Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a botanical garden in Shasta County, California. The nearest town is Redding, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Turtle Bay Exploration Park lies ENE of town).
Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a 300-acre, mostly outdoor cultural center located in Redding, California. Situated along the banks of the Sacramento River, the park features the Turtle Bay Museum, as well as the Sundial Bridge, a 700-foot long, 23-foot wide footbridge designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. The park has indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, gardens, and playgrounds for children. The museum conducts educational programs and exhibitions on the Wintu people, including a full-size shelter.From the Wikipedia article “Turtle Bay Exploration Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Turtle Bay Exploration Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 58° ENE | 8:44 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 121° ESE | 4:46 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 17m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Turtle Bay Exploration Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:27 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:38 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 3:28 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.52 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 72 | 83 | 89 | 101 | 112 | 118 | 114 | 111 | 102 | 86 | 69 |
| Low °F | 14 | 21 | 24 | 29 | 35 | 40 | 52 | 50 | 40 | 33 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.0 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 4.4 | 8.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Turtle Bay Exploration Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Lake
Cave
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Horse Camp Primitive Campground13.1 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Shasta Campground14.4 km (8.9 mi)
- Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Whiskey Creek Group Picnic Area (Whiskeytown Nra)16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Brandy Creek Primitive Campground17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Turtle Bay Exploration Park?
What time is golden hour at Turtle Bay Exploration Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Turtle Bay Exploration Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Turtle Bay Exploration Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Turtle Bay Exploration Park?
How far is Turtle Bay Exploration Park from Redding?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.