Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Superior, Arizona

J. S.

One of the most beautiful places that we’ve ever been to. We were lucky to have been there in May as a lot of the cactus and succulents were blooming. So much to see. Aside from the walkways around the gardens there is an awesome hike that runs up on the hills behind the arboretum.

We almost had the entire place to ourselves. We arrived at 2 and stayed until closing time which is 5. You could easily spend a day here though. Bring plenty of water and maybe even some snacks.

Janice H.

This is a wonderful way to spend a day. We were visiting the PHX area and decided to drive out the the Arboretum in mid-April. We were rewarded with friendly staff, well kept trail system and loads of flowering cactus! I think it was roughly 2 miles to do the entire loop. About the half way point, where you come to the pond, becomes a bit challenging due to an uphill section and it was very hot out. (bring water!) That aside, its a very quiet, nice place to walk. There is a nice gift shop and also a nursery to purchase plants. With so many signs saying "Please Stay on the Trail" it's amazing to me how many parents allow their children to run and climb all over. I would rather see them use it as a teaching moment to respect nature.

Michael ?. M.

I finished my trek up to picketpost mountain and was in the area. I was incredibly happy I stopped by. The staff was very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. My admission guide helped me plot a course and it was stimulation overload from there on out. BTA is pure magic. The grounds are superb, immaculate, and full of beautiful flora. I paid the full admission price of $25 which I felt was very reasonable. I completed a full loop, and honestly was one of the best nature walks I've been on. I recommend arriving early to beat the heat and don't forget to bring water and your camera. You can spend hours here but if you're under time constraints, you can also see a vast majority within an hour or so. The paths are intelligently laid out with a map that is detailed and very spot-on. Don't forget to purchase some plants on your way out! They have quite an array for sale. Proceeds go to the Arboretum. I'm looking forward to my return. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Nicholas M.

For sure it's a far drive out here, but it is most definitely worth it! I would rate this at the top 10 arboretum in the country; honestly I would rank this higher than Desert Botanical Garden just because there is so much more diversity in the scenery here including the beautiful small lake and lush vegetation around the flowing creek. There is a fantastic network of trails here of varying difficulty, elevation changes, etc. This place is so enormous I feel that you need a full day to really see and take in everything; it is easy to get lost in some areas! Thw downsides are it can get pretty busy here even on weekdays, and the bathrooms are very far apart.

Tim H.

Beauty envelopes you in a cocoon of serenity. There are miles of trails of varying levels of difficulty. You can easily spend a full day exploring all the gardens, buildings, ruins, bridges and alcoves the arboretum has to offer. The staff were happy, positive, and friendly and made a huge positive impact on my experience at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. You should take a day and treat yourself to a visit.

Vee Z.

Man, it's cold in Superior, AZ.

The polar vortex did NOT miss Arizona, and we absolutely felt it Monday morning. My family and I arrived an hour after they opened where there was plenty of parking! Walking toward the ticket booth, there were plenty of cacti for sale and gardening decor.

We bought our tickets, got a map (but take a photo - it lasts longer!), and made our way through all of the gardens. All the trails were fairly easy, with no crazy steep hills. We managed to make our way to all of the gardens I believe. The morning dew and the rising sun really added to the beauty that is the desert.

My little one stayed warm and cozy in his stroller, and we got to see a family quails running and hiding, listen to the bird, and see a set of rabbits!

This is fantastic for kids, as long as you watch them. Our little one was able to run around along the paved trail and exhaust himself for his mid-morning nap.

There is a children's garden, next to the greenhouses, and the rose garden which is very cute.

We also walked toward the lake which was not too big, but still very pretty and relaxing to look at.

We would love to come back again when the native flowers are in full bloom, and when the leaves start to turn color again for autumn.

I highly recommend!

Dave E.

This attraction was great. There were so many native plants to see. They took the time to identify the different species. The trails were very well maintained. The grounds were clear of litter. The restrooms were clean and stocked. A bonus was that it's dog friendly, and they have water bowls available for their use. They post snake warnings, we stayed on the established trail and never saw or heard any.

Monique R.

Booked a field trip here & we had such a great time! Booking was super easy & it is so beautiful! The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is going independently is a bit pricey. At the end the kids absolutely loved the butterfly info. We stayed for a bit and had to peel them aways to eat because they loved that part so much. There is also tons of places to sit and enjoy the scenery. My kids also loved seeing the small houses. We took a wagon so we couldn’t walk the whole area but still spent 4+ hours there.