Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
We visited Biosphere 2, aresearch facility in Arizona. It’s a fascinating place, and I’d liken it to a world under glass.
They study ecosystems there, and we found thriving biomes and other interesting things to see. It’s known as the world’s largest earth science experiment!
I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share personal photos. You might want to check it out too!
Getting There
In the spring, we took a road trip from California to Arizona. On the way, we explored Phoenix and some ghost towns.
Then we continued on, staying in a hotel in Gold Canyon. It was about 50 miles away from Biosphere 2.
From the hotel, we drove for over an hour to reach Oracle. The scenery amazed me, and the roads seemed to lead to the middle of nowhere.
We found some hotels and gas stations along the way. I bought a pretty tasty gas station slushie, and we stocked up on water.
The day we arrived, the noon sky was a clear blue backdrop. We didn’t see any other cars on the back roads until we reached the parking lot.
The desert didn’t make a sound. The parking lot had but a few vehicles.
Visiting Biosphere 2
The facility is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving. The hours are 9 am to 4 pm.
We visited on a Wednesday and it was not crowded. This made me happy because I don’t like big crowds. I’m not sure if it’s crowded on the weekends.
Before visiting, we bought tickets ahead of time. Although we got tickets for one date, our travel plans had changed.
So on our road trip, we emailed a staff member about our travel plans. The friendly person changed our tickets.
Checking-In
When we checked in, we showed the student worker our tickets. Some people were buying tickets at the door.
If you visit the website, it tells you to download the app before visiting. Yes, do this before getting there.
I tried to do this when I arrived, but my phone didn’t work.
The student worker waited for my phone to perform miracles with two bars on the signal strength. It took forever!
Although I wanted to skip this, she told me to allow the download. Then, I could listen to the audio for the self-tour.
Audio Self-Tour
We left the entrance and followed the arrows. We passed by the pretty pastel-colored buildings where the research students stayed.
Then we found the signs for the self-tour. There were some scenic viewpoints at different stations.
Mountains topped with snow stood in the far distance. A crisp breeze met me under the clear blue sky.
While listening to the audio, my phone died. Luckily, we mooched the audio from other people who blasted their phones at each station.
Then we just walked around with them like we were a part of their group. Ha!
By the way, if you find any critters, you shouldn’t touch them. I found a sign warning about desert animals in the area.
Upper Habitat
When we finally got to the giant glass pyramid, I didn’t know what to expect. From the outside, I saw overgrown plants and wondered if we were entering a zoo.
Once we entered the building, we were already on the upper floor. This is where we learned how the researchers survived.
They lived in apartments and had common areas. They must have some wild stories about living there.
I have tons of dorm life stories. I couldn’t imagine living in a closed-off space for a couple of years, let alone a couple of days.
We learned that food got so scarce that they fought over a pea. Wow!
After visiting, I did some research and found a newspaper article about some of the food tension and drama.
Lower Habitat
After that, we went down many stairs. They looked pretty cool—like a scene from a futuristic movie.
In a darkened room, people were watching a movie about the facility. So, we sat down and joined them.
Then, we looked at more displays with research notes, reports, and drawings. The photographs and magazine articles showed how big this science experiment was at the time.
We found displays on how the ecosystem worked there. Learning how they studied the water, air, plants, and soil was very interesting.
After learning about the controlled conditions at Biosphere 2, we finally made our way to the actual ecosystems.
The Five Biomes
When we visited, the bright sunshine helped set the scene of this giant greenhouse and made it feel magical. I was having so much fun exploring in my gathered skirt.
Biosphere 2 has five biomes, making it feel like a true wonderland. I couldn’t snap enough pictures!
After entering the savanna grassland, we walked to the desert. We then headed to the mangrove wetlands, past the ocean, into the rainforest.
It’s pretty neat to walk through these ecosystems so quickly. You can see what sets them apart.
The biomes are all encased in glass, and doors separate them. So all the plant scents were strong and pleasant. The plants have labels so you can tell what they are.
In the moist ecosystems, I felt the dew on my skin. Remember, there won’t be any breezes in there. It was pretty warm in places.
The tropical rainforest was my favorite biome. I like rainforests, so call me partial.
I heard other visitors asking if animals were running around inside the biomes.
Don’t worry… I didn’t see any. However, I got bothered by flies.
Field Trip Inspiration
After leaving the research facility, I reflected on how fun it was to see it all. Then, a great idea fell upon me!
I would write a movie script about tourists getting trapped in the facility. Somehow, animals would break loose, and things would go wrong.
Then, someone would discover the people locked inside and save them. I couldn’t wait to write my epic Hollywood script!
To my dismay, I discovered that this movie had already been made! Oh well, maybe it’s time for a part deux? Hmmm…
Travel Notes
It took us about 2 hours to explore the facility. I like to read the displays and take my time, though.
You might want to wear comfortable shoes, as we walked a lot and climbed stairs inside and outside. I wore my New Balance sneakers, which went well with my skirt.
On the self-tour, you can listen to audio at the different stations. Instead of being like me, you might want to charge your phone beforehand.
Prepare for the weather and expect hot weather in the summer. You might need a sunhat or bucket hat when walking around outside. I prefer cotton so I can wash it.
While visiting in the spring, the sun rose high in the sky. However, the temperature around the research facility was much cooler. I’m glad I brought a jacket because I needed it.
We didn’t visit the Lung because it was closed when we visited. Also, they had no guided tours running on that day.
Final Thoughts
Visiting Biosphere 2 was a great experience. It’s one big science and biology field trip you won’t want to miss.
It might interest you if you like exploring the outdoors and learning about ecosystems. I hope to return to see even more!
More Travel Adventures
I have many other related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out.
- Another place I liked with different plants is Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden.
- Visiting Meteor Crater was a fun experience, especially if you like learning about outer space.
- I also did some van camping at Meteor Crater RV Park, which is close to the crater.
I’d love to hear about your travel adventures!
Originally published: May 9, 2024
