This must-see Sonoran Desert oasis is home to thousands of plants and year-round events.
Step out of the city and into the Sonoran Desert landscapes of the Desert Botanical Garden. Home to more than 50,000 arid plants from deserts around the world — from towering cacti to colorful wildflowers — this magical oasis invites you to immerse yourself in 140 acres of natural beauty.
In 2024, the Desert Botanical Garden is celebrating 85 years of natural beauty, tranquility and preservation — right in the heart of the nation’s fifth largest city. Nestled in Papago Park, where the stunning sandstone buttes serve as the perfect backdrop, the garden welcomes daily visitors year-round (closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas).
For your next Tempe itinerary, a visit to Desert Botanical Garden is a must. Wander five thematic trails, view exhibits and rotating installations, explore endless immersive experiences, attend festive events and cultural celebrations, enjoy live musical performances and more.
Desert Trails
Sonoran Desert Nature Trail: Take the nature trail to learn how plants and animals survive in the desert with so little water. Watch for wildlife on your way to the top and take in mountain vistas that will change your point of view.
Center for Desert Living Trail: Fragrant herbs, vegetable beds and shady spots to relax make this trail a delight for the senses. Come see what’s growing this season and discover tips for creating a lush, water-wise home garden.
Desert Discovery Trail: Explore the Garden’s main trail and discover the many ways desert plants from around the world have adapted to the environment. Featuring a diverse array of cacti and succulents as well as historic plant collections, this core trail takes you on a journey to celebrate the beauty of the desert.
Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail: Stroll along this meandering trail where you’ll encounter brightly colored blooms as well as the pollinators they attract, like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Find out how flowers, insects and birds play an essential role in thriving desert ecosystems.
Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail: Wander through five diverse desert habitats and discover the variety of ways indigenous people have used native plants for food, fiber and shelter.
Art Installations & Points of Interest
As you approach the entrance of the Desert Botanical Garden, the first installation you’ll notice is the vibrant green blown-glass fixtures perch up to the right of the main walkway. These sculptures harken back to Dale Chihuly’s past installations at the garden (2008, 2022).
Nestled along the trail, you’ll spot a larger-than-life blue sculpture set against the cacti. Originally part of the 2022 exhibit, Playing with Stars: Rotraut at Desert Botanical Garden, this piece is now a permanent fixture as well. The abstract and semi-representational form leaves room for visitors to make their own connections to the surrounding environment and invite them to experience their own sense of playfulness and joy.
The Fine Family Contemplation Garden is a multisensory space that features a circular shape is flanked with seating on either side and completed by a large, reflective water feature mirroring the image of the surrounding cactus on the surface. Visit during the day to walk the meditative labyrinth shaped in tapestry-like swirls of terrazzo, or closer to sunset to catch a perfect view of the Papago butte as the glow of the sun transforms the sky to the west.
At the Ardie & Steve Evans Cardon Plaza sits a mosaic of stained and engraved glass that’s illuminated in uniquely different ways — including a colorful bouquet of colors that reflect across the ground — as the sun makes its way across the sky each day.
Since opening in 2017, the Cohn Family Butterfly Pavilion has invited guests to explore the butterfly life cycle by interacting with thousands of live butterflies each spring and fall. This 3,200 square-foot open-air structure also features lush garden plantings, a water feature, engaging programming and state-of-the-art nursery space.
For live music, head to Ullman Terrace. And to recreate photos of the sky-high cacti lining the path near a historic house, look for the Webster Auditorium.
Framerate: Desert Pulse
Desert Pulse, a multi-sensory art exhibit by ScanLAB Projects, invites visitors into the visual and emotional energy of the Sonoran Desert. Through photography, motion, and sound, it reveals new ways of seeing and deepens appreciation for our vibrant ecosystem.
Desert Pulse is an artwork underpinned by sustainable values. ScanLAB Projects and the Garden have rigorously considered and documented the impacts of making and exhibiting this work at all stages of its production so far. Together they are committed to upholding these values in the future, and ask any venues, partners and supporters to join in taking these values forward. At times, this means making decisions that cost more but impact less.
On display from Oct. 11, 2025, to May 10, 2026, this experience incorporates thousands of stunning images into five monumental video installations for one not-to-miss transformative experience.
Events by Season
Fall
September – November: Dog Days at the Garden | Select Saturdays
Bring your K9 companion to explore the beauty and sniffs of the trails a morning stroll between 8 and 11 a.m. Please BYOB (bring your own bowl) to fill at water stations. Grab a snack at Patio Café, where dog-friendly seating is available.
