Available periods

Personal retreats follow the rhythm of practice here at the center. The calendar below shows when we can welcome you. Find a time that feels right, and reach out if you'd like help choosing.

Artist Residency

Space to Create. Silence to Focus.

Crestone Mountain Zen Center in its high mountain setting in southern Colorado
You don't need to be somebody you're not. You just need to be yourself, wholeheartedly — bringing your full being into the situation, without holding anything back.
Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi
Quiet studio space for creative work at Crestone Mountain Zen Center

A dedicated desk. Natural light. Wi-Fi when you need it. Three meals you never have to think about. Surrounded by mountain views, deep silence, and vast open skies, you are free to focus on the work that matters.

We provide the container: maximum spaciousness, zero friction. What you build inside it is yours. Some artists thrive on emptiness. Others need the rhythm of a group. We accommodate both.

Duration Guide:

— 1 week: Warm-up. Good for blocked projects.

— 2 weeks: The real work begins. Your mind settles in week two.

— 1 month+: Depth. Projects that need incubation time flourish here

This is for you, if …

You need uninterrupted time to create.

You find your best ideas emerge in unusual surroundings.

You are seeking focus without everyday distractions.

You want a supportive container without creative constraints.

Open valley landscape seen from Crestone Mountain Zen Center at 8,400 feet

Creation begins with attention. In a place where little demands your focus, it becomes easier to offer it fully—to the work, the process, and whatever is waiting to emerge.

What's included

Create in a place where silence, nature, and spaciousness nourish the creative process. Whether you're writing, painting, composing, designing, or exploring new ideas for your Start-Up, this retreat offers uninterrupted time for your creative work.

During your stay, you'll enjoy:

The Sangre de Cristo peaks rising above Crestone Mountain Zen Center

Stunning wilderness, vastness & mountains

for reflection, creative breakthroughs, and fresh perspectives.
Buddhist art and artefacts on display at Crestone Mountain Zen Center

Common Space, Art & Artefacts

to interweave inspiration by companionship
A private guest room with bed and desk at Crestone Mountain Zen Center

Private room or cabin

with a desk, natural light, and space to focus and create.
Vegetarian meal served in the dining room at Crestone Mountain Zen Center

Three meals daily, coffee & tea

Organic. Mostly Regional. Special dietary needs are possible.
The zendo meditation hall at Crestone Mountain Zen Center, set up for sitting

Access to the Zendo

whenever you seek quiet, presence, or renewed focus.

The retreat is also the place

What Guests Say

"Es gelingt uns am besten, die Dinge - andere Menschen, Situationen; alles was geschieht - so zu sehen, wie sie sind, wenn wir nichts hinzufügen. Keine Interpretationen. Sondern einfach mit warmen, offenen Augen schauen, ohne Anstrengung. 
"
Name Surname
Title
"Es gelingt uns am besten, die Dinge - andere Menschen, Situationen; alles was geschieht - so zu sehen, wie sie sind, wenn wir nichts hinzufügen. Keine Interpretationen. Sondern einfach mit warmen, offenen Augen schauen, ohne Anstrengung. 
"
Name Surname
Title
"Es gelingt uns am besten, die Dinge - andere Menschen, Situationen; alles was geschieht - so zu sehen, wie sie sind, wenn wir nichts hinzufügen. Keine Interpretationen. Sondern einfach mit warmen, offenen Augen schauen, ohne Anstrengung. 
"
Name Surname
Title
I came thinking I'd learn a technique. I left with the feeling I had finally come home to myself. The quiet here is not the absence of sound — it's the presence of space.
Marta
Dark Sky Retreat, May 2025
Seeing the Milky Way changed something fundamental about how I see myself in relation to everything else.
Sam
Dark Sky Retreat, October 2025
Rohatsu at Crestone is the hardest and most important week of my year. Nothing else in my life asks me to be that honest, that still, that simply present.
David
Has sat Rohatsu nine years

Cabin/Room

+ Private Bath
From
$
200
per Night, Meals included

Room

+ Shared Bath
From
$
150
per Night, Meals included

Camp

Available during warm months
From
$
85
per Night, Meals included

Per-night rate is per person and includes the room of your choice, three meals, tea & coffee, and the respective scope of quotation for each retreat format. Sliding scale available — reach out if cost is a barrier.

Optional add-ons

*Bookable through an external provider
Using the Dome *
$75 per day (sliding scale available)

Where you'll stay

Edge CabinEdge Cabin interior

Edge Cabin

From the Edge Cabin's secluded porch above the canyon, you're within the immense Valley; the Forest branches; the Peaks' presence.

private bathroom - single room
Hillside CabinHillside Cabin interior

Hillside Cabin

The Hillside Cabin is a guest favorite. It is located on the west side of the campus overlooking the San Luis Valley. Perks include a full bathroom and kitchenette.

private bathroom - single room
Skylight RoomSkylight Room interior

Skylight Room

The Skylight Room is a spacious room with a separate entrance in the center of campus. It has a queen bed and features a large skylight with a handmade shoji screen.

private bathroom - single room
Young Pine HutYoung Pine Hut interior

Young Pine Hut

The Young Pine Hut is a cozy rustic two-story log cabin for one person. Upstairs is a sitting area with a low desk. From there a ladder leads to the bed on the lower floor.

public toilet - single room
Guest HouseGuest House interior

Guest House

The Guest House is a spacious building with a quiet atmosphere in the center of the campus. The five private Guest House rooms are the largest accommodations we offer.

Studio RoomsStudio Rooms interior

Studio Rooms

The Studio, formerly the work space of a resident potter, was recently remodeled. It has three single rooms, each furnished with a desk, tea station and wardrobe.

YurtYurt interior

Yurt

The Yurt is located on the outskirts of our campus with views of the local 14er peaks. It has comfortable beds for one or two persons, a deck, bookshelves, and a skylight.

Platform TentPlatform Tent interior

Platform Tent

The Platform Tent has room for one or two persons. It has a deck, two single beds, tables, bookshelf, canvas shelves, and hooks for clothing – and great views of the local 14ers.

CampingCamping area

Camping

The campground is located in a beautiful flat sandy area. There are 10 campsites tucked into the piñon-juniper forest. Bathrooms are a 3-minute walk away.

Common questions

The things you're wondering

What is the food like?

Vegetarian, mostly organic and regional, partly grown on the land in summer. Dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice.

Can I arrive by car? Public transport?

The nearest airport is Alamosa (ALS), one hour away. The nearest bus stop is in Moffat, 30 minutes away. We can arrange pickup for a fee. Parking is free and safe at our property.

Do I have to be silent the whole time?

The center operates mostly in functional speech – we speak when needed for work or questions. In general we start our meals in silence, and then move on to a conversation part. Throughout the day, there are also opportunities when you're welcome to chat and talk with others if you'd like.

What kind of clothing is appropriate for the zendo or for meditation?

In the meditation hall (zendo), we wear dark clothing that covers at least the shoulders and knees. In general, we recommend loose-fitting clothing that is not too tight or even constricting.