“Salmon, cedar, rock and rain are key components of Olympic National Park, but they have an even older history with the First Peoples of this area. We live in and with these cherished treasures of life and nature, God-given, bountiful, and beautiful.”
Olympic National Park!
Yoga, Meditation, Hiking, Camping, Backpacking
Two Dates to Choose from:
July 20-26, 2025 or August 10-16, 2025
$1,111 all inclusive
Deduct $50 if you have taken any previous overnight retreat with us
“What an amaaaaazing time!!! Great hikes, food, yoga, peeps, accommodations, water, energy, trees….shall I continue? A Holman-Gross retreat will never let you down!!!!”
Words do not suffice for this special, sacred place: Olympic National Park, World Heritage Site, UNESCO Biosphere, from 8,000 foot high Mt. Olympus, to a 70 mile gorgeous coastline, to old growth rainforests, unique biodiversity and ecosystem, elk, bear, whales, marmots and more. 8 Native tribes call this peninsula home.
“I’ve always wanted to backpack but didn’t know where to start. Combined with car camping, hiking and yoga, this was a great combination. The overall feeling is one of feeling grounded.
Roy and Liz are excellent guides and made the retreat an incredible experience. Between the logistics planning, food prep, destinations and yogic focus, they really knocked it out of the park.“
What Will We do?
Liz and I are happy to offer this amazing annual Olympic National Park adventure for the 8th time. All the trips over the last 7 years have been amazing, so much beauty! Trip includes virtually all meals (about 16), park permits, campsites, guided hiking, backpacking, meditations (walking and sitting), forest bathing (soaking up prana from the rainforest), beach yoga, river yoga, yoga in a studio (in Pt Angeles), one night in a comfy lakeside lodge, swimming and community. We will visit some of the most beautiful beaches, forests and mountains in the world.
Who should attend?
This is a unique trip, with yoga, meditation, hiking and backpacking. What is the difference between hiking, car camping and backpacking? We do some short hikes without packs, as well as two nights car camping in a campground, with bathrooms and showers available, and with our vehicles. Backpacking is more challenging, leaving the cars and crowds behind and carrying our food and overnight equipment (backpack, tent, sleeping back, pad, etc.) on our back. Though these backpack trips are not very long or steep (3-5 miles max per day), this is not for everyone.
NOTE: We generally request a ZOOM meeting to meet you and discern if you are a good fit for this trip. Again, while the backpack hikes are not long (under 5 miles a day), we have found that some people are just not suited for this type of trip. We also need to assure that you are reasonably healthy, community minded, and can carry your share of the gear. And we want to help you find the right gear. (We have gear to rent; see below).
SNORING NOTE: Due to the unique aspects of this trip (both camping and lodging), if you snore loudly we can still work it out, but we may have to charge and extra $50 for your own campsites. The beach and river sites are no problem, as we can spread out and there is delightful “white noise” of river and ocean waves. The last night, we may have to have you stay in a tent rather than the lodge, as there are not enough rooms for a private room. All doable!
What is Forest Bathing?
This is the healing intention of soaking up the rainforest prana, ions, chi or life force energy. In Japan it is called Shinrin-yoku Forest Therapy, the medicine of simply being in the forest. Shinrin-yoku is a term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.” It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care in Japanese medicine. But of course, it is not limited to Japan, as we have some of the most amazing ancient old growth rainforests in the world.
Why Olympic National Park?
Quite honestly, the Olympic National Park is my (Roy) favorite place on Earth. I am not exaggerating. I have had a passion for the Olympics since the first time I visited back in 1996. I have travelled and backpacked all over the world, but there is something about the Olympics, with its old growth rainforests, stunning beaches, alpine meadows, majestic mountains, river valleys and amazing wildlife that stirs the soul. So, we decided to combine the inner with the outer, the hiking with the meditation, the forest bathing and the yoga, the community with the solitude, and it has been an awesome combo.
Cost & W
hat is Included
$1,111 for the 6 night, 7 day trip includes five nights camping (two car camp and three backcountry backpacking), one lodge night at a comfy lodge near Lake Quinault, about 16 healthy, love-cooked meals (to your dietary needs, if not too complicated), camp cooks and fuel, guided yoga and meditation, Sol Duc hot springs entry, and all park passes and permits. Extra costs: optional meal out, gas and ferry costs (shared). Note: Transport is not included, but we usually have enough local drivers participating, but there is a chance that some of you will need to rent or borrow a car, as we travel around the entire Olympic Peninsula to visit all the coolest places.
