Retreats & Stays

Hold Your Event on Our Beautiful Sierra Foothills Campus

We are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in northern California, a 90-minute drive from Sacramento and a 15-minute drive from the historic towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City.

Our campus offers 240 acres of meadows, woods, streams and ponds for our guests to enjoy. Groups of up to 60 people can easily be accommodated overnight in a variety of spaces on our grounds. Check out our Sierra Friends-Trail Map! Camping is available for special events that reserve the entire campus on an exclusive basis. We also have areas available for day use.

We welcome retreats, workshops, conferences, classes, and gatherings for groups seeking meeting spaces indoors or outdoors, as well as a variety of group and private accommodations from premium to rustic. We offer additional amenities to our guests such as yoga classes, mediation sessions, and guided hikes, to give you a taste of what a special place Sierra Friends Center really is. Whether you are a non-profit organization or community group, a yoga studio or meditation center, a church or Quaker meeting, we would be happy to host you!

To start planning your event, please contact Shannon Boling, Retreats Manager at shannonb@woolman.org.

Are you interested in a personal retreat or a weekend getaway to the Sierra Foothills with your family? We offer both premium and rustic accommodations surrounded by nature, peace and quiet. Please visit Hipcamp to book your A-frame cabin stay, VRBO or Airbnb for the Stone House, and VRBO or Airbnb for the Arbor House.

Our Facilities:

Stone House

This iconic mid-century modern building was designed by architect Ken Kern and built in the late ’60s. The Stone House is ideal for small retreats and meetings or as part of larger gatherings. A round building with stone walls, flagstone patio, seven bedrooms with semi-private bathrooms (2 full and 2 half), a large central room with a hearth in the middle, a carpeted living room, a kitchen, and dining area. The Stone House has an overnight capacity of in both dorm-style and private bedrooms, and a meeting capacity of 30.

Meeting House

Located on central campus next to the Dining Hall and a two-minute walk from the Stone House and A-Frame Cabins, the Meeting House offers a simple and flexible multi-use space with convenient ground-level entrance access. This configurable meeting space can seat people auditorium-style, has an ADA-accessible restroom, and is well-suited to performances and lectures, as well as memorial services and celebrations. Removing the chairs from the room creates a 47- by 23-foot open space ideal for yoga and meditation retreats.

Cabins & Camping

Our simple, wood-heated cabins are on the edge of central campus, close to the trails that wind through our acres of woods and meadows. Similar to cabins you might find in Yosemite or California State Parks, our cabins are rustic and cozy. They feature 2 twin beds, electricity, and a desk and chair. Bathrooms and hot showers are shared and located steps away from each A-frame. Camping is reserved for large groups that need overflow accommodations.

Dining Hall & Kitchen

Our Dining Hall can seat up to 75 people at family-style round wooden tables, and during the spring, summer, and fall, an additional 75 people can sit at picnic and folding tables on the deck and nearby lawn. The connected commercial kitchen can either be rented by groups who want to provide their own meals, or we can provide meals for your group. We partner with local caterers who source ingredients from local and sustainable farms, sometimes from Bluebird Farms (located on Woolman’s campus!)

Arbor House

The Arbor House is a newly renovated, five bedroom/two bathroom home, ideal to rent for small groups or as part of larger gatherings. With new furnishings, appliances, and bedding, it is a comfortable space to gather with friends, co-workers, and/or family. The large living room is perfect for small meetings and can even be configured to hold yoga sessions. It has a full kitchen and sitting area, which looks out upon the newly constructed arbor, and 60 year old grape vines. The Arbor House has an overnight capacity of 12.

Campus Rental

In addition to facilities rental, our 30-acre, groomed Campus is also available for groups to rent for gatherings of all kinds. The Campus includes large grassy meadows dotted with several landmark oaks, bench circles for group meetings, hiking trails that follow a creek through a wild wooded area, and Mel’s Pond for swimming and picnicking.

The cost of your group’s stay depends on the number of people in your group, the length of your group’s stay, and whether you reserve our Dining Hall and/or Meeting House. We charge nightly rates for all of our sleeping accommodations and overnight, day use and half-day use rates for the Dining Hall and Meeting House.