Boyce Thompson Arboretum
37615 U.S. Highway 60
Superior, AZ 85273
Phone: 520.689.2811
Fax: 520.689.5858

Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden, the Arboretum, was founded in the 1920s by mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson. In 1917, Thompson served as co-leader of a Red Cross mercy mission to Russia where he came to understand the importance of plants as the ultimate source of mankind's food, clothing, and shelter. Encompassing 323 acres, you can see plants from the world's deserts, towering trees, captivating cacti, sheer mountain cliffs, a streamside forest, panoramic vistas, many natural habitats with varied wildlife, a desert lake, a hidden canyon, specialty gardens and more.

Hours: Open daily, except December 25. Sept-April: 8am-5pm (last admission 4pm); May-Aug: 6am - 3pm (last admission 2pm).

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
The park is in Coolidge, Arizona, about an hour-long drive from either Phoenix or Tucson. From Interstate 10 take the Coolidge exits and follow the signs to the park entrance.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument preserves an ancient Hohokam farming community and "Great House." Created as the nation’s first archeological reserve in 1892, the site was declared a National Monument in 1918 “in order that better provision may be made for the protection, preservation and care of the ruins and the ancient buildings and other objects of prehistoric interest thereon.”

Hours: Open every day of the year from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except Thanksgiving Day and December 25th when we are closed.

Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona
6109 N. Apache Trail
Apache Junction, Arizona 85219
(480) 982-4485 phone and fax
The park is located 5 mi. north of Apache Junction, off of AZ 88 (the old Apache Trail), at the base of the Superstition Mountains.

Named after the fabled lost gold mine, this park is located in the Sonoran Desert at an elevation of 2000 feet. The park offers a variety of hiking trails, nature trails, 35 regular campsites, picnic facilities, and special programs throughout the year.

Hours:  The park is open 365 days a year from sunrise to 10pm.

San Tan Mountain Regional Park
6533 West Phillips Road
Queen Creek Arizona 85242
602-506-2930

Consisting of over 10,000 acres, the southeast Valley park is a fine example of the lower Sonoran Desert. The park ranges in elevation from about 1,400 feet to over 2,500 feet. Goldmine Mountain is located in the northern area, with a spectacular San Tan Mountain escarpment in the southern portion of the park. The vegetation changes from creosote flats to dense saguaro forest. Various types of wildlife may be observed, including reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Hours:  Sun-Thu: 6am-8pm; ri-Sat: 6am-10pm;  365 days a year  

The University of Arizona-Biosphere 2
Tucson, Arizona 85738
Phone 520-838-6200

Biosphere 2, under the management of The University of Arizona, is one of the world's most unique facilities dedicated to the research and understanding of global scientific issues.

In addition to its popular daily tours of Biosphere 2, The University of Arizona has established two additional scientific entities, B2 Earthscience and B2 Institute, dedicated to achieving a range of research, education, and outreach goals.

Hours: Open every day of the year, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.