Boyce Thompson Arboretum

The longest-lasting and biggest botanical garden in Arizona, covering 392 acres and nearly three miles of tracks, is named after production magnate Colonel William Boys Thompson.

This respectable “Oasis of Arizona” features nearly three miles of tracks and pathways that weave across beautiful gardens, forested areas, and local coastal habitats. Established in 1924 and devoted to inculcate people’s gratitude for desert plants, the Arboretum is approximately 45 minutes east of Mesa, close to the highway 60 miles pole number 223 as you come close to the town of historical copper mining Superior.

Flora from the dry lands all over the world flourish with the local plants of the Sonoran desert. Routes take you through the Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert regions, cactus garden, riparian regions, Australian woodland, and herbal and rose parks.

On maps and distribution materials, you may find other routes and gardens, and most of the route system is wheelchair accessible. The huge Picketpost Mountain provides a background for exploring the arboretum. When you are inside, enjoy a cactus garden with quirky cactus shapes or chill out under the shaded trees in Queen Creek Canyon.