Phoenix and Tucson residents are blessed with the proximity of this world-class botanical park. It was founded in 1925 with a mission "to instill in people an appreciation for plants," according to copper mining millionaire and philanthropist Col. William Boyce Thompson. Over the decades BTA has linked with the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and also become an Arizona State Park.
Cast your eyes eastward when you're driving Highway 60: the mountainous terrain you see on the horizon 30 miles up the road is where you'll find Col. Thompson's legacy, near milepost #223 as you approach the scenic copper-mining town of Superior; BTA's open daily and with admission of $10 for adults and $5 for ages 5-12. There are seasonal birdwalks and botanically-themed tours such as "Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Desert" guided by ethnobotanists.
These gardens match exotic species from around the world, which thrive alongside native Sonoran Desert cacti, succulents, trees and shrubs. Short trails lead through Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert areas, the cactus garden, alongside the Queen Creek riparian grove, through the Australian forest of towering eucalyptus trees, and through herb and rose garden collections.
Visit us online at ag.arizona.edu/bta or call us at (520) 689-2723
