Flagstaff Arboretum

Visting the Flagstaff Arboretum

• Hours: Open daily April 1 through October 31
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: Entry fee
• Location: West of Flagstaff, directions below
• How Long: Allow one to two hours for a quick visit, more if you're a gardener or interested in high country plants
• Best Time to Visit: Wildflowers peak in early August, and Mondays are the least-busy days

One of the country's highest-elevation botanical gardens, the Flagstaff Arboretum is home to over 2,500 species of plants that grow mostly on the Colorado Plateau at over 7,000 feet elevation.

Flagstaff Arboretum Review

Created when Frances McAllister donated her land and home to found the Flagstaff Arboretum in 1981, the Flagstaff Arboretum displays the plants species of the area, with a collection of over 2,500 species, and also works to conserve endangered plants.

Hour-long guided tours of the Flagstaff Arboretum are given daily. Visitors can also tour the greenhouse and gardens on their own. During the early spring, they also arrange special indoor exhibits.

The arboretum also offers a live birds of prey program each Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday when they're open, showcasing native eagles, hawks, owls, and other raptors that are being rehabilitated by local residents. The birds perform free-flights and are available for close-up photos afterward.

Their garden displays include:

• Water Conservation Garden: Showing how to use native plants in the home landscape to save water
• Shade Garden
• Herb Garden: Includes over 250 species of native cooking and medicinal herbs
• Butterfly Garden: Home to bees and butterflies in summer.
• Penstemon Garden: Dedicated to an abundant but little-known wildflower that looks like a garden snapdragon.
• Wildflowers: The Flagstaff Arboretum is also home to one of America's largest collection of high country wildflowers, which peak in early August.

The Flagstaff Arboretum does not allow pets on the grounds, but assistance dogs are allowed on a leash.

Getting to Flagstaff Arboretum

The Arboretum at Flagstaff
4001 South Woody Mountain Road
Flagstaff, AZ
928-774-1442
Flagstaff Arboretum Website

From Flagstaff, take Route 66 west to Woody Mountain Road, then travel 3.8 miles south. The last portion of Woody Mountain Road is unpaved, but suitable for all vehicles.

If You Liked Flagstaff Arboretum, You May Also Like:

• Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson