Visit Holden Village

REST & RENEWAL

Welcoming All to the Wilderness

Nestled in the mountains of the beautiful Glacier Peak Wilderness, Holden Village welcomes all people into the wilderness to form and renew their relationships with God, the earth, and each other. The Village welcomes all who seek rest and renewal to take part in daily rhythms of work, recreation, worship, and shared meals with good company.

Whether joining for the excitement of summer programming or prefer a more quiet winter retreat, Holden Village invites you to join us in the beauty of the North Cascades any time of year. We hope to see you in the Village soon!

Registration is now live for bookings between now and August 31, 2024!

Accommodations & Amenities

Lodging

Enjoy simple, comfortable, and rustic lodging during your stay. Linens, pillows, blankets, and towels are all provided, and each bed is lovingly topped with a homemade quilt.

Food – Meals/Dining

The Holden Kitchen provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. Holden’s diet utilizes mainly local & organic produce, whole grains, legumes, and occasional fish & meat options.

Things to Do

You have great flexibility in how you spend your time. You can fill your days with classes and activities, go out on the trails, or spend time relaxing and resting.

Amenities

Experience the past and present intertwine as you move through this historic mining village adapted for use as a retreat center with amenities for play, rest, learning, recreation, and more.

Accessibility

Holden Village welcomes all to  the wilderness. Expanding accessibility is a continued area of growth in this historic mountain Village. Here’s what we currently can and cannot offer.

Group Visits

Holden is a great place for your family, church, or community organization. Throughout the year, Holden welcomes visitor groups of all ages to experience new rhythms of living.

Cancellation Policy

To reserve a room, it is necessary to place a deposit equal to the cost of a single night’s stay. In the event of a cancellation, Holden Village will retain $25 per person in said party as an administrative fee. The remainder of the deposit will be refunded. If you have any questions, need to make any changes, or need to cancel your reservation, please email registrar@holdenvillage.org.

Winter is a truly beautiful season to visit; however, sometimes Holden Village must cancel transport to and from the boat dock because of dangerous winter travel conditions along the road. Safety is our top priority and this decision is made based on avalanche conditions and forecasts.

Incoming Guests: If transport is cancelled, you will be notified by an email from Registration as soon as the decision is made, typically early the morning of your arrival. The boat companies will also be notified if Holden Transport is cancelled.

Outgoing Guests: Any additional nights that you have to stay at Holden Village due to transport not running will be half the normal charge. We recognize that cancelling transport out of the Village is an inconvenience to you and out of your control, so we will heavily discount your additional stay. However, if Holden has advised you to leave on earlier transport in order to avoid forecasted weather conditions that could impede departure, and you still decide to stay, then you are responsible to pay the regular rate for any additional days.

If you have time-sensitive travel plans or an event that you need to return to after a winter visit to Holden Village, we recommend that you plan your departure from the Village to be a few days earlier (with a few buffer days), just in case transport is cancelled due to weather.

Plan Your Visit

Stay during Summer

We look forward to inviting you into the wilderness this summer for rest, rejuvenation, and connection. Summer programs will take place June 9 – August 31, 2024. 

Registration is now open for summer visits!

Plan Your Summer Visit

Enjoy Holden’s wide variety of program offerings including: art classes, naturalist sessions, children’s activities, faculty-led sessions, daily Sacred Space gatherings, and more. Faculty-led sessions are held Monday to Thursday. The Narnia childcare program runs from 8:30 to noon Monday to Friday.

Information about facilitators leading 2024 sessions coming soon!

  • August 11-16 is Abriendo Caminos – a special week of bilingual programming in partnership with Holden’s Latiné community members. Learn More!
  • Agosto 11-16 Abriendo Caminos – semana especial con programación bilingüe en conjunto con la comunidad Latiné de Holden. ¡Aprenda más!

 

New this year: You can arrive or depart on any transport day: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Learn more about How to Get to Holden Village to book your boat tickets on the arrival and departure dates of your choosing.

Looking for a quieter-paced and shorter stay in the Village? If you’ve never been to Holden Village before and want to try it out for a shorter amount of time, or you just want a quick getaway to the wilderness, visit Holden Village for the weekend!

