Yampa River Botanic Park Earns Prestigious Arboretum Accreditation

The Steamboat Springs garden joins an international network of sites recognized for excellence in tree care, education, and conservation.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:07pm

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The Yampa River Botanic Park in Steamboat Springs, Colorado has earned Level 1 accreditation through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, placing it among an international network of sites recognized for their expertise in tree care, education, and conservation. The six-acre park, situated at an elevation of 6,800 feet, demonstrates how trees can adapt to challenging high-altitude conditions.

Why it matters

The ArbNet accreditation is a prestigious recognition that highlights the Yampa River Botanic Park's commitment to preserving and showcasing resilient, climate-adapted tree species. As a public garden in a demanding high-elevation climate, the park's accreditation helps share the importance of sustainable tree cultivation with the local community and connects its work to a global network of arboreta dedicated to tree care and conservation.

The details

The Yampa River Botanic Park's collection includes nearly 200 coniferous trees across 16 species and about 300 deciduous trees representing 20 species. Native and regionally adapted varieties, such as Colorado blue spruce, lodgepole and ponderosa pines, bristlecone pine, Douglas fir, and subalpine fir, play a central role in the park's landscape. The park also features quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, chokecherry, crabapple, and water birch. Growing trees at this high-altitude location presents unique challenges, including winter lows of -40 degrees, heavy snowfall, and limited annual precipitation, but the park's expert care has allowed its living collection to thrive.

  • The Yampa River Botanic Park earned its Level 1 ArbNet accreditation on January 29, 2026.

The players

Yampa River Botanic Park

A six-acre public garden in Steamboat Springs, Colorado that demonstrates how trees can adapt to challenging high-elevation conditions.

ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program

An international community that supports the development and collaboration of arboreta around the world, sponsored by The Morton Arboretum in partnership with the American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International.

Jennifer MacNeil

The executive director of the Yampa River Botanic Park.

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What they’re saying

“As a public garden in a demanding high-elevation climate, being recognized as a Level I Arboretum helps us share the importance of resilient, native, and climate-adapted trees while connecting our local work to a global network dedicated to the care and understanding of trees.”

— Jennifer MacNeil, Executive Director, Yampa River Botanic Park

What’s next

The Yampa River Botanic Park plans to continue expanding its tree collection and educational programming to further its mission of promoting sustainable tree cultivation in the region.

The takeaway

The Yampa River Botanic Park's ArbNet accreditation demonstrates how public gardens in challenging environments can play a vital role in preserving and showcasing resilient, climate-adapted tree species, while also connecting their local efforts to a global network of arboreta dedicated to tree conservation.