IMPORTANT: Each member of the group must be willing and able to carry your own backpack, tent, sleeping bag and pad, water, clothes, and personal items. In addition, each person will be asked to carry about 3 pounds of community gear (food, fuel, filter, etc.) on the overnight backpacks. We will have a ZOOM video call to discuss all details regarding gear and what to bring.
GEAR AVAILABLE TO RENT (price is for the whole week)
Note: Due to the special aspects of this trip, we will only take about 11 people, so please do not delay signing up
“What a fun week with good people. Thank you to you and Liz for sharing such a beautiful place.”
Theme of Trip
Our theme is stretching our comfort zone (safely) and facing and clearing fear.
What else is there to know about this trip?
Liz and Roy have visited the Olympics for the last twenty five years, and know some of the best places to visit, many of which are well known, some lesser known. We will be traveling one way counter clockwise around the Olympic Peninsula, starting in Pt Angeles, finishing at Quinault Lake. See below for the itinerary. We will include car camping, back country (forest and beach) camping, yoga (in studio and beach), meditation walks, some meals (camp cooking). We will soak in the Sol Duc natural healing pools, and visit the Sol Duc waterfall. We will drive up to the amazing Hurricane Ridge for a stunning view of the Olympics and Mt. Olympus. We will visit one of the world’s biggest Cedar and Spruce trees.
Side-note on Car pooling, Gear sharing, Alcohol:
We will need a couple of you to drive, and others will kick in for gas and ferries. NO SOLO DRIVERS, as there is limited parking at trailheads. We prefer 3 people in each car. To better understand, we ideally arrange car pooling from Seattle area, and then all the cars meet in Pt Angeles Sunday. We drive to various areas each day, working our way counterclockwise around the Olympic Peninsula, driving an hour or so each day, then hiking and playing and spending the night, then finishing in Quinault area at a beautiful lakeside lodge (with actual beds and showers!), and then continue counter clockwise back to Seattle via Olympia and Tacoma. In other words, we do not return to Pt. Angeles.
To maintain a sacred and safe space, we ask that we refrain from alcohol at camps, but you are welcome to consume alcohol in moderation when we dine out (there will be a meal eaten out). This way we keep the camp space clear for meditation and deeper connection. We have found that this balance works for maintaining a yogic environment and the holding of intention for healing, awakening and breaking habitual patterns.
We will discuss details on gear, how to pack your pack, etc.
What to Bring:
We will discuss this in detail later, but some things to keep in mind: Three nights will be short backpack trips. Although relatively short and easy–about three to four miles one way each–everyone should have access to the proper gear (we can guide you what to bring, buy or borrow). You will need a backpack, sleeping bag, tent (you can share with someone), sleeping foam or blow up pad, hiking boots or shoes or even good sandals. You will not need to bring a stove, fuel, water filter, or first aid kit, unless you prefer your own gear.
Gear rental: We now have a fair amount of gear to rent ($25 per item unless marked otherwise): backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad ($15), hiking poles ($10), and possibly more.
“Roy and Liz provided a unique and spectacular retreat on the Olympic Peninsula! They cooked delicious meals and shared a “locals” experience amongst the most beautiful nature on the continent. They were very helpful teaching us the basics of backpacking and how to camp gently in the rainforest. We especially enjoyed the yoga and meditation sessions surrounded by giant trees and along side ocean waves. We saw whales and eagles and small forest creatures. Roy’s retreats have always been fantastic, but this retreat is now my favorite!!”
“I had so much fun on this trip. Thanks for the memories and the friendship.”
Food and Meals
We do our own cooking, and LOVE making healthy, tasty, organic meals to your dietary needs. All meals are included (about 16 total), starting with dinner the first night, and a bountiful buffet the last morning. Naturally, the backcountry meals will be more simple, but still healthy and tasty. We cook and dehydrate our own healthy, organic foods for back pack meals.
Please Note: We are happy to take the time to make meals that fit your needs and allergies. However, we ask for NO MALEABLE DIETS. By this we mean, if you request a certain diet, please stick to what you requested. We have had numerous attendees who request certain meals (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, etc.), but when actually at the retreat, after we took considerable time to make their separate meals, they decided to “change their mind” or “just go with the flow” and eat the food intended for the main group. This gives us extra work and also means there is less of the other food for those who did not request special foods. Again, we are happy to fit your needs, but if your request is just a preference–not an actual allergy–consider the extra work we take to make your food and be honest and considerate, thank you!
