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Hours and Admission

Hours  

  • Gardens are OPEN daily from 9am to 5pm (exceptions below)
The Arboretum is closed for these 2023 dates:
July 4, November 23-24, December 24, 2023 - January 2, 2024

Admission 

  • $10 adults                                            
  • $8 seniors 65+
  • $5 youth 6-17
  • free to kids under 6

Free Admission to:

  • Current UCSC students & Arboretum Members with membership card
  • AHS/ROAM/NARM Reciprocal Members with card + ID
  • Those ONLY shopping or picking up an online order at Norrie's Gift & Garden Shop
  • Everyone on Community Day - all day, the first Tuesday of each month 

How to PAY:

  • pay online at shopucscarboretum.com
  • Pay with cash or checks payable to UC Regents & deposit into brown PAY HERE Tubes in Visitor Parking
  • Pay at gift shop during the shop's OPEN hours

Accessibility, Tours, Pets:

  • No Pets allowed 
  • Many of our pathways & trails are wheelchair, stroller & walker accessible. See map
  • Docent-led Tours have resumed. See available Tours and Self-Guided Tour resourses here
  • If you wish to visit our small botanical library, please inquire with the office. 

Health & Well-being

Outdoor spaces: Mask not required
Indoor spaces: Mask highly encouraged inside Gift Shop and other indoor spaces

To continue to protect others and yourself, please:

  • If you are sick, stay home
  • Out of courtesy, maintain 3-6 feet of space whenever possible 
  • Bring your own drinking water (recommended though we do have 2 drinking fountains)
  • Practice good hygiene at all times

Garden Etiquette

Please help us maintain the peaceful atmosphere people have come to enjoy. For fire safety and the health of other visitors, there is no smoking.

To protect our collection, endangered species, and educational materials: There is no collecting of any plant or animal material of any kind dead or alive. This also means no collecting of any seeds or cuttings. We are required to mention that collecting tadpoles, harassing or touching the federally protected red-legged frogs is against federal law. Adult supervision of children is required. Take only notes (not labels or flowers), leave only footprints.

For your safety: Please stay on concrete or dirt paths to avoid poison oak, spines, uneven footing and to avoid compacting the soil over tender roots or trampling small plants. Mountain lion sightings are extremely rare, but read the signs about how to stay safe.

No Pets - UCSC does not allow dogs on campus, which includes the Arboretum.

Help protect our rare plant collections by staying on paths, supervising children, and leaving pets at home.