Earth Sanctuary

Sculpture · Island County ·

Earth Sanctuary

Sculpture · Island County ·

Nature preserve with sculptures, spiritual sites, and wildlife

Information

2059 Newman Rd, Langley, WA 98260 Get directions

@silverkris

10,054 Postcards · 2,273 Cities

A peaceful sanctuary for people and wildlife on Seattle's Whidbey Island - SilverKris

"A privately owned 29-hectare sculpture park and wildlife reserve on Whidbey Island, founded in 2000 by environmental artist Chuck Pettis, who leads visitors on a 3 km loop of trails that blend art, spirituality and habitat restoration. The reserve was designed to honour perceived earth energies and ancient monument forms—featuring cairns, a charred-driftwood Ley Line Sculpture, a Buddhist stupa with spinning prayer wheels and a medicine wheel created from a consecrated baby grey whale skull by Nuu-chah-nulth shaman Klaw-osht. Birdlife and wetland habitat are central, with frequent sightings of wood ducks, hooded mergansers, great blue herons and bald eagles; Pettis has planted dozens of native tree species and hundreds of other plants to restore old-growth characteristics and support wildlife. Visitors pay a small $7 honesty-box fee (or can prepay online) and are invited to slow down, reflect and experience the site’s calming, restorative atmosphere." - Carrie Honaker

https://silverkris.singaporeair.com/inspiration/nature-adventure/sightseeing/a-peaceful-sanctuary-for-people-and-wildlife-on-seattles-whidbey-island/

Earth Sanctuary

Briley M.

Google

Beautiful nature reserve with good trails, directions, and can be a very spiritual experience. No dogs allowed. If you take your time and walk quietly, you can see wild life. Will be back!

Soumya M.

Google

A very calming, beautiful place to watch a variety of birds. We also came across non venomous snakes which to me was a plus. The entry fee was a bit higher than we hoped but it was worth it to us. $7 i think

Grant T.

Google

The Earth Sanctuary is... what it sounds like, a very special place that let's you immerse yourself in nature as you walk the trails. There are many sacred spaces that represent a wide array of beliefs which can help one find peace. Thank you for sharing this gem with us all! Make a point to check it out, it's well worth the $7.00 entrance fee.

Barbara F.

Google

Wonderful place to retreat, the grounds are spacious and pristine. The energy is positive and nurturing. It was a perfect place for my daughter and I to reconnect and delve deeper into our spiritual practices.

Mike R.

Google

When we got to earth sanctuary we had to pay with vendors or PayPal luckily we found a pen in the car and filled out the envelope. The maps are very confusing it never says (you are here) on the paper maps that are hand outs and on every trail cutoff but never says (you are here) The main objects or temples are located throughout the sanctuary my wife and I had gotten lost at the other entrance, but on the map it does not say (you are here).

Tiffany C.

Google

This place is cool. There’s 2 places to drive to inside, then tons of hiking areas to see more the art work, structures, and more. Very peaceful area. The pay area needs to be a little easier to find. But so much fun. Can hit bells, spin bells, lots of touching which is cool.

Ryan F.

Google

What a hidden gem. So gorgeous. The loop hike we took was a little over two miles, but you could make it shorter or longer if you wanted. The entire property is green and lush with a couple of large ponds or lakes and some gorgeous marshland. I recommend pants and long sleeves as you may get hit with some stinging nettle if you're not careful. We are very glad we went and we hope to go back 🤙

Samantha Cavanagh L.

Google

Such an amazing place! We got lucky and were the only car in the parking lot so we had earth sanctuary to ourselves. The trails are well maintained and every step gives such a wonderful feeling of peace. If you have some time in Freeland, make some time to stop by. They accept Venmo and Paypal if you don't have cash.

Lawrence L.

