Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

Summers Hours in Effect

Summer hours are in effect: Park is open daily from 6 am to 3 pm until the end of August. Daily admission is $9 for adults and $4.50 for ages 5–12

Fee Changes Start July 1

Adult entrance fee will go from $9 to $10. Child (ages 5-12) entrance fee goes from $4.50 to $5. Kids under age 5 will still be admitted for free.

June 21: Summer Solstice Concert with Eric Laubach

6:30-8:00 pm. Invite friends and bring a picnic dinner to Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park on the evening of the Summer Solstice for a rare chance to enjoy evening access, to watch the moon rise and salute the setting sun on the year's longest day. Live music and extended hours June 21 will create a memorable evening outdoors beneath the towering trees which shade the flagstone courtyard in front of the historic Smith Building. Arrive by 6:30 for a 90-minute concert of original music by Phoenix singer-songwriter Eric Laubach. Laubach is known for upbeat folk and ballads featuring original songs about Arizona and nature; some humorous, others poignant and insightful. Laubach has shared his music at locations across North America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe for four decades and has been a featured performer in the valley at the recent centennial celebrations, folk festivals, fundraisers, and acoustic venues. His concert will feature guitar, plus a little harmonica and Native American flute. Laubach is an Arboretum volunteer and shares his concerts as fundraisers to help generate admissions and revenue for the Arboretum; his concert is included with daily admission of $9, and at no charge to those with Arizona State Parks annual passes.

June 29: Learn Your Lizards

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park offers two chances this month to see and learn about Arizona's most common, colorful and charismatic little reptiles -- on walks guided by lizard lovin' interpretive experts! 'Lizard Walks' begin at 8am from the visitor center breezeway and are included with daily admission of $9 for adults and $4.50 for ages 5-12 (and, of course, they're at no charge for you and up to three guests in your car when you show your AZ State Parks annual pass!). Arizona authors Kurt and Cindy Radamaker are the special guest tourguides June 8 for this guided outing, which is the Arboretum's most popular event of all for kids -- and quite popular with all who enjoy comical lizards as they scurry across trails - and do pushups. Lizard Walks are also scheduled June 29 and July 13 with desert ecologist and educator 'Wild Man Phil' Rakoci. What lizards are you likely to see on this guided stroll through the gardens? Ornate Tree and Western Whiptail, Greater Earless and Side-blotched; Desert Spiny and possibly even Clark's Spiny Lizards (with iridescent green scales). See photos and read more about this event

June Activities

June 1: Saturday Afternoon Book Club 1-2:30 pm
June 2: Guided Bird Walk With David Moll 6:30 am
June 15: Plants-of-the-Bible Guided Walk With David Oberpriller 8am
June 16: Trees of BTA Guided Walk With Jeff Payne 8am
June 22: Arboretum Geology Walking Tour 8 am
June 23: Edible & Medicinal Desert Plants Walk Guided by Dave Morris 8 am
June 29: Camera Basics photography shoot outdoors with Tom Boggan 7am ($29)
June Date To Be Announced: Gourd Art class with Vicki & Gerald Johnson ($39)

See more upcoming Events below

The University of Arizona also maintains a website for this park, with additional park information and photos. Learn more.

June 8: Learn Your Lizards Guided Walk

8 am. AZ authors Kurt and Cindy Radamaker are the special guest tourguides for this guided outing for kids -- and all who enjoy Arizona's most common, colorful and charismatic little reptiles. Walks are also scheduled June 29 and July 13 with 'Wild Man Phil' Rakoci. http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/events/lizardwalk.html

June 22: Arboretum Geology Walking Tour

8 am. Local geologist Alan Seymour returns as guide for this once-a-month walk, a chance to see rocks and volcanic formations along the main trail on a guided tour that compresses almost two billion years of geologic history into just over one educational hour! Learn about Pinal schist, the volcanic origins of Picket Post Mountain and the Apache Leap tuff. Weekend nature walks and most public events are included with daily admission of $9 for adults. http://ag.arizona.edu/bta/

June 23: Edible & Medicinal Desert Plants Walk Guided by Dave Morris

8 am. Explore the Curandero Trail on a tour guided by ethno-botanist and Choctaw Tribal Nation member David Morris -- learn about the edible-medicinal uses for Prickly pear cactus fruits and other edible and medicinal Sonoran Desert plants on this slow-paced one-hour walk along a desert path where our guide shares his knowledge about the ways native plants have fed, healed and clothed Sonoran desert peoples for more than one thousand years. .** Please note: this tour explores the Curandero Trail, which has steep sections that are not suitable for visitors who use wheelchairs or walkers. Weekend nature walks and most public events are included with daily admission of $9 for adults. Read more at http://ag.arizona.edu/bta/

June 29: Learn Your Lizards Guided Walk

8 am. 'Wild Man Phil' Rakoci is the special guest tour guide on this guided outing for kids -- and all who enjoy Arizona's most common, colorful and charismatic little reptiles. Phil returns July 13.
http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/events/lizardwalk.html