FAQs

FAQs

FAQs

The Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Kentucky Children's Garden will be operating Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. during the months of April, May, September and October. Hours of operation will change to Wednesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. during the months of June, July and August starting April 3, 2024.

The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk. The actual time of "dawn" and "dusk" varies throughout the year. 

Help keep our grounds clean by disposing of your trash, recyclable materials, dog waste, etc., in the appropriate container. Paired trash and recycling containers are located throughout the grounds.

The paved path through the Walk Across Kentucky (WAKY) Native Plant Collection is divided into two loops, each approximately one mile in distance.

The Arboretum’s Horticulture Gardens have a variety of accessible paths with surfaces including compacted gravel, brick, and concrete. 

The outdoor restrooms and Visitor Center restrooms are accessible for persons using wheelchairs; each facility contains a stall with a grab bar. 

The Kentucky Children’s Garden can be accessed via a ramp for persons who use wheelchairs or have trouble navigating steps. 

The 2-mile paved path through the Walk Across Kentucky (WAKY) Native Plant Collection is not accessible because grades exceed 5% in some locations. 

If a wheelchair is needed during your visit, The Arboretum has two standard-width wheelchairs that can be borrowed when the Visitor Center is open. Currently, the Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. You must leave an ID or credit card at the Visitor Center with an associate while you use the wheelchair.

We regret that we are currently unable to host 5K races. We encourage those who want to host a 5K to contact Lexington Parks and Recreation, Keeneland Racecourse, or the Kentucky Horse Park. 

    No, organized training and other group activities that interfere with visitors’ activities are not allowed. Check Lexington Parks & Recreation for available facilities.

      Six picnic tables are available. We regret they cannot be reserved.

      Restrooms inside the Visitor Center are open during regular hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

      Outdoor restrooms are available dawn to dusk.

      Please visit our Weddings page and review the Wedding Reservation Request Form. Call (859) 257-6955 or stop in the Visitor Center during open hours to inquire about availability. There is a $530 (event plus 6% sales tax) non-refundable fee to reserve use of the grounds for weddings.

      Smoking is prohibited on the University of Kentucky campus. The tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products (traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chew, pipes, cigars, hookah or waterpipes, snus, snuff, etc.) on all grounds and parking areas and applies to all areas of the contiguous UK campus in Lexington, indoors and out.

      Dog are allowed on the Walk Across Kentucky paved path. They must be leashed at all times, and you are responsible for picking up and disposing of waste. Dogs are NOT ALLOWED in any garden or building, including the Kentucky Children's Garden. Seeing eye or service animals are allowed if properly marked.

      Ilex verticillata (winterberry).

      The Arboretum does not use chemicals to prevent weed growth or to encourage growth on lawn or turf areas. Therefore, our lawn and turf areas are much safer to walk on than many lawns in residential neighborhoods where lawn care companies spray a variety of chemicals harmful to insects, mammals and humans.

      The Arboretum is in the process of spraying the vegetative growth around trees in order to create places where “tree rings” of mulch can be placed that will provide long-term benefits for our trees, our staff, and our budget. We spray these areas with glyphosate and pre-emergent weed killers.

      • Collecting of any type of plant materials
      • Receptions
      • Parties
      • Dances
      • Loud music
      • Food service
      • Alcoholic beverages (It is against state law to possess or serve alcoholic beverages on University property.)
      • Alterations to Arboretum plants or grounds (this includes hanging hammocks on our trees)
      • Candles/open flames/grilling
      • Scattering of ashes
      • Flying of drones (Special permission is required PRIOR to flying; email arboretum@uky.edu.)

      Due to federal safety guidelines, bicycles are not allowed on the paved path through the Walk Across Kentucky Native Plant Collection.

      We provide two connector routes to help provide a more complete bicycle network for Lexington. You may ride your bike from the adjacent neighborhood to our east using The Arboretum entrance at the end of Bellefonte Drive, go through our parking lot, along our entrance drive, and exit onto Alumni Drive.

      There is also a shared use path between our Shady Lane entrance and Commonwealth Court.

      The Arboretum currently does not offer tours, as we currently cannot support paid or volunteer docents for that service. We do have a variety of self-guided tours which you can access via the Arboretum Explorer

      Contact Information

      Molly Davis
      Director

      500 Alumni Drive Lexington, KY 40503

      +1 (859) 257-6955