Yelp

Plan. Plan. Plan. The Earth Sanctuary is a fantastic retreat of walking paths, stone circles, places to sit, think, draw, meditate, remember, and much more. It's only $7 to spend as much daylight as you want while there. You can power walk your way through, but you'll miss the nature and time for self-reflection and teachable moments. Decide why you are going there, even if it is your first exploration. You could spend a whole day by the water writing, drawing, and doing things that fill your soul. Plan to do that. If you have younglings, decide what teaching about Nature you'd like to do. The trails are natural, and this is a place to take it slow for those with mobility challenges. I strongly suggest developing a theme of why you are going and using that as a guideline for a great day. There are porta potties by the parking sites. Bring your water and snacks if you must, but mind the wildlife who get sick from your leaving. A rule of thumb is to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.

Adri R.

Yelp

What a wonderful place. My family was looking to do a memorial tree in memory of my grandparents. We were greeted by Charles the owner when we got there. We walked around the well-maintained grounds looking at different trees. There's many acres to the Earth sanctuary. It was great to see so much wildlife. An walking passed an seeing other families that did a memorial tree for there loved ones. We knew we in the right places to remember our loved ones. It's a quick ferry, boat ride from, Mukilteo. Make sure to bring your walking shoes.

Donna G.

Yelp

For best experience, go with the idea of a nice nature walk only and an occasional interesting art installation you might stumble upon. It was a bit frustrating to find each installation as signage wasn't great. Some signs led us to believe that they had been moved, or foliage grew over where something was, e.g. a sign's arrow pointing straight into a bush. A placard at each installation could also have provided more information. $7 per person with multiple signs indicating that if you don't want to pay, you should turn around and leave. Fair but sheesh. Price Sculpture Forest is 25 mins away, a lot more interesting, better organized & donation based.

Lucy W. H.

Yelp

So inspiring. Loved the trails, the trees, and the art. If I lived on Whidbey, definitely purchase a year's pass. Truly a sanctuary where you can clear your mind, meditate, exercise. Paths were soft. There is some uphill. Some magnificent views.

A A.

Yelp

A place to step away from it all. Quiet, meditative and beautifully green space. Turn off cell and enjoy the space, the trees, the air,the road and your thoughts.

Mike S.

Yelp

Fun place to walk around. Someone or a group of people takes very good car of this wooded area. We went in January so no one was there. We will go again!

Justin C.

Yelp

Lovely spot for a nature walk. Very quite, very beautiful, very peaceful. Humming with birds and all sorts of little critters. Lots of Buddhist and Native American art / spiritual items scattered throughout this little nature reserve.

Sydney B.

Yelp

Clean, beautiful space, perfect walk for even young kids! They have signs explaining everything and all the different monuments in the park

Nj S.

Yelp

I was excited to visit Earth Sanctuary. I appreciate the time and love it took to create. Easy to pay using Venmo is a plus. More information about the terrain would be be helpful on your website, (know before you go). Also, better marked paths with distance would be greatly appreciated. We never found several places listed. We drove to both entrances trying to find the best way. Walked a lot. Ended up heading back to the car. Anyone with limited mobility ect, may have difficulty.

Peter A.

Yelp

Among the best kept secrets in the Puget Sound. This 72-acre private meditation parkland, features a number of megalithic monuments and sacred spaces designed for meditation and prayer. Among the sacred places are Tibetan Prayer Wheels, Stone Circles, a Dolmen (the first built in the U.S. during modern times), a Labyrinth, and a Native American Medicine Wheel. You enter the park ($7 donation) and you walk down a number of paths that lead to these special places. A person can light candles, meditate, make wishes or just sit down and enjoy the scenery. I love the wild flowers, plants, animals running around, frogs jumping along the pond. . . . It is truly a very special place. If you want a very unique experience to meditate and pray, learn about other cultures, or just hike in a nature preserve then you must visit Earth Sanctuary.

Rose Y.

Yelp

Not much to see. There was a sign for a scenic lookout over the Sound and when I got there, the blackberries were so tall that I could not see over it. I am giving it two stars because the bird songs were lovely to hear. I didn't bring binoculars so I couldn't see them.

Jason W.

Yelp

Beautiful place. Extremely relaxing and renewing. Come prepared with sage, and offerings per site on the property. Bring correct foot wear for muddy spring conditions.

Dan S.

