Overview

One of the premier public gardens in North America, The Dawes Arboretum has over 1,700 acres of plant collections, gardens and natural areas. Founded in 1929, Dawes is a travel destination for Licking County, central Ohio and beyond!

Beman and Bertie Dawes founded The Arboretum with the dedication to increase the love and knowledge of trees, history and the natural world. We continue their dedication through a variety of ways including education, conservation, research and maintaining diverse woody plant collections for the public to enjoy.

We invite you to explore Dawes through this website. Here you’ll find information on everything from things to do and collections to upcoming events and facility rentals.

We hope your visit to our website entices you to visit our grounds soon. Over eight miles of hiking trails and a four-mile auto tour will help guide you through our grounds. On any given day, you can find something new—a fragrant witch-hazel blooming in late January or a bluebird guarding its new family in spring. Let your senses lead you!