Featuring sixty-five acres of lawn, gardens with ornamental trees and shrubs, woods, meadows, old apple orchards, a glacial esker, wetlands, two ponds, and a bog, the site of the Acton Arboretum was acquired by the Town of Acton in 1976-77 and formalized as an arboretum in 1986.

The arboretum has four access trails with three major loop trails on interconnecting paths throughout the property. It includes areas that are open and handicapped accessible, with gentle grades, a mix of paved and stone dust paths, benches, and picnic tables.

Specialty gardens and trails include those dedicated to wildflowers, hostas, daylilies, lilacs and medicinal, culinary and stewing herbs. In 2016, a Chinese trail garden was installed featuring a traditional red foot bridge and a board walk lined with oriental species of trees and bushes, including Japanese maples, weeping cherries, willows, and tree peonies.