Must-see sanctuary · Essex, New Jersey
Turtle Back Zoo
Turtle Back Zoo is a sanctuary in Essex, New Jersey.
Turtle Back Zoo: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: heavy on weekends and holidays; arrive early morning. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this sanctuary: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.
Best time to visit Turtle Back Zoo
Season: November to March for sightings; sanctuaries may close in peak monsoon.
Busiest days: Weekends, public holidays, Sankranti and Dasara breaks.
Crowd: Heavy on weekends and holidays; arrive early morning.
Typical week: Mon busy · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri busy · Sat packed · Sun packed.
How to reach Turtle Back Zoo — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: 40.76724, -74.28066. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Turtle Back Zoo
- Empty Cloud Monastery · Buddhist site · Essex · ~2 km · Must-see
- Hemlock Falls Loop · waterfall · Essex · ~3 km · Must-see
- Greenwood Gardens · sanctuary · Essex · ~4 km · Must-see
- Saint John's Catholic Church · church · Essex · ~5 km · Must-see
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park · museum · Essex · ~5 km · Must-see
- Congregation B'nai Israel · church · Essex · ~6 km · Must-see
- Orange Park · park · Essex · ~7 km · Must-see
- Eagle Rock Reservation · sanctuary · Essex · ~7 km · Must-see
- Riker Hill · sanctuary · Essex · ~8 km · Must-see
- Saint Luke's Episcopal Church · church · Essex · ~9 km · Must-see
- Reeves-Reed Arboretum · sanctuary · Union · ~9 km · Must-see
- Montclair Art Museum · museum · Essex · ~9 km · Must-see
- Roseville Presbyterian Church · church · Essex · ~9 km · Must-see
- Lenape Trail · trek · Essex · ~9 km · Must-see
- Deliverance Temple · church · Essex · ~10 km · Must-see
- Wallace Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church · church · Union · ~10 km · Must-see
- Van Vleck House and Gardens · sanctuary · Essex · ~10 km · Must-see
- St. Rocco's Roman Catholic Church · church · Essex · ~10 km · Must-see
Other wildlife, forests & gardens near Turtle Back Zoo
- Greenwood Gardens · sanctuary · Essex · ~4 km · Must-see
- Eagle Rock Reservation · sanctuary · Essex · ~7 km · Must-see
- Riker Hill · sanctuary · Essex · ~8 km · Must-see
- Reeves-Reed Arboretum · sanctuary · Union · ~9 km · Must-see
- Van Vleck House and Gardens · sanctuary · Essex · ~10 km · Must-see
- Summit Jewish Community Center · sanctuary · Union · ~11 km · Must-see
- Hilltop Reservation · sanctuary · Essex · ~12 km · Must-see
- Presby Memorial Iris Gardens · sanctuary · Essex · ~14 km · Must-see
- Jefferson Park · sanctuary · Union · ~15 km · Must-see
- Watchung Reservation · sanctuary · Union · ~16 km · Must-see
Wikipedia · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata (CC0)
Frequently asked
Is the park open?
No visitor has reported the opening & safari status for Turtle Back Zoo yet. Typical pattern: heavy on weekends and holidays; arrive early morning. Busiest: Weekends, public holidays, Sankranti and Dasara breaks.
What is the best time to visit Turtle Back Zoo?
November to March for sightings; sanctuaries may close in peak monsoon. Heavy on weekends and holidays; arrive early morning.
What are the places to visit near Turtle Back Zoo?
Nearby: Empty Cloud Monastery (Buddhist site, 2 km), Hemlock Falls Loop (waterfall, 3 km), Greenwood Gardens (sanctuary, 4 km), Saint John's Catholic Church (church, 5 km), Thomas Edison National Historical Park (museum, 5 km), Congregation B'nai Israel (church, 6 km).
Is Turtle Back Zoo worth visiting?
Turtle Back Zoo is listed as a must-see sanctuary in New Jersey on Spotwander.