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:
Golf Cart Tour
October 2026 – April 2027
Every Thursday | 9:30 – 10:30 am
Explore the arboretum with our Docents on a golf cart tour! We invite you to join us for an hour long cart ride to some of our most scenic spots of the arboretum. 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 Walk
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
Arboretum Discovery Tour
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 Tour
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 Tour
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
Butterfly Walk
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
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.
#1Arb
Tag us on Instagram with
@btarboretum #1Arb
Next time you and your dog are at the Arboretum, take a photo for a chance to be featured in our 2027 Calendar! Submit photos using the link in our bio or go to https://btarboretum.org/bta-dog-calendar
General Rules and Guidelines:
🐾 Photos must be of your dog at Boyce Thompson Arboretum
🐾 Preferred orientation is landscape
🐾 If photo is blurry, pixelated, or unclear, it will not be considered
🐾 Deadline to submit is October 16
If your photo is selected, you will receive a free calendar!
Don`t miss this chance to be a part of our 2027 Dogs of Boyce Thompson Arboretum Calendar!
#doglovers #callforsubmissions #callforphotos #dogphotography #ArizonaDogs #DogOwners #DogCalendar
Ever wondered how Society Garlic got its name?
Since this plant isn`t a true garlic, eating it won`t leave you stinky garlic breath! This made it more acceptable to eat in society.
Interested in growing one of your own? We often have them at our gift shop! Pick up a plant during your next visit and enjoy eating them in society guilt-free 😉
#aznature #plantlovers #plantfacts #natureeducation #societygarlic #GarlicSubstitute
Do you remember our Chicken of the woods post a few weeks back? Look how much it`s grown! 🍄🟫
So... how do mushrooms grow? Unlike plants, they don`t use photosynthesis to get energy. Instead, they absorb nutrients from organic material around them. Because of this, they`re not categorized as a plant OR animal. They are their own special category. Fungi really are something to marvel at.
#arizonamushrooms #chickenofthewoods #laetiporus #eucalyptustree #mushroomfacts #fungilovers
On this Labor Day, we express gratitude for all who labor to protect our environment.
🌹To gardeners everywhere who grow and nurture plants.
🌳To conservationists who work tirelessly to preserve native wildlife, plants, and habitats.
📖To our educators who are nurturing a lifelong love and appreciation of nature in the next generation.
Thank you. We hope you take some time to rest and celebrate your impact this weekend, you deserve it.
#laborday2026 #laborappreciation #aznature #desertlife #plantlovers #natureeducation
We are looking for enthusiastic individuals that love to educate youth and explore the outdoors! Please join us as a volunteer field trip guide in our mission to inspire an appreciation of arid climate plants and wildlife.
Our field trip program welcomes school aged kids K-12 to participate in inquiry-based learning adventures. Field trips operate October-April on weekdays. No teaching experience needed! We provide training and shadowing opportunities to learn.
If you are new to volunteering with us, please apply at: https://www.volgistics.com/appform/101413720 Send us a message if you have any questions!
Training Dates:
▶ Session 1: September 16th and 18th | 9:00 am- 11:30 am | Smith Lecture Room
OR
▶ Session 2: September 30th and October 2nd | 9:00 am-11:30 am | Smith Lecture Room
#volunteersneeded #educationvolunteer #boycethompsonarboretum #natureeducation #STEAMeducation
It`s International Vulture Awareness Day! Our ecosystem would be significantly less clean without them, so we really owe Vultures a lot of appreciation! Here`s some fun facts you may not know:
🪶We have two species in Arizona: Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures. Both can be found at Boyce Thompson Arboretum!
🪶Their stomach acid is so strong, it can process anthrax and botulism.
🪶They can smell food up to 1 mile away.
🪶 Groups of vultures have different names depending on what they`re doing: when they`re flying in a circle they are a "kettle", if they`re eating they`re a "wake", and when they`re perched, they`re a "committee", "venue", or "volt."
What`s your favorite fact about vultures? Let us know in the comments! 👇
#vultureappreciationday #turkeyvultures #vulturelovers #birdlovers #arizonabirds #birdfacts
There`s just two more months until Boyce Thompson Arboretum`s Green Gala! 🌿Have you got your ticket yet?
Support the Arboretum by enjoying fine dining, entertainment, and education under the desert sky. Your generosity is what makes this celebration possible and advances our mission to inspire, educate, and conserve. We hope to see you there!
🗓️Saturday, November 7, 2026
🕛4:00-8:00pm
📍Hill House Property
38815 E Arboretum Way
Superior, AZ 85713
Visit the link in our bio to get tickets today!
#greengala #btarboretum #supportgardens #naturelovers #arizonanature
Back in March, our team rescued cacti from a construction site in El Paso, Texas. 🌵Now, just a few months later, the relocated Echinocactus horizonthalonius are in full bloom. We hope you enjoy the sight of these vibrant, pink flowers just as much as we do!
#rescuedplants #endangeredplants #echinocactushorizonthalonius #cactusbloom #desertbloom #naturelovers #cactusrescue