Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

The arboretum owes its existence to William Boyce Thompson, a mining magnate who made his fortune in copper and other ventures in the early twentieth century. Thompson had a deep interest in plants, particularly in how they might feed and sustain people, and he chose this stretch of Arizona desert to establish a garden and research station devoted to arid-land plants.

He built the arboretum on his desert estate, planting trees, laying out trails, and gathering plants from dry regions around the world. Over the decades it grew into a center for botanical research and education as well as a place of beauty, and it eventually came under state and university stewardship. Thompson's original vision, that understanding desert plants could benefit humankind, still guides the institution today.

The heart of the arboretum is its collection of plants from arid and semi-arid regions across the globe. Alongside the native Sonoran Desert cactus and trees grow eucalyptus from Australia, aloes from Africa, and desert plants from South America, the Mediterranean, and the American Southwest, arranged in themed gardens that let visitors compare how different dry lands have solved the same problem of surviving with little water.

A cactus and succulent garden shows off the strange forms these plants take, from towering columns to squat barrels, while a legume garden displays the hardy trees that thrive in desert soil. The result is an outdoor museum of how life adapts to drought, gathered in one place where the desert itself provides the setting.

Running through the arboretum is Queen Creek, a desert stream whose water supports a ribbon of tall trees and lush growth utterly unlike the dry hillsides around it. The main trail dips down into this shaded glen, past a small pond and beneath towering trees, before climbing back to the open desert. The contrast between arid slope and green creekside is one of the arboretum's pleasures.

Where there is water there are birds, and the arboretum is one of the best birding spots in the region. The mix of desert, creek, and pond draws a great variety of species, resident and migratory, and birders come with binoculars to work the trails. Hummingbirds, desert songbirds, and water-loving species all find a home here, and the arboretum's varied habitats reward a slow and watchful walk.

The arboretum sits beneath Picketpost Mountain, a dramatic desert peak whose sheer cliffs rise abruptly to the west and form a striking backdrop to the gardens. The mountain, named for a frontier military lookout, dominates the skyline and glows red and gold in the low light of morning and evening.

The wider setting is classic Sonoran Desert transitioning into the higher country of central Arizona, along the historic US 60 corridor that once carried travelers and ore between the mining towns. Nearby Superior is an old copper town with a long history, and beyond it the highway climbs into the mountains toward Globe and the mining district. The arboretum, green and cool beside the road, is a welcome oasis in that rugged land.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.