Guidelines for Bus Tours
The arboretum is a fourteen-acre outdoor museum of select, labeled trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials and annuals in Clinton, Iowa. It was privately endowed by Frances and Robert Bickelhaupt in 1970 and is funded by their private foundation and governed by a Board of Directors.
The arboretum is open daily, dawn to dusk, all year.
Guided tours for twenty or more people must be scheduled in advance.
There are two choices for group tours:
1. Two-hour tour includes an approximately one and one half hour guided tour of the grounds and Visitor Center, with an extra half hour to wander the grounds and visit the rest room.
2. An approximate one-hour guided tour with no Visitor center or rest stop.
Tours may focus on a specific area of interest, i.e. herbs, conifers, deciduous trees, etc. Tours directed to children, Master Gardeners, Garden Clubs, etc. are available. Please tell us of your focus when scheduling your visit.
The tours are walking tours guided by volunteers, who will show visitors featured plantings over the entire fourteen acres - approximately one mile of walking.
Electric carts are available with advanced notice for visitors who cannot walk one mile (Limited seating: total capacity 8 passengers.)
There is one unisex rest room near the parking lot. There is no food for sale. Boxed lunches are available by advanced arrangement. We permit bottled and non-alcoholic drinks on the grounds, but we ask that visitors take empties with them when they leave.
The arboretum is open to the public free of charge; we ask for a minimum $25 donation for large groups. Please call (563) 242-4771 to schedule a tour.