The Arboretum at Flagstaff

the 2 mile unpaved path in was an experience but i absolutely loved this beautiful trail!!! very clean, quiet, and inexpensive for families! dog friendly is a huge plus!

We made it in a hatchback. Just shook us up a little. Might be smoother in something bigger. Beautiful place, super mellow walking paths. I really enjoyed the flowers and like that you can buy plants here too.

Who writes about bad road has not seen really bad roads! It is quite possible to pass on a passenger car, 🚗 ! Beautiful view opens from the paths. There are covered pavilions. Benches in the shade. A good place to pass the time in Flagstaff

Great spot to visit if you’re in town for a day or a weekend. It’s a very small and simple hike that will get you moving and in nature surrounded by beautiful mountains and views!

Such a beautiful place. Beware, it's about 3 miles down a bad wash-board dirt road, but don't let that deter you. We loved our nature walks, scouting the flowers and smelling that warm, pine tree smell.

A fun little adventure to fill one of our mornings in Flagstaff. I'm pretty sure we missed about half the facility because we discovered the hummingbird garden and the hummingbird helmet. Our family took turns trying it out with no success but a huge amount of fun. Would go back just for the hummingbird interactions. The kids summer camp made it a very family/kid friendly environment.

The DIRT ROAD getting here just adds to the charm of being in the mountains. The place itself is very charming with the wind and the smell of the forest, it took me back to when I was a child. The young girl at the front desk she is super friendly and fun to talk too, I had never been there before, so she said that I could go around to different places and check them out. This is a wonderful place to do parties like weddings or baby showers etc. I took two stars away because the other staff members were not very friendly or did they seem happy to be there. Also, it would be nice if you had a stamp with the business name and date.

Very helpful lady at the front desk who told us about the property. It's a cool place to wander around. We saw lots of hummingbirds and a super cute big bee. There was a stellar's Jay, and we enjoyed their sculptures, too. There was a baby duck jumping out of the water to catch bugs, and it made my heart so happy.

The arboretum was a nice peaceful place to walk around and admire some of the plant, tree, and wildlife of Flagstaff. It's a good place to bird watch and they offer pamphlets on which species can be seen here. Bring your binoculars for best viewing unless you are perfectly content with seeing the hungry zooming hummingbirds that frequent the feeders here. One big plus for us was that it is very dog friendly. Note that they charge admission for your doggo though ($2 per dog). They are a culture pass member so you can get two free tickets for admission at your local library if it is available. The people at the front desk counter were very friendly and helpful. There's also a kid's play area out front for the kids to get the wiggles out! Details: (From the website) - Open April 30 - October 26th 2025 - Wednesday - Sunday (Open) - Monday & Tuesday (Closed) - 9 AM - 4 PM (last admission 3:15 pm) - Daily Naturalist Walk at 11am (subject to availability) - No restaurant on site but snacks and drinks available at the visitor center - Outside food and drink allowed - Picnicking allowed - Native plants for sale throughout the year and at their plant sale Prices: - Adults 18 and up: $12 - Youth 5 - 17: $6.00 - Children Under 5: Free - Dogs (must be on leash): $2 - Admission for 2 is included with a culture pass

If you like nature and want a level, easy walk, this is the place for you. Lee greeted us and gave us a quick introduction of the place and went over the map. The "lake" there did have much water in it because it was a dry season. They have several green houses and Benches throughout. We went in late October and the weather was perfect.

Enter through gift shop and bought awesome bird T shirt & guides of Birds of Prey. It is generous they accept reciprocity with DBG and Denver botanic gardens. I love visiting to some the pines and view the many birds esp hummers at their feeders.

Nice place to wander and enjoy the natural environment. The road to the arboretum is a little bumpy! Lots of information in the visitor center. Everybody we saw who works there was very helpful.

It was a waste of money. There was hardly anything to really look at it was blooming or beautiful. And the fact they charge $12 per person for that was a bummer. We go to a free one close to our house in Southern California and it's 10 times as nice

A nice nature walk. The trails are nicely marked and the map helped out a bunch. We found it educational with all of the unique green houses. Happy to hear nature too; very peaceful place. Bathrooms were easy to find. Area for kids to play too.

