Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

Summer Hours in Effect

Summer hours are 6 am to 3 pm from May until August. The day's last paid admission is taken at 2 pm, so visitors have a full hour to enjoy the trails and gardens.

May 11: Freebie Friday

Arboretum Tours, Slideshow & Free Admission For National Public Gardens Day. Visit for free Friday, May 11, when the Arboretum joins other parks and botanical gardens around the United States celebrating National Public Gardens Day. Regular daily admission will be waived; newcomers and garden visitors who haven't walked the trails in the past few years are encouraged to visit and bring guests to see what they've been missing. You're even welcome to bring your dog - BTA is one of few public gardens that welcome canine visitors; provided they're accompanied by well-behaved human companions who are on a leash - and trained to pick up after their canine compadres. As added bonuses there are two special guided tours that morning - and a chance to meet BTA Director Mark Siegwarth and see his slideshow of rare, historical images that had been archived for decades and recovered and digitized this past year.

Want to see colorful birds? Bring your binoculars and arrive by 6:30 am for a bird walk guided by John Ray. Summer Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Warbler and Green Heron are just a few of 87 bird species reportedly seen in just one day last week! Then at 8:30 am Phoenix historian Sylvia Lee will offer her special "History of the Arboretum" guided walking tour, explaining the early days of BTA. Sylvia's tour ends at 10:30 at the air-conditioned Lecture Room, where visitors are invited to cool off in comfort while Arboretum Director Mark Siegwarth offers a one-hour talk illustrated by archived historical photos about the life and times of Colonel William Boyce Thompson, and his vision for a unique garden in the Sonoran desert.

Upcoming Events

* May 12: Learn Your Lizards guided walk with 'Wild Man Phil' Rakoci at 8 am
* May 13: Bird walk with Joanne Barr at 6:30 am
* May 19: Plants Of The Bible guided walk with Dave Oberpriller at 8 am
* May 20: Focus On Flowers photography class with Pete Rendek at 9 am ($39)
* May 20: Trees of BTA guided walking tour at 8:30 am
* May 26: Butterflies of BTA guided walking tour with ASU Prof. Ron Rutowski at 8:30 am

Improve Arizona's Outdoor Recreation!

Participate in the 2012 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) survey conducted by Arizona State Parks. Survey results are used to decide where to spend outdoor recreation dollars and enable public land agencies to improve your outdoor recreation experience. Take Survey Online

Boyce Thompson Arboretum Video Tour

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A variety of plants from the world's deserts await you at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is the place to discover the intricate beauty and many faces of Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden. Featured are plants from the world's deserts, towering trees, captivating cacti, sheer mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, panoramic vistas, many natural habitats with varied wildlife, a desert lake, a hidden canyon, specialty gardens and more.

The Arboretum was founded in the 1920s by mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson. In 1917 Col. Thompson served as co-leader of a Red Cross mercy mission to Russia, where he came to understand the importance of plants as the ultimate source of a large portion of mankind's food, clothing, and shelter. It was then, that he determined to use his great wealth to improve the use of plant resources. The Arboretum is one of his legacies.

Take a 360° Virtual Tour

Encompassing 323 acres, the Arboretum is Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden. It was the first purely botanical institution in the inter-mountain states. The Arizona State Parks Board entered into agreement with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum Board and the University of Arizona in 1976 to cooperatively manage the Arboretum.