Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum, botanical garden and arboretum in Bushkill Township, Pa.
The Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum is a botanical garden covering more than 60 acres in Bushkill Township, managed by Muhlenberg College. It holds a collection of trees and plants from different parts of the world, with several trails passing through woodland, wetland, and meadow areas.
The property was originally a private estate that the Graver family donated to Muhlenberg College in 1994, making it accessible to the public. The original owners spent many years planting diverse tree species and creating natural ponds, transforming a farm into a nature preserve.
The arboretum bears the names of Lee and Virginia Graver, who were teachers and devoted themselves to planting diverse trees on this land. Today, visitors use the space to slow down and walk quietly among rare and native species, reflecting the founders' love of nature and education.
The arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk at no cost and requires no admission fee. Multiple trails of varying lengths are available, with benches, shelters, and restrooms throughout, though insect repellent is recommended and dogs, bicycles, and picnicking are not permitted.
Hidden among the trees, visitors find unusual details like a wooden bridge built by scouts crossing a small stream and a pavilion nestled in the trees. Oddly shaped species such as lacebark pines with high-reaching branches and Nikko firs with upward-twisting limbs create scenes that feel straight from a storybook.
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