Arboretum at Flagstaff

Description:

• Located on Flagstaff's west side about four miles south of Route 66 on Woody Mountain Road (which is just as scenic as its name implies), The Arboretum is a must-see for nature-lovers. Your car may get a good splattering on the road down to The Arboretum (the first mile is paved, but the remaining 2.8 miles are not), but it will be well worth it to spend the day meandering through the gorgeous 10 acres of cultivated gardens, strolling around the pond, and paying a visit to the working greenhouse (where most of the 2,500 species seen in the gardens are grown). The entire Arboretum encompasses 200 acres that were once the gardens and buildings of The Arboretum's founder Frances McAllister, who was given the parcel of land as a wedding present in the 1930s. McAllister and her husband lived in Los Angeles, but spent summers at their Flagstaff cabin, which affords incredible views of the San Francisco Peaks. After her husband's death, McAllister moved to this location, reveling in the challenges of gardening at 7,000 feet. The Arboretum continues to carry out McAllister's mission of garden experimentation and research, and sharing the natural beauty of the gardens with the public.
  
  
  
  
• © NileGuide2013