Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

Park Hours:

The park is open daily: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - (October 1 - April 30).

Summer Hours: 6:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - (May 1 - September 30)

Closed Christmas Day.

The park is located three miles west of Superior on U.S. 60. In the 1920s, mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson founded The Arboretum. 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.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is the place you will discover the complex beauty and many faces of Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden. Included 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.

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.

• Smith Interpretive Center, Demonstration Garden, special programs and events

• Visitor Center, picnic grounds with tables, gift shop, and restrooms

• January - Australia Day, Weekend Tours

• February -Language of Flowers Valentine's Weekend & Chocolate Tasting

• March - Wildflower Month, Welcome Back Buzzards, Spring Plant Sale

• April - Herb Festival, Earth/Arbor Day; Weekend Guided Tours

• May - World Migratory Bird Day, Butterfly & Dragonfly Guided Tours

• June/July/August - "Learn Your Lizards" and other guided tours

• September - Bye Bye Buzzards

• October - Fall Plant Sale