It's kind of shocking that there isn't much to see at the Arboretum! I think it you are just wanting to get out and about, collect your steps and have a single good view of the San Francisco Peaks, this is the spot! But for $12 per person I was hoping for a bit more.

Beautiful place for a nice walk, even in the colder months. We didn't expect to see flowers or anything since it was October, but coming up from Phoenix where it was still 100 degrees the cool breezes and "fall" vibes was really nice. Also: if they don't have dog bags in the dispensers on the trail just ask the nice gentleman behind the counter!

Not a lot of plants blooming in late May. Nice wooded areas to walk and have a picnic. A few cool green houses to explore and learn about their projects to preserve plant species. You can explore everything within 90 minutes. Be aware there is a 2.5 bumpy dirt road you must travel to get to the arboretum.

The Arboretum at Flagstaff is a place for those who enjoy nature walks, learning about local plant life and can appreciate native flora and fauna. It's a bit out of the way and as others have said it's a rough gravel road for the last few miles in. I didn't find the drive too bad, but then again I had rented an SUV. It's $10 entry but I was able to use my reciprocal benefits from another garden I'm a member of for free admission. Cash or credit accepted. This time of year, things are winding down for the season, as they close the end of October. However, the foliage and pines were well worth a visit to me. In the spring there is also a butterfly garden and likely more in bloom. I enjoyed my stroll through the peaceful grounds. I was heading from the Grand Canyon to Sedona so this was a perfect stop to stretch my legs and get fresh air. They are hosting a two night event this week called the Pumpkin Walk which seems like a fun community event. Additionally on their website they show other docent led talks in the warmer months. Definitely tailored to folks who enjoy local plant life and appreciate the natural surroundings. There's also a small gift shop and an indoor art and photography display featuring info on local plant and animal life. I enjoyed my time here.

There really isn't much here except a pond and very small garden. I would save the $12 per person and just go for a walk on a trail.

Cool place off the beaten path with a lot of vegetation. I saw a nice selection of conifers: fir and pine. Flowers, and various other flora make it a nice place to take in the vastness of the San Francisco peaks. Its a self-guided tour and was very informative. The drive to the parking lot is an unimproved road.

We were ready to escape the city for a few hours in the mountain air, & this place did the trick! Beautiful grounds with a few miles of flat, well-marked trails to stretch your legs. Good for kids and dogs on a leash. They have pretty flowers near the visitors center and a small pond. The builds are closed at the moment, due to the pandemic, but the outdoor trails are open. Great for some relaxing time in the trees.

I liked this place a lot, but it needs some TLC. This could be an absolutely breathtaking event center and botanical garden but needs some big time investment. Some of the views of the San Francisco peaks are incredible. Also the place was a tinderbox.....extremely dry when I went. Could use some much needed irrigation. Overall a nice stop if you're in the Flagstaff area.

Lovely, well-marked trails among tall trees. Bathrooms available but very dirty. Not a lot else here besides a few wildflowers. Apparently there is a pond, but we didn't find it. There is a scavenger hunt for kids but I'm not sure if that's available during Covid times.

Beautiful place, but absolutely need a truck or Jeep to get there on the dirt roads. Really not a drive for a standard sedan or BMW 5 series.

I went to the Arboretum for their annual Wine in the Woods Festival. It was wonderful! We already plan on going back next year. We tasted wines from Arizona vineyards. Found some new favorites and put some of the vineyards on our places to visit list. We had some tasty food, listen to wonderful music, and strolled the trails. The day was perfect!

It offered a nice hike, however, we visited in October so everything was dead & brown. I didn't see much wildlife. I feel like I could have found a trailhead for free and had a similar experience. The 3 mile road leading to this place is very bumpy.

Solid 3 or 3.5 stars. The highlight of our visit was definitely the butterfly house. There were a bunch of butterflies in there! There's not a lot of signage to identify individual plants. We got a Groupon so admission was half off. I would say it's probably not worth the full price of admission though. Nice and quiet there.

