Boyce Thompson Arboretum

William Boyce Thompson made his fortune in mining, including the Magma Mine in Superior. After seeing famine on a Red Cross mission to Russia, he turned his attention to plants and plant science. He built a winter home above Queen Creek, the Picket Post House, and in the 1920s founded this arboretum around it. It was dedicated on April 6, 1929, the year before he died. The arboretum now calls itself Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden, and it has been an independent nonprofit since 2019, after 43 years of joint management with the University of Arizona and Arizona State Parks.

The newest big attraction is the Wallace Desert Garden, opened in 2020: 13 acres, 1.5 miles of trails and 5,000 plants moved 75 miles from the collection of the late H.B. Wallace. Look too for Ayer Lake, the Australian Deserts exhibit and Mr. Big, a longbeak eucalyptus listed in 2018 as the largest of its species in the country. The arboretum is also an Audubon Important Bird Area, with beginner-friendly bird walks every Wednesday in season.

Guided options change through the year. In autumn 2026 the arboretum listed cart tours on Thursdays, Discovery Tours on Fridays and Saturdays from November to March, and Wallace Garden tours on Saturdays from November to February. Check the calendar before relying on them.

Hours follow the heat, and last admission is an hour before closing. From October to March it opens daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; in April, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; in May, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and to 5 p.m. on weekends. From June to August it's 6 a.m. to noon and closed on Tuesdays, and in September, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults and youth 13 to 17 pay $24.95 ($16 in summer), children 5 to 12 pay $10, and under-5s are free.

Leashed dogs are welcome, on leads up to six feet, and you must stay on the trails. Drones are prohibited, and nothing may be picked or removed from the grounds. The address is 37615 E. Arboretum Way in Superior, not Apache Junction, so allow for the drive.