Boyce Thompson Arboretum
37615 U.S. Highway 60
Superior, AZ 85173

4 passes to Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Our Mission Statement

"The Mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to instill in people an appreciation of plants through the fostering of educational, recreational, research, and conservation opportunities associated with arid-land plants."

About Us...

Recorded information (hours, directions, events, etc): 520.689.2811
Business Office Phone: 520.689.2723
Email: BTAinfo@ag.arizona.edu
Fax: 520.689.5858

Location/Hours

Just one hour's drive east of Phoenix or 90 minutes north of Tucson -- its no wonder the Arboretum has repeatedly been voted "Best Day Trip" in polls of Arizona residents.

The Arboretum is located at Highway 60 Milepost #223 near the historic copper mining town of Superior, about one hour's drive due east of Phoenix on the Superstition Freeway. Do you need Maps and Directions? Arizona State Parks has an excellent map/direction page to help you get here.

Arriving from Tucson? Take Oracle Road North to Highway 79, continue through and past the town of Florence to the junction where Highway 79 meets Highway 60, then turn right and drive another 12 miles East on Highway 60 to our front gate. Adult Admission is $9 for adults, $4.50 for ages 5 to 12; children under age five are admitted free.


Summer Hours: during May, June, July and August the Arboretum is open daily from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Paid admissions are accepted until 2:00 p.m The day's final visitors admitted at Two O'Clock so those final arrivals still have one full hour to enjoy the gardens and trails -- and the park closes promptly at 3:00 p.m.

Winter hours: From September-through-April admission is taken daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (every day except December 25) and during Fall, Winter and Spring months the Arboretum closes promptly at 5:00 p.m.

Plants and Animals

	Plant Information: 3,200 different desert plants are encompassed within the arboretum, from A to Z. Most can be seen along the 1.5 mile main trail. Learn more about the plants of the arboretum. Learn More about the plants of the arboretum.
	Animal Information: A ground squirrel hops across your path, a Harris Hawk lands on a saguaro limb, a lizard does "pushups" to expose his blue abdomen from a prominent rock. More than 230 bird and 72 terrestrial species have been tallied over the years as both permanent and migratory Arboretum residents. Learn More about the animals of the arboretum.
	Garden Information: The Hummingbird-Butterfly Garden is the first specialized collection visitors encounter along the main trail; others include the Desert Legume Garden, Cactus Garden, Curandero Trail, Wing Memorial Herb Garden, Eucalyptus Forest and Demonstration Garden. Learn More about the gardens around the arboretum.
	Desert Information: Visitors are surprised to learn that Boyce Thompson Arboretum is more than a collection of Sonoran Desert species. Learn more about our African, South American, Asian and Mediterranean collections. Learn More about the desert areas around the arboretum.