This place is great. A lot of people have complaints about the road to get there, which admittedly is pretty rough and bumpy. However it is a forest service road and is therefore not maintained by the city of flagstaff or the arboretum. It is definitely worth the drive, especially if you are visiting in june/july when blooms are at their peak.

I first went to the Arboretum at Flagstaff in the late 80's. At that time is was impressive, yet small. Originally the Arboretum began as a private year-round residence of Frances McAllister who had a dream of turning it in to something more meaningful. She started a foundation, donated the land and the Arboretum was born. The grounds house more than 2,500 species of plants and some of the most amazing wildlife than many never get the opportunity to see up close and personal. The site is a little over 200 acres and consists of research facilities, solar green-houses, and intern residences which have been added throughout the years to accommodate the Arboretum's primary two missions: education and conservation. In addition there are several beautiful hiking trails (resulting in multiple miles) representing the finest of the Colorado Plateau. Docent's conduct free daily tours twice a day and are eager to share their knowledge. They even have a golf cart to take around people that may have limited mobility! They have partnered with NAU and offer several educational programs for both the University and the public at large. And from April through October of each year, have a multitude of activities, festivals, concerts, etc., all for little or no cost. If you are looking for something a little different and enjoy such things as the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, I know you would enjoy an afternoon here. Spend some time soaking up the incredible atmosphere, stop at the gift shop on the way home to grab that just have to have plant, and relax in one of the most beautiful areas in the state.

Been here once, July 2014. Nice facility, nice gardens, easy parking, well maintained. You'll have a few miles to drive to get to the parking lot on a very dusty washboardy road, your car and tires WILL get filthy, My only complaint about this facility is poor signage and poor mapping. The paper map given out with admission is nearly impossible to follow. So forget the map, just go walking. Bring your camera. To answer the question, is it worth it? As a hobby grade flower and nature photographer I would say: Yes, it's worth the cost and time. Note: due to the dirt road and people speeding past on dirt bikes, if you are sensitive to airborne dust them bring a mask of some type.

Wonderful scenery and one of the best piano concerts we have had a pleasure of attending

I am a huge plant enthusiast. The garden is an enjoyable walk around that can be completed somewhat quickly. I love the native plant sale they hold every year.

We visited @ winter (Jan 2). Everything covered in over 1' snow - very pretty. The 3M drive through the forest was beautiful. They have just aquired several owls, hawks & falcons & incorporated this into an extremely educational & informative Raptor centre. Susan was extremly inspirational & knowledgable, as well as whole-heartedly dedicated to her feathered friends. My 16 year old was in awe, & our 8 yr old luved it. Walking in the snow trails being followed by a hawk above you was amazing. Holding an European Eagle Owl was a 1-in-a-lifetime experience. This was a fantastic experience to get up close to birds we rarely even see in the distance, not to mention touch & hold! Keep in mind, this is a non-profit organization & depend on us for donations, since they do not get any state or federal assistance! These gorgeous birds absolutly deserve our charitable donations.

The Flagstaff Leaf-O-Meter states great foliage at the Arboretum. They have maybe 10 trees that change color. Not worth the drive to it. Go to the Snow Bowl to see great Aspens and a lot of them! Awesome there.

Our visit to the Arboretum was perfect for me and my family. We were able to enjoy the smell of the Pines and the cool breezes. We went on a short, pleasant walk around the Outer Loop and took our time reading the placards. There were approximately two other people there visiting but were far away. The views were beautiful and we walked away feeling relaxed.

Well I'm glad to have gotten a Groupon deal and felt good contributing to this place. It was small and not very exciting we came with my 2 small children ages 2&4 and in laws . Chloe was so helpful and sweet when I called to inquire over the phone . It was busy and they had blacksmiths there today displaying their art work which was interesting. I recommend coming and checking the place out and packing a lunch for an hr or so they have a butterfly house which my kids loved and cute little ponds to explorer . The grounds were kept clean and nice as well as nice gift shop and clean restrooms with cute little tables for a picnic in a courtyard type area with a goldfish pond. We finished the entire place in about an hr give it take and that included my kids having lunch they also give kids a bingo game to play and get a dum dum lollipop at the end and have some coloring pages. I did overhear for he membership that it's tax deductible which is always a bonus. Kids 5 and under are free !!!!

