The small bridge there is a great place to relax for a minute and take a break from the stressful world. read more

Great place. The plants here are varied. They seem to have different ecosystems. Not all of it is catcus. There are parts that are very shady. The old home is so interesting and you can still see the inside of it. There are tons of trails and plants. The Australian section is cool and the voice recording is fun to listen to. You can have a picnic here and most things in their gift shop are affordable. It's also easy to find, just off the highway. They close at 5 PM, but don't admit after 4 PM. It's also very affordable $7 for adults! They also have great plants from all sizes for sale. read more

Took my sweetie here because they are majoring in Sustainable Urban Landscaping and LOVES plants and trees. We had a great time walking the grounds and looking at all the pretty desert plants. I got lots of brownie points for this one ;o) Great daytime date! read more

Amazing! OMG - one of the best arboretum's I've been to. Really. Who would think? Being from he East Coast I had always associated aboretum's with lot's of trees :-) But even a desert has cool trees and plants :-) I especially enjoyed the Edible and Medicinal Desert Plants walk. Good stuff. read more

Very cool, easy walk and a good way to familiarize yourself with the creepy plants here before venturing out into the desert... that way you know which plant is attacking you. read more

Great place for that half day adventure. There are a myriad of trails that circle the Arboretum. The State Park also boasts a lake, a children's garden, a demonstration garden, and dessert plants as far as the eye can see. Suggested activities include photography, birding, hiking, and picnicking. My family purchased a really cool metal prickly pear cactus with glass blossoms from the Arboretum. We've also purchased some plants from the green house. My most memorable experience was seeing a snake biting a rather large lizard. Both were in plain sight and neither was willing to move. So you could walk up rather close to both of them. Boyce Thompson is really great for people who want to go hiking, but don't want to hike very far. Only recently have we been able to complete the loop with my daughter. In the past, we just made it to the lake, and then would turn back. The trails are also stroller friendly. Whether you love the great outdoors or are a little weary of that phrase, "the great outdoors," I highly recommend Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It is located a bit east of Gilbert on US 60, but hey, the great outdoors isn't going to be in the city. read more

Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Superior, Arizona

Beautiful gardens! Great trails and great place for hikes. LJ was awesome helping out with our wedding at he demonstration garden. It was perfect for us and LJ was even nice enough to take us around in the golf cart for pictures. We loved our time here and that our dog could join in the ceremony. You cannot beat their value! read more

my husband took me here for my birthday a couple of years ago, and we have returned several times since. This is one of the most beautiful places in AZ...a must visit. read more

Had an absolutely wonderful time. Great exercise, while enjoying hundreds of varieties of plants, cactus, trees and wildlife. Enjoyed it so much we became members!! read more

Nature's so beautiful in the summer. .blooms ecerywhere. Birds, turtles, butterflies and wildlife..great place to share with our Grandkids. . read more

Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Superior, Arizona

A great place to spend the day with the family. It's only 10 dollars to get in and you can literally spend all day there. The trails are well maintained and every time I go I find something new to explore. The last time I was there we had lunch at one of the many benches along the trails. read more

I had the best time! Super fun, easy hike with all these different species of cactus. I really liked the super hairy ones, made me want to pet them....ouch! So much fun, can't wait to go back. read more

Gorgeous, unbelievable experience. Wish it was closer to Phx but the trip is well worth the time.

A lot of local vegetation! Tour is good and informative, nice places to stop and rest along the way during the guided tour, which shows you most of the grounds. Tour is 3 miles long and takes about 2 hours. read more

This place is amazing! After coming here a few times, decided that a membership was required and it was so worth it! The hike around the park is really easy and not strenuous at all. All of the faculty is really nice and ready to answer any questions you may have. To this day, I still find something new each time I go. Highly recommend! read more

A very nice place for a daytrip, especially in springtime. Everything is so colorful. And because of the (Eucalyptus)trees you can also find some shady benches. They also sell plants and souvenirs. In summer, they close already at 3pm. read more

This is a very cool place. We went on a day where you could bring your dog, which was fun for her. I'm not someone who's in to plants much per se, but I thought this place was beautiful. Especially there's a part with a lot of trees that's really serene. I tried to book as my wedding venue (didn't have my date available unfortunately). Awesome place to visit. read more

What a great morning we had at BTA! The sights, the aromas, the wildlife, the garden shop, the friendliness, the exhibits. Oh, my. and free Friday was a plus. I highly recommend everyone visit this awesome treasure of Arizona. read more

If you are into the outdoors type of stuff with plants and birds, this place has a lot to offer. A members hp is well worth it in my opinion. read more

