The University of Arizona

Butterfly Walk August 23 -- and a Cactus Fruit Class, too!

August is the final summer month of public hours from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM daily. September First the Fall and Winter scheduled begins and public hours are daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Arrive early this week to enjoy cool morning hours and a chorus of songbirds as you walk the trails before Eight O'Clock. Saturday August 23 is our popular prickly pear cactus fruit class at 10:30 AM taught by author Jean Groen. Sunday, August 24, we have a special 9:30 AM guided tour teaching about edible and medicinal plants of the Sonoran Desert. Regular admission of $7.50 for adults or $3 for ages 5-12 includes the Saturday Butterfly Walk -- the picture at right of a metalmark was taken here by Pete Moulton. The Arboretum is located at Highway 60 milepost #223 near the historic copper mining town of Superior, 55 miles due east of Phoenix. Explore the gardens on a virtual tour! The drive takes about two hours from Tucson via highway 79 North through Florence to highway 60 -- then turn right and continue east another twelve miles. There is no restaurant at the Arboretum but sandwiches, drinks and snacks are available in our gift shop. Picnic tables and charcoal grills are available for visitors to use. Pets are welcome, provided they remain leashed at all times and are well-behaved. Read about the Arboretum's 75-year heritage, our HISTORY page describes how the Arboretum has grown to include two miles of trails and into a place for children to learn and for all ages to appreciate the beauty and importance of desert ecosystems. for children to learn and for all ages to appreciate the beauty and importance of desert ecosystems.
Featured Artists: Gila Community College
Works by graphic art and fine art students from the Payson and Globe campuses of Gila Community College will be featured in our visitor center gallery through August 29. Paintings by Nicole Royse will be exhibited during September. Read more and preview the exhibit