Itinerary
Day One: Sunday: Drive to Pt. Angeles area of the Olympic Peninsula. Arrive around 2:00pm, and camp at beautiful Heart of the Hills Campground, near Hurricane Ridge. Afternoon meditation walk in old growth forest. Dinner at camp. Drive to Hurricane Ridge for sunset short hike, views, and wildlife seeing and photography.
Meals included: dinner
Day Two: Camp Breakfast. Yoga at local yoga studio in Pt Angeles. Drive west to Lake Crescent Lodge for picnic lunch, possible swim (amazing, clear lake water!). Short hike. Continue west to Sol Duc campsite. Hot soak at natural mineral springs of Sol Duc. Dinner at camp.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day Three: Short hike to beautiful Sol Duc Falls, then camp breakfast. Visit gorgeous river spot, possible cold water plunge! Continue west to incredible beaches of Olympic National Park. Lunch enroute (included). We will then hike 2 miles to a stunningly beautiful Beach. This will be an afternoon of meandering, exploring. Beach yoga. Amazing sunset. Dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day Four: Morning beach yoga. Breakfast. Short workshop. Beach meandering. Hike beach back to cars. From beach, we head back inland, then stop for picnic lunch enroute. Then organize our gear, and drive into Olympic National Park’s Hoh River area, one of most beautiful old growth rainforests in the world. We will visit the Hoh visitor center, then backpack in three miles and camp along the Hoh River. Evening meditation walk in the river valley. Camp dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day Five: Camp Breakfast. Gentle riverside yoga. This is a relaxing, rejuvenating Forest Bathing day. We will take a travel break and hang out in the rainforest, with optional meditation hikes (without heavy packs!) deeper into the rainforest to soak up the great energy, perhaps see elk or other wildlife. Maybe take a splash or swim in the Hoh river. Seated riverside meditation and yoga, and one more short workshop. Restful sleep by the river under the ancient rainforest trees.
Meals included: B-fast, lunch and dinner
Day Six: Camp Breakfast. Gentle riverside yoga. We hike out of the Hoh, drive west back towards the coast, then s
outh, and stop to visit one of the most beautiful, ancient red cedar tree groves groves in the world. Then picnic lunch along the beach. We continue south to the Quinault area, stopping for a stroll in old growth trees and perhaps a dip in the lake. We will go for some comfort and bed and hot water showers and stay right on the shore of Quinault Lake. After cleaning up, we take a short walk to see the biggest Sitka Spruce in the world, and visit the historic Quinault Lodge for dinner (optional, not included).
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
Day Seven: Gentle, standing yoga on grass patio, closing ceremony, breakfast, swim option, then depart for home around 10am.
Meals included: Breakfast
Your Guides: Roy Holman and Liz Gross. Roy has been teaching yoga and meditation for about 25 years, and has led hikes globally and in the Pacific Northwest with the Mountaineers, and professionally with Lynnwood and Edmonds Parks Department. Liz Gross also teaches yoga and meditation and is a gifted energy healer. Her website is Here
Register Here
Non-Discrimination Policy
Yoga is about unity and oneness, not divisiveness and polarity. All are welcome on our retreats. We do not discriminate for any reason, including sex, gender, race, age, vaccinated or unvaccinated, masked or unmasked. We trust you to take care of yourself, and to decide first, if this trip is for you, and second, how to take care of yourself. We will do our part to keep everyone safe and honor all our needs, but ultimately, your health is your responsibility. May this retreat be a healing experience for all.
Payment and Refund Policy
For those visiting from afar, we highly recommend trip and travel insurance. In rare cases, we have to cancel trips, and we cannot be responsible to cover lost airfare or other fees. The global uncertainty and change of late (you may have noticed!) is another reason to purchase travel cancelation insurance.
We request a $500 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to trip. Note: Deposit is generally nonrefundable. 3/4 of later payment may be refunded if you cancel > 30 days prior to trip, 1/2 refund if you cancel 15 – 30 days prior to trip (depending on retreat center refund policy), no refund under 15 days prior to trip–unless I can get some money back from hotels and retreat center. Note: In these wild, COVID times, we do our best to expand our refund policy, being fair to all involved, but there are no discounts or refunds if you only stay for part of the trip.
“Glorious intoxication of the soul is the reward of all who seek it in the bosom of Nature.”