The city of Flagstaff should be ashamed of itself. Such a nice and well thought out arboretum, but to get there you must traverse a three-mile poorly maintained dirt road.

We were lucky enough to visit Flagstaff on a Saturday night when they had one of their Summer Concert Series...lucky us! I purchased tickets and we came to see Jessica Fichot. What a great night of music with a truly incredible setting. We were able to stroll around the Arboretum, so didn't need to make another visit since it really isn't that big.

The one word I would use to describe our trip is lackluster. I almost feel like it should be closed in the fall season. Very disappointing, the only thing that made the trip a smidge better was the little houses they had for kids to play in and the bails of hay around them. That was right by the entrance, other than that, it was a snooze fest. I was not expecting the botanical gardens in flagstaff but I also was not expecting overgrown brush and unkept trails, especially if you are going to charge an entrance fee.

Really nice way to spend an afternoon. I won't ruin it, but do try to get there for the noon or 2 p.m. raptor show. It's not a thriller, but it is fun. Go in the warm season only (that's when it's open). Pretty plants, though not necessarily wow-me rose gardens. It's still a work in progress, but they've made a lot of it in a short time. Bring your 4WD vehicle to get down the ridiculously bumpy (scalloped!) road to the entrance. It's tough and long!

Importantly: not open during the colder months! Another reviewer pointed out that the signage is bad, and I have to agree. It's also down road that isn't paved, quite a ways from what looks like you're actually going somewhere. You pass a golf course. And there's a lot of dust. A lot. So, I might have trespassed by accident a little (the gate was open on one side!) and I will be back to wander down through the Visitor Center and along the paths with benches, etc. Update upcoming, just in the spring/summer.

The Arboretum in Flagstaff has lots of "potential" (pine trees in the high country of Arizona)....yet, it falls short of living up to that potential. The first issue with the Arboretum: gettimg to it. I'm guessing the city of Flagstaff doesn't want visitors at the Arboretum, because the only way to get there is via 3 miles of a teeth-chattering dirt road. Save the car wash until after a visit to the Arboretum. Once there, I was let down by the Arboretum itself. Age and/or weather and/or budget cuts seem to have taken their toll....info posters are worn, and the trails are in "so-so" condition. And, the "greenhouse" looked like a low-end plant nursery. UNimpressive. All that said, here's the thing...DO attend a concert there. The setting is perfect for a picnic with friends while listening to mudic.

Very nice place. Great for a nature stroll, taking pictures, or just spending some time outdoors. Clean friendly staff, and we'll priced. As others said, it is down a dirt road which was in decent considering. No issues driving it. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

The summer camps are awesome. The kids love it, and we're begging to go more than they were able to.

Cute place, fairly small, quickly visited with a 3 year old.The raptor show elevated the visit tenfold. Encourage the owners to add a ".. Keep going, you're almost there" sign on the dirt road. Staff all super friendly.

Cute little arboretum, plenty of trees, a small greenhouse, some pretty flowers, little streams and tiny waterfalls, a little pond. it's all small sized stuff, but enough to keep you busy for an afternoon, especially if you're taking pictures. i saw some chipmunks and interesting yellow birds when i was there in the summer. plenty of really big sunflowers too! the view of the mountains is beautiful too across an open meadow. be prepared to drive 4 miles on a dirt road to get there though!

Dirt road was very rough and there are no signs so you think you are just driving in the middle of nowhere Was disappointed by the lack of plants and flowers But what there was nice to look at. Raptor program was the best part of the entire experience

Off the beaten track is an understatement. 3.1 miles of washboard road that becomes worse the closer you get to the arboretum. If you plan to bring your dog, carefully search their website for special events because then it's 3.1 miles of washboard road back out. We have enjoyed arboretums from Long Island to California. This one is very rustic, a bit expensive and, as one of the officials told us, "Life is disappointing." The signage is confusing and occasionally wrong. We're writing this in 2017 so maybe they're saving up to make it better or maybe they don't get much financial help from Flagstaff -- particularly from the DOT?!

