Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Just loved my visit here! Not to be missed and well worth the over an hour drive to Superior from Scottsdale. My friend couldn't walk a lot but their trails are well groomed and benches along to sit and enjoy the views or rest. This was the best of both worlds for us: I who wanted a more scenic trail and my friend who needed an easier trail. The easy walk was about 2 hours with pit stops. Suggest you start the walk of your left side as it will lead to less hills. We bumped into a volunteer who was most helpful. We got lucky and saw the coatimundis. Free parking, gift store, washrooms, and a picnic area. There is also a garden shop out front and can buy plants/Catus.

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!

We love coming out here! Takes less than an hour from the Chandler area and you enter into a wonderful nature filled environment. It was a bit crowded, which we expected due to the holidays but we also found many quiet corners to sit and relax, reflect, and enjoy the sounds of nature.The Coatimundi were out and about, eating berries all throughout the Acacia tree on the trail by the metal bridge so staff were monitoring and allowing visitors through the area just a few at a time. The Arboretum is a dog friendly place but because the Coatimundi were on the trail, they asked those with dogs to back-track the trail and staff weren't letting them through under the Acacia bush. Totally understandable although there was some grumbling from a few guests. We always pack a picnic when coming out for the day and we love the huge picnic area they have. There are many picnic benches available and I typically pack a tablecloth to cover the table. We were visited by several red cardinals and one female. The Grotto is one of our favorite places to sit and take in nature. Overall just a great experience and highly recommend a day trip out here.

I was really impressed with the arboretum. They built it in a place with such natural beautiful scenery and there are lots of different trails to walk. I easily spent a couple of hours walking around and could have spent more time. The paths are relatively flat so it is suitable for all ages.The only downside is it is an hour drive from Phoenix.

Beautiful! Large botanical garden, we started on the main trail and decided to advance to the high trail for better views. The main trail has all of the special gardens and exhibits but the high trail has better views. I wore cowboy boots but I recommend trail or hiking boots. It's a couple of miles. We came around 3pm on a Saturday which was perfect, by the end (5pm) the sun was setting and it was gorgeous.They recommend coming in November for the autumn colors which was perfect, we came right after Thanksgiving, and it was gorgeous.$25 per person, parking on site. You take the 60 East past the Ren Fair in Gold Canyon, it's about 10 more minutes East. About 1 hour & 15 minutes from Phoenix.

This is such a beautiful place to visit, you can easily spend a whole day here and not scratch the surface of creation that is everywhere around you. If you are into photography this place is a must! They have a butterfly area, trees, plants, cactuses, birds, "other animals that will show up unannounced that you have to search for " trails, an old homestead, a you suspension bridge and more! This place is a hiker's paradise as well. So much beauty to see here.You can buy season tickets. General admission is $24.95. My friend was a member so I received a five dollar discount. They have a huge parking lot as well. If you are within 50 miles of the Arboretum I highly recommend going.

Absolutely stunning! It is quite the trek out from most of the city, but well worth it as a treat. Prices are indeed on the high end, but as far as I can see, besides some plant and gift shop sales they don't really have a lot of avenues to raise funds. Mind you, if they want to start selling the fruit that grows there, I'd definitely buy it over the candy in the gift shop. The amount of edible plants they had was quite impressive. There are literal rows and rows of pomegranate trees, oranges, and so on. Then there's the rose garden, and all sorts of other gorgeous plants. There is a fair amount of wildlife that like to call this place home, and I can't blame them. I was able to spot various types of birds, squirrels, and coati. It was actually my first time seeing the coati out in the wild, and they are simply adorable. The staff were phenomenal. We ended up buying an annual membership and can't wait to plan our next trip. The lady at membership, Dawn, was so helpful and helped us find the best route to see the most things in our timeframe. The older gentleman at the entry gate was charming and, and it is evident everyone working here loves being here. Plan on being here a minimum of 3 hours, but I think 4 is perfect. Definitely a day trip if you're coming from the city. Views are amazing, and the trail is well kept.

One of my favorite places to go with the kids! This place is great if you're looking for an easy hike or just stroll around. They got all the nice views of the desert, the mountains, all the native Arizona plants and sometimes you'll see some wild birds and animals. Our kids did the one and half mile around the whole thing and we had a great time just exploring and taking pictures.

We originally planned to hike Wave Cave but couldn't find any parking, so my friend and I decided to come here instead--and it did not disappoint! Admission was $24.95 per person, which is a bit on the pricey side, but I thought it was totally worth it. We walked a little over two miles and explored some of the old structures that are still standing. They had Christmas music playing (not my favorite--haha) and food trucks, so there were quite a few people around. Overall, it was a really cool place I didn't even know existed! I'll definitely be back!

We were surprised by the size and the fauna and flora from around the world. They have a building with cacti from the East and West deserts. There is a beautiful home on the Sade of a rock face, beautiful! We came upon ring tail cats eating berries from underneath a tree. Park held visitors back and answered questions, they allowed us to pass when the cats were done eating.