The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is one of Fayetteville’s most beautiful escapes — a compact but richly planted property on the edge of Lake Fayetteville, with 12 themed gardens and Arkansas’s only butterfly house. It’s a peaceful, family-friendly place to wander, learn, and watch the Ozark seasons turn, and it pairs perfectly with a walk on the neighboring lake trail. Plan on roughly an hour to see it all at an easy pace.
The 12 Themed Gardens
Twelve individual gardens are each designed around a different idea, so the property changes character as you walk it. Highlights include the Ozark Native Garden (regional wildflowers and an Ozark “front porch,” tended by Master Naturalists), the tranquil Japanese Garden with its torii gate and Japanese maples, the Rock & Water Garden built from boulders hauled in from Devil’s Den State Park with waterfalls and pools, the Rose & Perennial Garden around the Rotary Peace Arbor, a Sensory Garden planted for color, texture, and scent, and the Vegetable & Herb Garden, whose produce is donated to the community. The hands-on Children’s Garden — with a sculpted climbing tree, sandbox, and barn doorway — keeps younger visitors busy. Scattered throughout are a dwarf-conifer collection, an arboretum, beehives, a chicken coop, and a boardwalk over a bioswale.
Arkansas’s Only Butterfly House
The garden’s signature attraction is its butterfly house — the only one in Arkansas. When it’s open (typically late spring through early fall, with peak activity from midsummer into September), you can step inside and watch native butterflies like monarchs, swallowtails, and zebra swallowtails move through their life cycles among the nectar plants. The surrounding Butterfly Garden is a certified Monarch Waystation. The butterfly house periodically closes for seasonal renewal and pollinator-education upgrades, so it’s worth checking the official site for its current status before you make a special trip for it.
Events & Programs
The garden is busy year-round with recurring programs. Its signature family festival, the Firefly Fling, fills an early-summer evening with live music, food trucks, costumes, and face painting. Seasonal plant sales draw local gardeners, Yoga in the Garden runs on Saturday mornings in the warmer months, and kids’ education programs like Little Sprouts and Garden Buds plus summer camps keep young naturalists engaged. The grounds are also a popular wedding and event venue, with the Totemeier event hall and terrace available for private rentals.
Know Before You Go
- Parking: Free on-site, with reserved accessible spaces near the entrance and overflow parking just south of it.
- Accessibility: Most paths are paved with gentle ramps and benches along the loops, making the inner garden manageable for wheelchairs and strollers; an unpaved outer loop is a bit rougher. No wheelchair or stroller rentals are offered.
- Pets: Service animals only — leave the dog at home.
- Food & drink: Picnicking is welcome, and beer and wine are available on weekend afternoons and at select events. Restrooms are on-site.
- Best season: Late spring through summer for peak blooms and the butterfly house; fall brings good foliage in the Four Seasons Garden.
Admission & Hours
Admission runs around $14 for adults and $7 for children 4–17, with kids 3 and under free and reduced rates for college students, educators, military, and seniors. Members visit free. A great local perk: Fayetteville residents get in free on Saturday mornings, 9am–noon. The garden is generally open Friday–Wednesday, 9am–5pm, and closed Thursdays, with last entry shortly before closing. Prices and hours shift with the seasons, so check bgozarks.org for the latest before you go.
Right next door is Lake Fayetteville, whose 6.9-mile loop connects to the garden via the Streamside Trail — easy to combine the two into one outing.
Location & Directions
📍 Get directions on Google Maps
- Address: 4703 N Crossover Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72764
- Phone: (479) 750-2620
- Admission: ~$14 adults / ~$7 kids 4–17; under 3 free (free Sat 9–noon for Fayetteville residents)
- Hours: Generally Fri–Wed 9am–5pm; closed Thursdays
- Website: bgozarks.org
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks?
Admission is around $14 for adults and $7 for children 4–12, with kids 3 and under free and discounts for students, seniors, educators, and military. Fayetteville residents get in free on Saturday mornings, 9am–noon. Check the official site for current pricing.
Does it have a butterfly house?
Yes — it’s home to Arkansas’s only butterfly house, open in the warmer months (roughly late spring through early fall). It occasionally closes for seasonal renewal, so confirm its status on the official site before a special trip.
What days is it open?
Generally Friday through Wednesday, 9am to 5pm, and closed Thursdays. Hours can shift seasonally.
Are dogs allowed?
No — only service animals are permitted in the garden.
More: all museums, gardens & landmarks in Fayetteville or the full Things to Do in Fayetteville guide.