Free Tours & Guided Hikes

Hoyt Arboretum Friends runs free public tours of the arboretum on Sundays at 11 a.m. from April through October. Sign up in person the same day at the Visitor Center. From June to October there are also free Hike with Hoyt walks of up to 4 miles, and free Trees For All tours on paved trails. Private group tours are available for a fee.

Free Public Tours

Volunteer guides cover the arboretum's global tree collection, its trail system and its history. Tours run Sundays at 11 a.m., April through October, and last about an hour. They are free. Sign up in person on the day at the Visitor Center.

Trees For All Tours (Paved Route)

A free tour that stays on paved trails, looking at conifers, flowering trees and native plants around the Visitor Center and up the Overlook Trail. Trained volunteers lead it at 10 a.m. on the third Thursday and third Sunday of each month, May through October. Registration is required through the Hoyt Arboretum Friends events calendar. See paved and accessible trails.

Spanish-Language Tours

Tours of one of the arboretum's three nationally accredited collections, given entirely in Spanish on select Saturdays during tour season. Free; registration required.

Hike with Hoyt

Free volunteer-led hikes from June to October, more about getting out together than about botany. Expect up to 4 miles on paved, dirt and gravel trails, with hills and occasional stairs. Sign up the same day at the Visitor Center. In late October 2026 Hike with Hoyt walks were listed for October 24, 28 and 31 at 10 a.m.

Private Group and School Tours

Companies and community groups can book a private tour of the collections; price depends on group size. Schools can request field trips. Book through Hoyt Arboretum Friends.

Self-Guided Options

No guide needed: pick up a free map at the Visitor Center and follow one of the three marked loops (0.5, 0.9 or 1.25 miles). See hiking and suggested loops.

Getting There for a Tour

Take the MAX Red or Blue Line to Washington Park and ride the free shuttle to the Visitor Center. Parking at the Visitor Center is $2.52 an hour. See parking.

Good For

• First-time visitors who want to know what they are looking at.
• Families and wheelchair users on the Trees For All paved route.

Maybe Skip If

• You visit November to March. Public tours and Hike with Hoyt are seasonal; use the marked loops instead.