Boyce Thompson Arboretum offers a wide range of guided tours and walks year-round, from plants and wildlife to history and ecology.
Due to special events and holidays, regularly scheduled tours are not available on November 7, 26-30, December 22-28 & 31st, February 20, March 26, and April 3-4 & 24.
Our tours and walks include:
Cart Tours
October 2026 – April 2027
Every Thursday | 9:30 – 10:30 am
Explore the arboretum with our Docents on an hour long cart tour! Our knowledgeable Docents will give you insights into our collections and take you to the best photo ops the gardens have to offer. Available for private tour reservations! See more information below on booking a private tour.
Cart tours are limited to 5 guests per tour. Due to limited space pre-registration is highly recommended. Purchase your tickets at our Welcome Center Gift Shop or Online.
Tour size: 5 people
Cost: $20 per person, plus admission
Bird Walks
October 2026 – April 2027:
Every Wednesday | 8:15 am – 9:30 am
Boyce Thompson Arboretum has been named an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, serving as a habitat for numerous species of birds. Join our beginner-friendly guided walk to explore this unique landscape with a variety of bird species.
Tours are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at the Welcome Center. Reservations are NOT accepted. No binoculars? No problem! Loaner binoculars are available at our admissions window.
Walk size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Butterfly Walks
October 2026 – May 2027
Select dates and times
- October 10th, 2026: 8:30 – 9:30 am
- October 24th, 2026: 9:30 – 10:30 am
- November 14th, 2026: 9:30 – 10:30 am
- March 13th, 2027: 9:30 – 10:30 am
- March 27th, 2027: 9:30 – 10:30 am
- April 10th, 2027: 8:30 – 9:30 am
- May 1st, 2027: 8:30 – 9:30 am
- May 8th, 2027: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Learn about commonly found butterfly species and their host plants with a butterfly expert from Central Arizona Butterfly Association.
Walks are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at the Welcome Center. Reservations are NOT accepted.
Walk size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Arboretum Discovery Tours
October 2026
Every Friday | 9:00 – 10:00 am
November 2026 – March 2027
Every Friday & Saturday | 10:00 – 11:00 am
April 2027
Every Friday & Saturday | 9 am – 10 am
Discover Arizona’s first and oldest botanical garden with this docent-led tour on our Main Trail. Explore our diverse gardens, which are home to plants from many of the world’s deserts. You will learn what makes desert plants unique and the adaptations that allow them to grow in challenging environments. This introduction to Boyce Thompson Arboretum is enjoyable for first-time and return visitors alike.
Tours are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at the Welcome Center. Reservations are NOT accepted. Please note: this tour lasts approximately one (1) hour, covers 0.5 miles, and follows paved, unpaved, and uneven pathways.
Tour size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Wallace Garden Tours
November 2026 – February 2027
Every Saturday | 9:00 – 10:00 am
March 2027 – April 2027
Every Friday & Saturday | 8:30 am
Explore the Wallace Desert Garden on this docent-led walking tour. You will learn about the legacy of Henry B. Wallace, unique geography, and collection plants that make this part of our garden so special. Of the 1,223 taxa (species, cultivars, hybrids, varieties) in the garden, 861 are new to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and 62 species are rare or endangered.
Tours are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at the Welcome Center. Reservations are NOT accepted. Please note: this tour lasts approximately one (1) hour, covers 1.25 miles, and follows paved, unpaved, and uneven pathways.
Tour size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Edible & Medicinal Plant Tours
Boyce Thompson Arboretum cultivates hundreds of edible and medicinal plants from all over the world. Join us to explore the usefulness of these plants, focusing on what you can find in our Sonoran Desert. This is an informational tour, guests will not harvest or sample plants.
Tours are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at the Welcome Center. Reservations are NOT accepted. Please note: this guided tour may include the Sonoran Desert Trail, which has steep sections that are not suitable for visitors who use wheelchairs, walkers, or strollers.
Tour size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Private Tours
Join us for a private tour with one of Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s experienced docents! Explore our diverse gardens—home to plants from deserts across the globe—on a one-hour guided tour.
Availability
October – April, from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (some date exclusions apply).
Please book at least four weeks in advance.
Tour Details
- Tour duration: Approximately one hour
- Minimum group size: 2 guests
- Maximum group size: 75 guests
- Bus parking available in main lot
- Group rates available for 10+ guests
Pricing
- Monday–Friday: $10 per person + admission
- Saturday & Sunday: $15 per person + admission
- Golf Cart Tour: $20 per person + admission (max 5 guests)
- Minimum fee: $100 + admission (covers first 10 guests on weekdays, first 6 on weekends)
- No deposit required
Available Tours
-
- Arboretum Discovery Tour
- Golf Cart Tour (max 5 guests)
Special Interest Groups
Have a theme or area of focus? Let us know on the request form and we’ll tailor the tour! Our docents love to engage with your interests.
