SFA Gardens
The East Texas Weekend Preview — Nacogdoches is the definition of the “Piney Woods.”
So much so that Stephen F. Austin university has curated six flourishing gardens for folks to come and experience.
Embark on over 7 miles of hiking trails across 138 acres, full of stunning native plant species that will leave you in awe.
Our exploration began at the Gayla Mize Garden. A multiuse trail system offering magnificent displays of Camellias, Rhododendrons, and Hydrangeas, as well as towering families of trees. Oh! And don’t forget to walk the winding stone labyrinth!
Right across University Drive, you will find the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. Pass through the magical Cascade Falls Baldcypress Tunnel into an incredible blooming pine forest. Enjoy the various Azalea beds and beautiful works by local artists.
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Keep heading North and you will arrive to the massive Mast Arboretum. Home to over 7,500 species of plants, the discoveries are almost limitless. This 10-acre space also happens to be the oldest arboretum in Texas!
Right next door is the Jim and Beth Kingham Children’s Garden. A peaceful hangout spot with a huge pavilion to enjoy a nice snack during all your exploring. Chances are you’ll meet excited, fluttering bugs that are visiting the many colorful plants.
Stroll the paths in this “living laboratory.” The Pineywoods Native Plant Center offers a wide variety of nature displays, cared for and studied by SFA students and staff, including the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Demonstration Garden and Blueberry Hill.
Lastly, relax and kick back within a Baldcypress Treehenge (a massive, thick covering of trees) at Hinds Park. This creek bottomland is named after the first SFA agriculture professor, offering beautiful walking bridges and an impressive muscadine vineyard.
The SFA Gardens can be found throughout the campus grounds: 2404-2498 N University Dr, Nacogdoches
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