25 BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM: MAIN TRAIL

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

LENGTH: 1.5–3 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 100 feet

CONFIGURATION: Balloon with many side trails

DIFFICULTY: Easy

SCENERY: Variety of desert plants, Queen Creek, Picketpost Mountain

EXPOSURE: Partly shaded

TRAFFIC: High

TRAIL SURFACE: Packed dirt, gravel, pavement

HIKING TIME: 2.5 hours

WATER REQUIREMENT: 1 quart

SEASON: Year-round; hot in summer

ACCESS: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; May–August, 6 a.m.–3 p.m.; last entry at 2 p.m.; $7.50 for adults, $3 for children

MAPS: USGS Picketpost Mountain, park map provided at entrance

FACILITIES: Visitor center, gift shop, restrooms, water, wheelchair accessible

DOGS: Yes, leashed at all times

COMMENTS: An educational and scenic outdoor experience for the entire family. For more information, visit arboretum.ag.arizona.edu, or call (520) 689-2723.

GPS Trailhead Coordinates

UTM Zone 12S

Easting 0485254

Northing 3682144

Latitude N33°16.801'

Longitude W111°9.543'

Directions

Leave Phoenix on US 60 and drive east past Florence Junction and Gonzales Pass. Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is on the south side of US 60, near mile marker 223.

IN BRIEF

Situated in the shadow of Picketpost Mountain, Boyce Thompson Arboretum showcases a unique collection of native desert flora as well as arid land plants from around the world. The park’s trail system routes visitors through impressive plant displays set in a naturally scenic landscape.

DESCRIPTION

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park has long been a favorite of valley residents and visitors. This unique sanctuary houses a wide assortment of plants, specializing in those typically found in deserts and other arid regions of the world. The arboretum was named for Colonel William Boyce Thompson, an incredibly wealthy and powerful magnate who lived at the turn of the 20th century. Nestled at the base of Picketpost Mountain and next to Queen Creek, the arboretum arranges its displays within a natural desert setting. Nothing seems particularly out of place here, yet some specimens on display come from thousands of miles away.

Blandly named and 1.5 miles in length, the Main Trail connects Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s major features while many side paths and loops compete for your attention. A typical traversal of the Main Trail ends up being somewhere between 2 and 3 miles in length with all the inviting detours. As you stroll through the plant displays, look for green numbered signs that identify correspondingly numbered plants on the park map. It’s a fascinating way to learn about the rich biodiversity of the desert around us.

Inside the main entrance, pass the gift shop and restrooms to begin your self-guided tour. Notice the view of towering Picketpost Mountain to the south. Be sure to visit the quarter-mile–long Sonoran Desert Trail to your left because this loop showcases plants typically encountered on hikes near Phoenix. Curandero is a Spanish word meaning medicine man, and the Curandero Trail, also on this loop, provides interpretive signs that explain medicinal uses for plants native to the Sonoran Desert.

Return to the Main Trail and walk down next to the aloes. You’ll soon cross a service road and enter a shaded garden with displays designed to attract hummingbirds. Beyond the Hummingbird Garden, follow signs for the Main Trail and head toward the rose garden and the Smith Interpretive Center. This historic building contains two greenhouses dedicated to cacti and succulents from around the world. The next building on your left is the Gloria Wing Ong Children’s Learning Center, where you will likely find interactive displays and educational programs.

The Main Trail forks beyond the Children’s Learning Center; I recommend continuing eastward, saving the scenic river walk for last. Near the Cactus Garden, you’ll find a strange boojum tree—it looks like someone uprooted a giant carrot and then planted it upside-down. After the Cactus Garden, walk east toward Ayers Lake, a man-made reservoir that holds water for all the gardens in the park and provides a sanctuary for migrating waterfowl.

East of Ayers Lake, the Main Trail becomes rougher as it winds through some rocky hills known as the Magma Ridge, the only segment not recommended for wheelchairs. No gardens grace these scenic rocks, but they are naturally beautiful. Enjoy several interpretive stations with superb views of the rocky terrain and the surrounding area. Near Boyce Thompson Arboretum’s eastern edge, the Main Trail passes below the hilltop perch of historic Picketpost House, where Colonel Thompson lived in the early 1900s.

A few steep turns farther, the Main Trail enters a densely wooded riparian zone on the banks of Queen Creek. This is my favorite part of the entire park. Sandwiched between sheer cliffs on the right and tall trees on the left, the trail heads back west under a canopy of shady branches and leaves. A newly constructed suspension bridge provides access to the High Trail, an unimpressive name for an otherwise fine natural trail. There are no plant displays on this trail, and it eventually connects to the picnic area downstream.

Unless you have extra time, I would skip the High Trail and head straight for the Herb Garden where an assortment of fragrant spices delights your olfactory senses. Rub some leaves gently between your fingers and then try to identify their scent without reading the labels. Also inside the Herb Garden, notice the charming Clevenger House built right into the rocky cliff.

Beyond the Herb Garden, pass through a forest of palms and giant eucalyptus trees. If any section of the Main Trail looks unnatural in Arizona, this would be it. The arboretum did an excellent job, however, of putting the tall trees next to Queen Creek where they would be less conspicuous. Finally, finish your exploration of the park by crossing the whitewashed Outback Bridge and returning via the Australian Walkabout. Along the way, browse the old-fashioned wool-shearing shed, which looks like it might belong to an unkempt groundskeeper whose rusted heap of a pickup truck lies nearby.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is dedicated to “educational, recreational, research, and preservation opportunities associated with arid land plants.” It offers enough diversity of flora, seasonal variations, and special events to keep visitors coming back. Before you leave, browse the Demonstration Garden near the entrance for landscaping ideas and perhaps even buy some desert plants or wildflower seeds for your next home-improvement project.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

Picketpost Mountain looms directly above Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The Picketpost Trail is a challenging route to its summit. US 60 also provides access to many hikes in the Superstition Wilderness including Peralta Trail, Rogers Canyon Trail, and Lost Goldmine Trail.