I was so excited to go to the Arboretum today but was in for a sore disappointment. It was difficult to find at first and when we finally found the road it was on, we drove down to where a small sign said "Arboretum - 3 miles". Usually, that wouldn't be an issue. However, when you are driving a Ford Fusion and come to a DIRT road that had recently seen heavy rains, it can be a bit disconcerting. We decided to try going down the road and after having our teeth chattered for 1/4 of a mile, we rethought our choice of activity. Had we known we were going to be going off-roading, maybe we would have brought the truck. Anyone who reads this, please keep your shocks and teeth in mind before making your trek to this place. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Worse 3 mile "driveway" ever, unless you own a 4-wheeler. Butterfly house was empty. Flowers were plentiful and the dragonflies were cool. Glad we only paid $4.00 for tickets on Groupon or it would've been a true waste of $$. I do not recommend.

First and foremost, to visit the arboretum one most drive 6+ miles on a very dusty, poorly maintained washboard road which appeared to be designed to destroy a vehicle's suspension. Once there, there was little to see that can't be seen elsewhere on other paved roads in the area. We visited on May 9th. At that time, there were few flowers of any kind in bloom anywhere on the property. We were very disappointed with our visit

we drove up for the Arboretum for their first annual Wine in the Woods festival. for 25 bucks, we were treated to 10 tastings from Arizona wine makers. if you wanted food or more wine, extra tickets could be purchased. the arboretum was larger than i expected, but definitely not a huge place. there are flowery stone walkways throughout the garden exhibits. the weather was nice, the sun was out, and it was a nice afternoon. the staff were super friendly and helpful in guiding visitors around, although being somewhat of a gardener, i wish there more staff available to answer some questions i had about their landscaping and plants. you do have to drive down a dirt road to get to the arboretum, but we made it just fine in the civic. it's a lovely little spot in flagstaff to spend an afternoon.

Would have loved to have gone and see this place but the only road in is a 3 mile clay/dirt road with the ridges. Sorry, can't do that with a torn herniated disc!! YIKES!!

I went there in August of 2014 and I agree with all of the positive things that everyone else had to say. It was pretty and a great place if you are into photography. The raptor show was fun (not spectacular). I did get a few memorable shots though. BUT it was a NIGHTMARE to get to in a car. For those of us who don't have trucks or 4 wheel drive, it was terrifying. It is not for the feint of heart. I blame myself for not looking on Google earth before starting out in my little Honda. I would never have done it. My car was filthy - there was even a layer of dust inside of it. I ran over a huge rock that damaged the underside of my car. There should be more warnings on the website and signage.There is at least 3 or 4 miles of unpaved ROCKY road.Really? It is sad that the city or whoever is responsible does not value the Arboretum, the animals or the work that is being done there enough to have the road paved. They might actually get a lot more visitors and perhaps donations. I would give it at least 4 stars if it was accessible for the average car driver. My advice would be to not go unless you have a truck or they pave the road. So methinks not because it is practically inaccessible without a truck.

I am a tree-lover and love seeing ones that are new to me or good specimens of those I already know. So I was quite disappointed that this "arboretum" had only one species--Ponderosa pine (OK, I saw one oak near the end of the trail). This should more properly be called a preserve. Then there is the 3-mile drive on a heavily gutted rock road that will shake the dickens out of you and your vehicle. The butterfly enclosure was nice, but not worth the time or money and possible damage to your vehicle.

Stopped here during our last road trip, was an awesome place to visit. I had a lot of enjoyment visiting the raptor show and took several pictures. Overall, it was neat to see all of the plant life and the raptor show. I would likely visit here again if ever in the neighborhood.

We had a great time ! The raptor show was pretty good . Our kids had fun learning about plants & animals . It would have been nicer had the road been paved. My son got to hold the Owl and that made his vacation!