GROUP ADMISSION
Group admission rates are available from October – April, with at least 1 week’s notice.
The group discount is $3 off the regular price of admission
A minimum of 10 paid guests is required to receive the discount.
Admission must be paid in one transaction at the Visitor’s Center.
Planning a Class or Program at the Arboretum?
Please reach out to our Events Department. Kindly note that class and program bookings that are not pre-arranged with the Events Department are not allowed.
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It`s officially spooky season!
What better way to celebrate than showing some appreciation for our tarantula friends? Tarantulas are the biggest spiders in North America and are expert hunters. The hairs on their body help them sense movement, guiding them to their prey. They are known to eat beetles, grasshoppers, and sometimes even mice!
These unique spiders are timid and fragile, so always keep a safe distance when observing in the wild.
#deserttarantula #tarantula #spookyseason #spiderlovers #DesertWildlife
Join us every Wednesday from now through April 2027 for a guided bird walk! As an Important Bird Area, Boyce Thompson Arboretum is the perfect place for new and advanced birders alike.
📆 Every Wednesday
🕣 8:15 - 9:30 am
🎟️Free with Admission
No binoculars? No problem! Loaner binoculars are available at our admissions window.
Walk size is 15 people. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a walk, sign up at the Gift Shop. Reservations are not accepted.
**Due to the holiday, there will not be a Bird Walk on December 23**
#birdwalk #arizonabirding #birdsofarizona #ImportantBirdArea #birders #birdlovers #BirdEducation
Is your garden ready for fall? Here`s some garden chores you can getting started on:
🌱Plant trees, shrubs & perennials.
🌱Start your vegetable garden.
🌱Clean up after monsoon season.
In need of more plants? Mark your calendars for our Fall Plant Sale! Starting October 17th (with a member`s preview on the 16th), you can shop for plants from around the world perfectly adapted to our climate.
#plantsale #fallplants #FallGarden #arizonagarden #gardenchecklist #gardenchores
With the Green Gala almost a month away, we wanted to take some time to appreciate all our sponsors! Your generosity makes this celebration possible and advances our mission to inspire, educate, and conserve.
Interested in attending? It`s not too late! See the link in our bio for more information.
#greengala #btarboretum #SponsorAppreciation #donorappreciation #natureeducation #NatureConservation
Seeing an Easter Lily Cactus bloom is a very special experience. The flowers are large and showy, a beautiful thing to observe, but are only open for a single night. They demonstrate that even if something is temporary, it doesn`t make it any less meaningful.
#easterlilycactus #cactusbloom #desertblooms #cactuslovers #aznature #plantlovers #plantfacts
Our hours are changing! From October to April we will be open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission at 4:00 pm.
The cooler weather also means there`s more fun to be had at the Arboretum! Join us for:
🍃Family Workshops
🍃 Weekly walks and tours
🍃Outdoor Yoga and Forest Bathing
🍃 Watercolor and Photography classes
🍃And more!
Check out our events calendar to see all we have planned. See the link in our bio!
#winterhours #thingstodoaz #visitsuperior #visitphoenix #visitmesa #familyactivities #outdooractivites #btarboretum
Want to see the coatis? They`ve been spotted every day this week, so now`s a great time to stop by!
While a coati sighting is never guaranteed, the best place to look for them is in the Canyon Region in the early mornings. They love climbing trees in search of a good snack, or snuffling on the ground for dropped fruit. Keep an eye out as you explore our trails, and maybe you`ll see one exploring right along with you.
If you get any good photos, tag us in your post! We can never get enough cute coati pics.
#coati #coatimundi #WildlifeSighting #arizonawildlife #desertlife #btarboretum
Golf Cart Tours are back!
📅October 2026 – April 2027
🕤 Every Thursday | 9:30 – 10:30 am
Explore the Arboretum with our Docents on a hour long golf cart tour! Our knowledgeable Docents will give you insights into our collections and take you to the best photo ops the gardens have to offer.
Cart tours are limited to 5 guests per tour. Due to limited space pre-registration is highly recommended. Purchase your tickets at our Welcome Center Gift Shop or online at btarboretum.org/event
#golfcarttour #OutdoorAdventure #btarboretum #VisitSuperior #ThingsToDoAZ #naturelovers