Boyce Thompson Arboretum offers a wide range of guided tours and walks year-round, from plants and wildlife to history and ecology.
Our tours and walks include:
Arboretum Discovery Tour
October 2025 – April 2026
Every Friday & Saturday | 11 am – 12 pm
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, please sign up at the admission window. 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
October 2025 – April 2026
Every Friday & Saturday | 1 pm – 2 pm
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, please sign up at the admission window. 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
Beginner Bird Walk
December 2025 – April 2026
First Wednesday & Saturday of the month | 9 am – 10 am
- December 3rd & 6th, 2025
- January 3rd & 7th, 2026
- February 4th & 7th, 2026
- March 4th & 7th, 2026
- April 1st & 4th, 2026
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.
Walks are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, please sign up at admission window. No binoculars? No problem! Loaner binoculars are available at our admissions window.
Walk size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Edible & Medicinal Plant Tour
November 2025 – April 2026
Third Wednesday & Saturday of the month | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
- November 15th & 19th, 2025
- December 17th & 20th, 2025
- January 17th & 21st, 2026
- February 18th & 21st, 2026
- March 18th & 21st, 2026
- April 15th & 18th, 2026
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, please sign up at admission window . 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 2025 – May 2026
Select dates and times
- October 25th, 2025: 9:30 am-10:30 am
- November 8th, 2025: 9:30 am-10:30 am
- March 28th, 2026: 10:30 am-11:30 am
- April 11th, 2026: 10:00 am-11:00 am
- April 25th, 2026: 10:00 am-11:00 am
- May 9th, 2026: 9:00 am-10:00 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, please sign up at the admission window
Walk size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Geology Walk
Select dates | 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
- November 16, 2025
Uncover the geological mysteries of Boyce Thompson Arboretum with an experienced geologist. Answer questions like: “How was Picketpost Mountain formed?” within the stunning beauty of BTA.
Tours are subject to availability. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a tour or walk, sign up at admission window .
Tour size: 15 people
Cost: Free with admission
Summer Golf Cart Tours
Wednesdays-Saturdays in June, July, August between 7:00am-8:00am, 9:00am-10:00am, 11:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $20 per person, plus admission
Explore the arboretum this summer with our staff 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 staff will give you insights into our collections and take you to the best photo ops the gardens have to offer.
Cart tours are first come first served with a limit of 5 guests. Ask about availability at our Visitor’s Center Wednesday through Saturdays this summer!
Some exclusions apply.
Questions? Please call 520-689-4525
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
It`s International Volunteer Day.
Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers! Whether they`re maintaining gardens, guiding tours, or educating visitors about the wildlife they see at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, their hard work and support play a vital role in keeping the Arboretum running.
Help us thank our volunteers in the comments!
#InternationalVolunteerDay #btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb #volunteer
Immerse yourself in the beauty of peak fall color at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Get tickets at the link in bio.
#fall #fallcolor #fallinarizona #btarboretum #superiorarizona
This holiday season, shop local at Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Make your holiday gifts extra special by getting them at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. When you make a purchase from the Arboretum gift shop, you`re not only supporting us, you are supporting all the local and small businesses that partner with us to sell their merchandise.
Through December 7th, members also receive 20% off plants and plant pots. Plan your visit at the link in bio.
#shoplocal #btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb
Happy World Coati Day!
This year, we`ve had the honor of watching a band of white-nosed coati roam Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) is a member of the Procyonidae family, which includes raccoons and our Arizona state mammal, the ringtail.
📸: @kimberly.deer.photography
#worldcoatiday #coati #coatimundi #btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb
Peak fall color is here!
If you`ve been waiting for fall color to plan your trip to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, now is the time! Our Pistacia Grove is painted with beautiful yellows and oranges, and color is just about to take hold at the Suspension Bridge.
Plan your visit at https://btarboretum.org/.
#fall #fallcolors #btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb
Glass in Flight at Night at Boyce Thompson Arboretum is updating its Friday–Sunday closing time to 8:00 p.m. Arboretum daytime hours remain the same: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily. For holiday closures and our full hours, please visit btarboretum.org. Thank you!
From all of us at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, thank you!
On #GivingTuesday, we celebrate YOU! Our generous community that keeps our Arboretum vibrant and makes our work possible. As a nonprofit organization, the generosity of our visitors, members, donors, volunteers and community partners is critical to fulfilling our mission. Thank you!
#btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb
This Giving Tuesday, you have the power to make a lasting impact at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. As our Board Vice Chair Joe Giacobazzi shares, the Arboretum’s beauty, research, and conservation work benefit all of humankind, and it is your support that makes this possible.
Because of you, we can provide education for all ages, preserve diverse arid-land plants, conduct meaningful ecological studies, and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Everyone connects to the Arboretum in their own way, whether as hikers, families, gardeners, or nature lovers. You are the reason this place thrives.
Join Joe by making a Giving Tuesday gift today. You help protect this desert treasure for generations to come. Donate at the link in bio.
#GivingTuesday #btarboretum #boycethompsonarboretum #boycethompson #superiorarizona #1arb