September – October: Music in the Garden | Select Fridays
Music in the Garden presents a spectacular lineup of local musical talent set against Ullman Terrace — one of the Valley’s most iconic outdoor concert venues. Food and drink, including a selection of fine wines, are available for purchase. Doors open at 6 p.m.; attendees must be 21 or older.
September – November: Majestic Mariposas
Get an up-close and unforgettable experience when more than 2,000 native Southwestern butterflies return for the Fall Butterfly Exhibit. Get acquainted with thousands of butterflies, observe each stage of their life cycle and learn what actions we can take to protect them.
Oct. 16 & Nov. 13: Lotería Nights
You’re invited to immerse yourself in an experience that’s more than just a game. Soak in the Sonoran Desert environment and claim amazing prizes as we play several rounds of the iconic Mexican game of chance. Food and beverages available for purchase. Ages 21 and up welcome; no infants or children permitted.
Oct. 24 & 25, 2025: Strange Garden
For two evenings, Strange Garden is a unique Halloween experience that offers jaw-dropping performances, mad botanist encounters, peculiar plants and creepy crawlies of the desert. Come in costume for a photo-op and don’t forget take home a free pumpkin from the patch.
Winter
Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, 2026: Día de Muertos
Festival: Nov. 1 & 2 | Altar (ofrenda) on view: Oct. 31 – Nov. 3
Día de Muertos brings a colorful festival including a art, music, dance, storytelling, an annual procession and more to the garden Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. Beginning on Friday, Oct. 31, a community altar (ofrenda) will be on display in Ottosen Gallery.
The ofrenda exhibit will focus on the legend of the Cempasúchil flower (marigold) and the story of Xóchitl and Huitzilin and showcase the ceramic artwork of Oaxacan artist Rufina Ruiz Lopez as well as monumental flower sculptures and handcrafted silver hummingbirds made by artisans from Taxco de Alarcón.
The festival, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, will include La Procesión, a procession honoring passed loved ones (5 to 6 p.m.), as well as food, music, face painting, crafts and more.
November – December: Las Noches de las Luminarias
Experience the simplicity and beauty of 8,000 flickering luminarias and twinkling lights throughout the Desert Botanical Garden this holiday season. These evenings include musical performances, entertainment and holiday delights along the garden’s iconic trails.
Spring
January – May: Music in the Garden | Select Friday evenings
Music in the Garden presents a spectacular lineup of local musical talent set against Ullman Terrace — one of the Valley’s most iconic outdoor concert venues. Food and drink, including a selection of fine wines, are available for purchase. Doors open at 6 p.m.; attendees must be 21 or older.
February: Devour Culinary Classic
Presented by Local First Arizona, Devour Culinary Classic brings together Arizona’s culinary and beverage leaders for a one-of-a-kind event that engages all the sense. Stroll the garden paths while sipping and savoring the flavors that set us apart as a distinct dining destination. Tickets are limited (this event sells out early).
February – May: Dog Days at the Garden | Select Saturdays
Bring your K9 companion to explore the beauty and sniffs of the trails a morning stroll between 8 and 11 a.m. Please BYOB (bring your own bowl) to fill at water stations. Grab a snack at Patio Café, where dog-friendly seating is available.
March – May: Majestic Mariposas
Get an up-close and unforgettable experience when more than 2,000 native Southwestern butterflies return for the Spring Butterfly Exhibit. Get acquainted with thousands of butterflies, observe each stage of their life cycle and learn what actions we can take to protect them.
Summer
June: Juneteenth | Dates TBD
Commemorate Juneteenth at Desert Botanical Garden with a day filled with activities that celebrate Black culture and traditions. Desert Botanical Garden honors Juneteenth’s legacy of change by celebrating Black culture and excellence through storytelling, history, art, performance, community discussion and entrepreneurship.
June – September: Flashlight Nights | Saturdays
Visit the garden for a self-guided nighttime adventures through the garden. Nocturnal explorers can bring their own flashlights to shine along the trails to capture the night-blooming plants and animals that appear in the desert after dark.
June – September: Sonoran Sippin’ | Select Friday Nights
Sunsets, saguaros, and Sonoran Sippin’ define summer evenings at the garden. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the evening festivities for all ages, which include a ice-cold drink, live music and more.
Additional wellness, art and photography classes — as well as select behind-the-scenes tours — are also available on select dates throughout the year. For the latest information, visit the Desert Botanical Garden website.
