2025 Las Noches de las Luminarias Program | English

2025 TRAIL MAP & VISITORS GUIDE

LUMINARIAS D E S E R T B O TA N I C A L G A R D E N

Welcome

Welcome to Las Noches de las Luminarias! Get ready for an evening filled with sparkling luminaria-lit trails and twinkling holiday lights. Musical performances, entertainment and festive food and drinks all make for a picture-perfect night.

This year, get a front row seat to nature’s film.

FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse turns the slow-moving desert into a cinematic experience. Five immersive installations.

Thousands of images. One unforgettable journey.

Thank you for choosing to spend your holidays at the Garden and we wish you a festive season.

Now – May 10

Entertainment Venues A

Admissions

B

Binns Pavilion

C

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Desert Terrace

D

The Pavilion at Sunset Plaza

E

Center for Desert Living Trail

F

Webster Auditorium

G

Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail

H

Boppart Courtyard

I

Dorrance Hall

GARDEN GO LIKE A PRO Don’t be shy– anyone with a name badge and twinkling lights is happy to help.

Stay on the trails.

Desert plants have shallow roots.

Visit our Garden Shop to find the perfect holiday gifts, open until 10 p.m.

Enjoy a meal or quick bite to eat at Gertrude’s

by Tarbell’s, Patio Café or Sunset Plaza.

Grassland

Mountain Vista Telescopes

Scan QR code for current date, time and location of performances.

Pratt Ramada

Apache Household

SONORAN DESERT NATURE TRAIL

Akimel O’odham Household

Programming is subject to change. This event will be photographed or recorded for marketing and promotional purposes.

1/4 mile = .40 km

Spanish Gardens

Ullman

4

Terrace

CENTER FOR DESERT LIVING TRAIL

Native Crop Garden Patio Café Saguaro Harvesting Ramada

1/10 mile = .16 km

Webster Center

Desert Oasis

F

PLANTS & PEOPLE OF THE SONORAN DESERT TRAIL

Steele

Archer

Herb Garden

House

Weisz

G

1/3 mile = .53 km

E

Family Plaza

Kitchell Family

Edible Garden

Heritage Garden

DESERT DISCOVERY TRAIL

MAP LEGEND

1/3 mile = .53 km

Parking

Berlin

5

Agave Yucca Forest

The RAF

Restrooms

Sybil B. Harrington

Lewis

Cactus and Succulent Galleries

Exhibit Gallery

2

Marley

Hydration Stations ATM

ATM

Learning Lab

Portal

Christensen Family Desert Oasis

Nina Mason Pulliam Desert Research and Horticulture Center

Boppart

Courtyard

H

3

S’mores

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Desert Terrace Garden

Marley Education and Volunteer Building

Amphitheater

Cohn Family

I Dorrance Hall

6 Ottosen Gallery

Opening Spring 2025

Weisz Learning Center

1

Cactus Clubhouse

Beverage Service

C

Butterfly Pavilion

Retail

First Aid

The Pavilion at Sunset Plaza

Ahearn

Food

Information

D

Desert Portal

Now – May 11 Thursday – Sunday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Ottosen Entry Garden

Admissions

A B Schilling Entry Arbor

Gertrude's

by Tarbell's

Garden Shop

Tribute Bags Ride Share Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Sonoran Santa through Dec. 23

FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse

Butterfly Garden

Hummingbird Garden

Bee Garden

Shade Garden

Harriet K. Maxwell

Binns

Pavilion

Boulder Garden

DESERT WILDFLOWER TRAIL 1/3 mile = .53 km Closes at sunset

The Insider’s Guide to Experiencing FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse

4

STOP, EXPERIENCE, LISTEN

STOP 1:

Present Echoes 5 min.

Kick back on Ullman Terrace and take in this cinematic artwork, that inspires you to ponder human impact on the desert.

5

The plants you see in this Garden bed are the same plants you see on the screens. This garden bed was scanned every day for 365 days. One second on screen = 25 days in real time!

2

Desert Pulse The RAF Exhibit Gallery Step inside the heart of Desert Pulse. This continuous video loop features 20 screens that are accompanied by a soundscape to provide an immersive perspective of desert life and leave you in awe.

Elsewhen

Stay at your leisure or experience it multiple times during your visit.

10 min.

3

STOP 5: 24 min.

STOP 2:

Head to Lewis Desert Portal and witness a saguaro’s transformation. As the landscape shifts seasonally, reflect on how forces of nature shape the natural world.

Refuel + Horizon | Imprint 20 min.

At each Desert Pulse installation, take a moment to sit, observe and listen. Sound and visuals of Desert Pulse are interwoven in a continuous loop that repeats several times per hour. Slow down, tune in and let the desert speak.

1

STOP 4:

6

STOP 6:

Making Desert Pulse Ottosen Gallery Peek behind the curtain and discover how Desert Pulse came to life.

STOP 3:

Calyx 7 min.

The vibrant cactus blooms you’ll see are a few of the species that the Garden is working to protect for generations to come.

STOP 7: Reflect + Explore

Take a final wander through the Garden trails. Let the desert’s rhythms linger as you reflect on how art, technology and nature pulse together.

The Garden is here to help you enjoy the

beauty of the desert

AND CARE ABOUT IT.

GIVE THE GIFT OF

the Garden

This holiday season treat someone special to the beauty of Desert Botanical Garden with a gift membership.

Snapped a picture?

We want to see it!

Follow us @dbgphx #desertbotanicalgarden

Thank you to our sponsor

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