This park made a beautiful day trip! It was only about a 30 min drive outside of Mesa, with a very inexpensive admission rate: adults $7.50, children 5-12 $3.50, and children under 5 are free. This whole deal was especially sweetened as we were allowed to bring in our own drinks and snacks. The Arboretum encompasses nearly 300 acres and is immaculately maintained. The only non native signs visible along the paths were footprints in the dirt. We visited in April which seemed a perfect time as the flowers were all in bloom, with butterflies and hummingbirds nearly everywhere we looked. I was a bit worried about the kids getting bored on the 1.5 walk that winds through the upper Sonoran Desert and then down through a creek valley. Turns out I had nothing to worry about and only needed to let them out of their strollers to run about, discovering nature for themselves. Sadly, the best part of this walk in my opinion, would not be easily navigated with either a wheelchair or large stroller. We did just fine with an umbrella version though. My daughter especially had a fun time trying out the names of the various plants, and was surprised to "discover" the man made lake nestled within this property. My two, alright three, favorite exhibits were the Clevinger House, the Rose Garden and the Boojum Tree. The Clevinger House is a concrete and stone structure that was homesteaded around the turn of the century. It is now owned by the park and surrounded by a beautiful, very large herb garden. The Rose Garden is especially interesting as it gives you a physical time line of the progression of the various strains of the Rose bush since the late 1880's. The Boojum Tree, native to Baja California lookes like a giant candle, and the name is just fun to say! read more

Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Superior, Arizona

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This is a nice spot for plant lovers. I walked through the main trail and it took me a little over an hour. It will probably take two hours if you are one to read everything. They also have a good amount of plants for sale, which are well-priced. Overall, it is beautiful and well-kept. read more

This is an amazing place! I had previously been in the fall when the leaves were changing colors, and in the spring when the wildflowers were blooming. Today is Memorial Day but it was great weather so my husband and I took a drive out to Superior to the Arboretum to see what it was like in May. The answer: Spectacular!!! If you go clockwise on the main loop, you will see the more desert side of the park first. Then you make a climb (it's not that bad...I'm not a good hiker and I did it just fine) to a few gazebos where you can look down and see the river valley. Keep going and you'll wind your way down to the greener side of the Arboretum. In the fall the trees are spectacular reds, oranges and yellows. Today they were bright green and gorgeous. There are little gardens along the way to explore like the butterfly garden, cactus garden and legume garden. After you're done with the loop, don't forget to go over to the demonstration garden across the way. So beautiful! Flowers everywhere, including a rose garden. We took our dog (as did many others) and she loved it too. There are little water dishes for our canine friends and drinking fountains for us humans throughout the walk. Enjoy! read more

a couple miles around a loop trail will bring you through various landscapes. a photographers dream. loved how the place has benches laid out everywhere, perfectly where the best spots to photograph are. read more

We are annual pass holders now and I love going here. I love all the green you see and the diversity of plants and landscape you walk around. It is a great spot for a little hike/walk and my kids love going as well. read more

Absolutely beautiful!!! We will be back again and again! I'd really like to attend some of the talks.

A very nice garden with good trails, informative postings and many classes (included in price of admission). Speaking of the admission price, the State Park website says $9 for adults, it's $10; the State website admin has apparently not updated the website. I went for the talk and tour regarding the picking, preparing and cooking of prickly pears. The tour and talk were excellent....lot's of good info and many "treat samples" at the end of the presentation. Their team went "all out" to make sure everyone enjoyed the presentation and had all their questions answered. They finished up by picking and preparing prickly pears for the audience and letting people sample everything from smoothies to BBQ sauce....along with some prepared cactus "pads" from the prickly pear cactus plant. Well worth the price of admission. read more

If you're in Arizona you must stop in and see this place! It is an amazing collection of plants in an amazingly beautiful Canyon.

Spectacular. An easy drive from the Phoenix metro. On our last couple visits we saw a eucalyptus forest, a grove of pomegranate trees, countless cool cactuses and palms, and a few dozen scurrying lizards. Love the lizards! The place is magically gorgeous. We have family visiting in a few months and can't wait to take them here. read more

At least it isnt closed like 21 of the 30 other state parks. Funding was cut to zero by the Arizona State Legislature, but a combination of the U of A, local volunteers, members, donors, sales and gate receipts will allow BTA to stay open at least for a year. A perfect short drive to a perfect hiking/strolling venue. You can even barbecue in the picnic area. So go soon or you might miss it. read more

This place is beautiful and magical. The garden is huge, and provides information on the different species and desert ecosystems represented there. And you'll get to meet magnificent birds, squirrels, butterflies, lizards... read more

Was a great walk through, beautiful and very relaxing! Staff was very nice! Love the house built off the rock wall!