Schedule a private walking tour of the Washington Park Arboretum and have an experience tailored just for your group.
Contact us at 206-685-8033 or urbhort@uw.edu.
Private Walking Tours last 90 minutes and are led by trained guides. Available tour themes focus on a variety of interest topics. Three weeks’ advance notice is required for scheduling, and advance payment is required. Read our policies.
Available start times: 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:00pm, seven days a week
No tours available on July 4.
No tours available in the afternoons of August due to higher temperatures.
No tours available December 20 – January 1.
Walking Tours
$200 fee (plus tax). Discount for senior living facilities, senior centers & UW student groups: $150 (plus tax). Maximum group size is 20.
Available Walking Tour Themes
Seasonal Theme
Winter Seasonal: Visit the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden to enjoy the fragrances of Honeysuckle and Witch Hazel, admire Paperbark Maples.- Spring Seasonal: Take a walk along historical Azalea Way lined with flowering Cherries, Azaleas and Dogwoods. Loderi Valley features large-leaved Rhododendron trees sheltered by Magnolias.
- Summer Seasonal: Explore the five eco-geographic regions of the Pacific Connections Garden. See stunning Hydrangeas and Magnolias.
- Fall Seasonal: Celebrate fall with a stroll through the beautiful Woodland Garden to view one of the largest collections of Japanese Maples in North America. Enjoy the vivid fall colors of Sour Gum, Witch Hazel and more.
Native Plants Theme
The Pacific Northwest is home to an amazing variety of plant life from our towering conifers to the subtle and delicate Western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa). We are fortunate that the Olmsted Brothers who designed the Washington Park Arboretum collection valued our native species and felt they were vital to the arboretum. On this tour, you will visit the Native Knoll and upland forest to learn native plant identification. Information about ethnobotany and Puget Coast Salish uses of native plants can be added if desired.
Walking Tour Policies
If your walking tour group is larger than 20 people, please plan to divide into smaller groups and pay per group at the above rates.
Advance payment is required within one week of scheduling a tour. Education staff will call the group contact once the date is scheduled to collect payment.
Cancellations: Programs are held rain or shine. In extreme conditions such as high winds, lightning, or excessive heat, we reserve the right to cancel programs for your safety. You will not be charged a cancellation fee under these circumstances. For all other cancellations: refund requests must be submitted at least 1 week prior to the tour date. If you do not receive an e-mail confirmation within 2 days, please call 206-685-8033 to inquire about the status of your request. Cancellations more than 1 week prior to a tour are subject to a 15% processing charge (minimum $10). Cancellations with less than 1 week’s notice are non-refundable. Please be at the designated meeting location at the scheduled time. If tour guests are 15 minutes late without prior contact, the tour will be cancelled. Please notify your tour guide as soon as you expect to be late. If a program is cancelled by UW Botanic Gardens for any other reason, a full refund will be made to all enrollees. Refunds may take 4 weeks to process.
Late arrival: If your group is running late, please call 206-685-8033 to let us know. Tour guides will be available to meet groups up to 15 minutes after the scheduled arrival time. After that, your tour fee will be forfeited.