Autumn in Wilbur D. May Arboretum A photo essay by Stig Overaas, Outpost staff Click on this photo to enter the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden in the Rancho San Rafael Park. Photos by Stig Overaas I have lived in Reno for four and a half years now, and this place has surprised me profoundly. I never thought Reno would be the kind of place I would have a hard time leaving. But believe me, Reno has more than touristy casinos and distant shopping centers to offer visitors and residents alike. The Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Rancho San Rafael Park is one of those places that makes Reno seem like a normal place. Located in the outskirts of downtown, east of North Sierra Street before the intersection with North McCarran Boulevard, it's a great escape from mundane city life. (Click here to view a map) I have always been in love with this park. Whether it's been just for a walk, throwing the Frisbee around or reading a book, this park has always made me relax and feel good. And best of all: it's just a stone's throw from my house. But the Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden is more than that. In a broader sense, it's located in the transitional zone between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert. This means that plants from both floras can coexist in this park with similar conditions, only slightly adjusted by the human hand. The arboretum is divided into a number of different gardens and groves. Most of them are named after the benefactors of the different gardens. Kristen's Garden, David's Grove and Nevada Bell Grove are some of the gardens in the arboretum. The arboretum was created in 1982 through funding from the Wilbur May Foundation. Wilbur May was a philanthropist in the beginning of the 20th century whose hobby was to collect souvenirs and rarities from the places he visited. Most of these rarities, such as animal trophies and Tang Dynasty pottery, are collected in the Wilbur D. May Museum, which is part of the Wilbur D. May Center. In addition to the museum and the arboretum, the center also consists of a theme park called Wilbur D. May Great Basin Adventure. The Great Basin Adventure, which is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day,offers a "hands-on" Discovery Room, pony rides, flume rides and more. If you live in this area or plan to visit, I recommend that you set some time aside to explore what Wilbur D. May left behind for us. Take a look at the photo essay of the arboretum. Posted Oct. 27, 1999 Copyright 1999, Nevada Outpost Outpost | Metro | Lifestyle | Travel | Dining | Outdoors | Sports Specials | Links | About us | Archives | Mail us