Yelp

It's out of the way, which it has to be for this much nature. The paths are well made and well marked. Some structures in it are interesting, but a little distracting. And, although we paid the entry fee, there were a few areas where we asked again to contribute. I understand that something of this magnitude requires upkeep. The distraction is that while thinking of Buddhist ideas (non-attachment), it's jarring to see the host ask for money.

Michael M.

Yelp

I can't say how encouraging this place was, each set up was consciously done and can be participated with. The grounds as well are wonderful, the vision here to restore and let Nature grow can be see with every step one takes in the park. Truly the effort that goes into here shines out, so much movement of the wildlife and with a spiritual setting, one gets as much as one puts in, maybe even more! I've always thought it would be great if individuals could just preserve land on their own and this whole set up would not be possible without those efforts.

Juli-ann W.

Yelp

Magical. I heard two owls talking the forest and knew this was a special place. The setting is serene. Ample hiking trails but also easy access to gentle places for sitting and reflecting. So many hidden treasures. I was filled with delight and my arms were covered with goosebumps. I felt at peace, and can't wait to return to this parkland. Whether you love nature, sacred spaces, or both, you will be stunned to have such a treasure just outside of Seattle.

Carolann D.

Yelp

Walking through Earth Sanctuary is one of my favorite things to do when I have to chance to "leave America" and take a quiet walk through the woods. It takes me about 4 hours to cover most of the trails and religious installments, and often, one will not see others during the hike. This time, however, I chose to rent the Retreat House on the property and really get into it. Unfortunately, the Retreat House was quite dirty with lots of things in disrepair. And because incense is burned in the house, one's bare feet will end up black walking around inside. I complained to the owners about how dirty it was, and they did not offer a refund, an apology, nor even the courtesy of a reply. So that is sad, and I resent and regret spending my hard-earned money there and having to clean before me as well as after myself. They should just pay someone $15/hr to clean between guests.

Chelsea L.

Yelp

We went on a guided tour with Claudia (one of the owners) and it was lovely. She explained everything about the sanctuary-how it came to be, why certain spots were chosen for meditation, and where all of the beautiful sculptures and stones came from. She led us through brief meditation practices at certain areas and we left feeling happy and healthy :) We will definitely be back!

@silverkris

10,054 Postcards · 2,273 Cities

A peaceful sanctuary for people and wildlife on Seattle's Whidbey Island - SilverKris

https://silverkris.singaporeair.com/inspiration/nature-adventure/sightseeing/a-peaceful-sanctuary-for-people-and-wildlife-on-seattles-whidbey-island/

Earth Sanctuary

Briley M.

Google

Beautiful nature reserve with good trails, directions, and can be a very spiritual experience. No dogs allowed. If you take your time and walk quietly, you can see wild life. Will be back!

Soumya M.

Google

Grant T.

Google

Barbara F.

Google

Mike R.

Google

Tiffany C.

Google

Ryan F.

Google

Samantha Cavanagh L.

Google

Lawrence L.

Yelp

Adri R.

Yelp

Donna G.

Yelp

Lucy W. H.

Yelp

A A.

Yelp

A place to step away from it all. Quiet, meditative and beautifully green space. Turn off cell and enjoy the space, the trees, the air,the road and your thoughts.

Mike S.

Yelp

Fun place to walk around. Someone or a group of people takes very good car of this wooded area. We went in January so no one was there. We will go again!

Justin C.

Yelp

Sydney B.

Yelp

Clean, beautiful space, perfect walk for even young kids! They have signs explaining everything and all the different monuments in the park

Nj S.

Yelp

Peter A.

Yelp

Rose Y.

Yelp

Jason W.

Yelp

Beautiful place. Extremely relaxing and renewing. Come prepared with sage, and offerings per site on the property. Bring correct foot wear for muddy spring conditions.

Dan S.

Yelp

Michael M.

Yelp

Juli-ann W.

Yelp

Carolann D.

Yelp

Chelsea L.

Yelp

Earth Sanctuary

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A peaceful sanctuary for people and wildlife on Seattle's Whidbey Island - SilverKris

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A peaceful sanctuary for people and wildlife on Seattle's Whidbey Island - SilverKris