Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Superior, AZ
Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden, with a 2.5 km main trail through desert plants from around the world below Picketpost Mountain. Mornings are best in summer, when hours start early.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum lies on US 60 near Superior, Arizona, about 50 miles (roughly 80 km) east of Phoenix, at the foot of the Superstition Mountains and along Queen Creek. The engineer and philanthropist William Boyce Thompson founded it in the mid-1920s as the “Southwest Arboretum”.
On about 130 hectares (323 to 326 acres) grow around 4,000 plant species, mostly from the American Southwest and Mexico, plus species from South America, Africa and Australia. There are sections for the deserts of Australia, the Chihuahuan, the Sonoran and South America, and a cactus and succulent garden with more than 300 varieties. The main loop is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and paved; allow about three hours for it and the further loops.
The arboretum is run jointly by the University of Arizona and Arizona State Parks and has no longer been a state park since 2019. Drinking water is available only near the entrance. It closes earlier in summer than in other seasons; check opening hours and fees beforehand.
- Nearest town
- Superior, AZ
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 33.2800, -111.1580
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and November–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January–February and October. Hot in May–September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Box 8 RanchMotorhome stopover3 mi from Boyce Thompson ArboretumMotorhomes
- Gold Canyon RV & Golf ResortMotorhome stopover19 mi from Boyce Thompson ArboretumMotorhomes
- Canyon Vistas RV ResortMotorhome stopover19 mi from Boyce Thompson ArboretumMotorhomes
- Tortilla Recreation SiteCampsite22 mi from Boyce Thompson Arboretum · 77 pitchesCaravans
- KOA KampgroundMotorhome stopover23 mi from Boyce Thompson ArboretumTentsCaravansMotorhomes
- Burnt Corral CampgroundCampsite24 mi from Boyce Thompson ArboretumTentsCaravansDrinking water
All campsites in Arizona · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Boyce Thompson Arboretum?
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is in Superior, AZ, at GPS 33.2800, -111.1580. It is about 22 mi from Tortilla Flat.
Can you camp near Boyce Thompson Arboretum?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Picket Post Dispersed, about 2 mi away; within 25 mi there are 31 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Boyce Thompson Arboretum?
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Superstition Mountains, the Apache Trail and Tonto Basin and Dust, lakes and saguaros: by camper along the Apache Trail through the Superstition Mountains to Roosevelt Lake.
What is there to see near Boyce Thompson Arboretum?
Places worth a stop nearby: Lost Dutchman State Park (22 mi), Canyon Lake (23 mi), Tonto National Monument (25 mi) and Theodore Roosevelt Dam (27 mi).
When is the best time to visit Boyce Thompson Arboretum?
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and November–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January–February and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)