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Lyon Arboretum and Botanical Garden
An Introduction
The Harold L. Lyon Arboretum and Botanical Garden
is a 193-acre tropical botanical garden located
in the upper end of Honolulu's Manoa Valley. The arboretum features
a lowland tropical rainforest surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides.
The Lyon Arboretum receives about 34,000 visitors a year and it
is used by the faculty and students of the University
of Hawaii for research, conservation, and community outreach projects.
Copyright ©
Kathleen Walling Fry
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Tours and Opening Hours
The Lyon Arboretum is open to the public Monday through
Friday, 9 am to 4 pm and on Saturdays from
9 am to 3 pm. It is closed on
Sundays and public holidays. One hour guided
tours are available for a small fee Monday through Saturday at 10 am.
Reservations can be made in advanced by calling
808-988-09461. Self-guided tours are available anytime and
Lyon Arboretum Trail Maps and trail descriptions are available
on the University of Hawaii's Lyon Arboretum Web site.
It is recommended that visitors wear comfortable
walking shoes, bring insect repellant, and
be prepared for rain.
Trails in the Lyon Arboretum
It takes about an hour to hike round trip from the parking lot to
the Bromeliad Garden and Inspiration Point. Visitors can also
hike to Aihualama Falls by hiking from the parking lot
to the end of Lyon Arboretum road, then taking the footpath on
the left. The round trip hike to the falls is about 1.5 miles.
The trail head to
Manoa Falls, which is not on the Lyon Arboretum
grounds, is located just outside of the entrance to the Lyon
Arboretum.
History of the Lyon Arboretum
The Hawaii Sugar Planters Association purchased the arboretum land
in 1918 as part of a reforesting project.
In 1953 the land was acquired by the University of Hawaii
and it was used to propagate ginger, heliconia, bromeliads, and aroids.
The Lyon Arboretum was founded in 1972 as a research unit of
the University of Hawaii, College of Natural Sciences.
It is used by faculty, staff, and visiting scientists to study
tropical plant life with a special emphasis on native Hawaiian plants.
It was named after botanist Dr. Harold L. Lyon who I believe
granted the lands to the University of Hawaii for use as
an arboretum and botanical garden only.
The arboretum was closed for a few months in 2004
to repair some of its deteriorating and possibly dangerous trails.
Parts of the arboretum were closed in 2006 and 2007
during a major $3 million renovation and repair project.
That project was completed in mid-2008 and the Lyon Arboretum
was opened to the public again on June 14, 2008.
Attractions Near the Lyon Arboretum
Waioli Tea Room
Waioli Chapel
Manoa Valley Inn
Mount Tantalus Lookout
See also:
Photos of the Lyon Arboretum
News About the Lyon Arboretum
More Botanical Gardens on Oahu
Gardens on Other Islands
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Related Links
Manoa Valley Inn
Oahu Island - Main Menu
Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
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