Hike + Heal Sequoia National Park

A weekend of stewardship and self-care.

Deep within you lies a wilderness waiting to be explored—a world of untapped potential, dreams, and desires. Our retreat is designed to help you navigate this uncharted territory and uncover the true essence of your being. Through introspective workshops, guided meditations, and transformative exercises, you will embark on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery, peeling back the layers to reveal your authentic self.

As you delve into the wilderness within, you will start to see the intricate threads that connect your inner world with the outer world of nature. Our skilled facilitators will help you understand the deep interplay between your thoughts, emotions, and the natural elements surrounding you. Through workshops and discussions, you will learn how to harness the wisdom of nature to cultivate mindfulness, resilience, and a profound sense of connection with the world around you.

It's no secret that our wild spaces have been impacted by human activity. But here's the beautiful truth: we have the power to make a positive change. In this immersive retreat, we will dive headfirst into the heart of environmental stewardship, rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty. Together, we will embark on conservation projects, revitalizing trails, and restoring ecosystems, all while nurturing a deep connection to the lands we love.

Conservation projects to enrich your connection to the land.
Naturalist-led hikes with breathtaking views.
Guided self-discovery activities to shift your perspective.
Making memories with friends who feel like family.


📍We acknowledge that the area known as Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks is the ancestral lands of the Western Mono (Monache), Yokuts, Tübatulabal, Paiute, and Western Shoshone people. Curious about the history of the land where you work, live, and play? Native Land is a great place to start your research!

Returning Summer 2025!

Trip Itinerary

 

Friday

Meet at the Visitor’s Center

We start our weekend at the Foothills Visitor’s Center, where you’ll check in for the retreat. At 3pm, we’ll caravan up to our private campground inside Sequoia National Park.

(subject to change based on road damage and repairs)

Dinner + Campfire Chats

Whether you want to keep it simple with dehydrated backpacking food or create something from scratch on your camp stove, we’re excited to see what you’re whipping up for dinner! After we eat, we’ll gather around the campfire to connect as a community and close the day.

Welcome Workshop

When we arrive, we’ll set up camp and get familiar with our surroundings for the weekend. Before dinner, we’ll go for a short (30 minutes each way) hike and kick off the retreat with a Welcome Workshhop!

 

Saturday

Stewardship Project

After breakfast, we’ll caravan to the site of our stewardship project. We’ll be in the field for most of the morning, so bring snacks or a lunch! We highly recommend long pants + long sleeves as we’ll be doing a meadow restoration and will be in the sun for a few hours.

Hike + Heal

After our stewardship project, we’ll head out for a short hike to a swimming hole to cool down and refresh ourselves. Along the way, we’ll pause to connect the dots between our inner and outer wilderness.

Free Time + Dinner

When we get back from the swimming hole, it’s your time to spend however you wish. Journal, take a nap, bust out your art supplies, the world is your oyster! Feel free to make yourself dinner before the evening programs.

Sunset Hike + Star Party

After we cook dinner and eat together, we’ll head out for our sunset hike. Once the stars come out, it’s time to learn about the constellations and connect the dots between inner and outer space. Bring a headlamp, as we will be hiking back out under the starry night sky!

Sunday

Morning Meditation

Greet the sun and warm up your soul with a grounding meditation that will help you tap into your inner calm when the world feels chaotic around you.

Walk + Talk in the Giant Forest

Let’s exchange contact info, take tons of photos, talk about our dreams, and use this morning as a moving meditation to seal in this experience. We will be exploring the Giant Forest at a slow, meandering pace as we learn about the history of healing in the National Park system.

Closing Ceremony + Check Out

Before we check out of the campground, we’ll circle up one more time for our closing ceremony to reflect on our time together and set intentions for life after the retreat.

What’s Included?

 

  • We will meet at the Visitors Center on Friday and caravan into the park together. Your access to Sequoia National Park is included in registration.

  • Your retreat registration includes your camping reservation for two nights at a private service campground inside Sequoia National Park. You are responsible for bringing your own equipment. See the packing list below for more information about what to bring.

  • Through guided self-discovery exercises, participants can look forward to a weekend of disconnection from every day life to facilitate a deep reconnection with themselves and each other. Workshops are facilitated on Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday morning.

  • We are thrilled to introduce you to the Sequoia Parks Conservancy’s skilled interpretive naturalists as they present their Astronomy program on Saturday evening and lead us on a guided hike through the Giant Forest on Sunday.

  • The research is clear, spending time in nature is beneficial for the body, mind, and spirit. On our guided hikes, you will learn techniques to turn any outdoor activity into a mindful experience. Experience the healing power of nature via guided self-discovery activities all weekend long on and off the trail.

    NOTE: These retreats feature short hikes over various types of terrain, including paved trails in the Giant Forest (4-5 miles, a few sets of stairs), and mostly even single-track trail and paved trails to our service project sites and astronomy program (1.5-3 miles). If you have specific questions about the hiking portion of the program, feel free to email retreats@hikingmyfeelings.org for more details.

  • While our healing journeys are deeply personal and unique to our lived experiences, we all have at least one thing in common: we’ve survived everything life has dealt our way so far. Healing in community reminds us that we are never alone in what we’ve experienced and that together, we rise.

  • The team from Sequoia National Park will provide all of the equipment necessary for your Saturday stewardship project.

 

What to Bring