The arboretum, of which the gardens are only a small part, extends over 200 acres with direct links to the Sacramento River Trail, a paved, multi-purpose path stretching 20 miles from Turtle Bay to Shasta Dam. The gardens carry Turtle Bay’s sustainability message and express a positive ethic about a harmonious fit between natural systems and human activity.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Admission: $5 suggested donation, payable at the drop box at the east or west entrances. Buy plants to take home at the nursery at the west entrance (open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays).
Dogs are welcome to walk (on leash) with you through the gardens and arboretum.
Getting there: From Interstate 5, take Central Redding Exit 678 (Exit 678B from the north) and follow Highway 44 West to the Sundial Bridge (Auditorium) Drive exit (Exit 1). Turn right into Turtle Bay Exploration Park, park, cross the Sundial Bridge and go left to enter the gardens from the east. The nursery and West Garden Entrance is at 1100 Arboretum Drive off of North Market Street.