Staying at Holden over the weekend offers ample free time for hiking and outdoor recreation, reading, journaling, relaxation, and rest. There are fewer scheduled classes and activities, yet it’s still a wonderful time to experience the Village.

Plan to arrive on a Friday and depart on a Sunday or a Monday for a weekend visit.

Learn more about How to Get to Holden Village to book your boat tickets for a weekend visit.

Availability

Registration for Summer 2024 is now open! 

Your options for arrival and departure days are Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You are welcome to arrive or leave on any of these days! 

Holden Village will be closed to guests on August 31 through September 5th, 2024.  

Rates
JUNE 9, 2024 – JUNE 22, 2024

Length of Stay  |  

    1-6 nights

    7+ nights

Adult (18+)  |  

 $105/night

 $90/night

Children (4-17)

  $81/night

  $69/night

Children 3 and under stay for free!

JUNE 23 – August 17, 2024:

Length of Stay  |  

    1-6 nights

    7+ nights

Adult (18+)  |  

  $137/night 

  $118/night

Children (4-17)

  $96/night

  $82/night

Children 3 and under stay for free!

August 18, 2024 – September 1, 2024

Length of Stay  |  

   1-6 nights

   7+ nights

Adult (18+)  |  

  $105/night

  $90/night

Children (4-17)

   $81/night

   $69/night

Children 3 and under stay for free!

Visit in the Autumn, Winter or Spring

Enjoy Holden in the slower seasons. 

Escape into the wilderness and enjoy the peace, simplicity, and intentional presence of the Holden community in the slower seasons. 

Bring your spirit of adventure, pack your sense of humor, and prepare for snow in all its glorious variations! Engage in the seasonal rhythms and routines of an intentional Village community, while witnessing the splendor of the North Cascade wilderness. Witness the vibrant yellows throughout Railroad Creek Valley in autumn, stir your sense of adventure with cross country skiing and snow sports in winter, and revel in the beauty and renewal of spring. 

Engage in special seasonal and holiday programming, while enjoying ample free time for winter recreation like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, or rest and restore indoors with reading, journaling, and relaxation. 

Registration is now open for visits through June 8, 2024!

Your options for arrival and departure days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only from January through May 1, 2024.

Check out the Holden Village Calendar to plan your visit during special events and retreats.

  • Women’s Retreat: February 2-5, 2024

 

Holden Village will be closed to guests on January 4, February 1, March 12, March 25-27, April 1-3, April 4, April 13-22,  April 29-May 11, May 14, and May 17-19, 2024. Dates are subject to change.

Registration will open on April 8th, 2024 for bookings for September 6, 2024 to January 2, 2025.

Holden Village will be closed to guests on September 5, October 7-19, October 29, November 12, and December 17, 2024. Dates are subject to change.

Off Season Rates
JANUARY 3 – JUNE 9, 2024
SEPTEMBER 2, 2024 – JANUARY 2, 2025

Length of Stay  |  

   1-6 nights

   7+ nights

Adult (18+)  |  

  $105/night

  $90/night

Children (4-17)

  $81/night

  $69/night

Children 3 and under stay for free!

Additional Information

Health & Safety

Caring for the health and safety of all Villagers is a responsibility joyfully shared by all members of the community! Learn more on our Health & Safety page.

Holden Village has a First Aid Station equipped to handle basic needs. The Village is not well equipped to handle medical emergencies on site. Emergency evacuations are possible in most weather conditions. However, due to our isolated location, evacuation can take many hours or even days in winter. Helicopter evacuation, if available, is very expensive. If you use medication, be sure to bring more than enough for your stay including possible delays leaving the village. If you have any questions about coming to Holden in regards to your health, please contact your doctor and/or the Village Medic before finalizing your visit.

If you have an emergency, please call the emergency satellite phone number: 509-699-2404. If your issue is not an emergency, please contact us via email. 

Be prepared for a wide range of temperatures and conditions depending on the season in which you visit.

Summer daytime temperatures are usually in 70F – 80F although it can often be hotter. Temperatures still dip into the 40s at night. Winter temperatures generally hover between 20F – 30F but it can get colder.  The average annual snowfall at Holden Village is 270 inches. 

Read more about seasonal changes at and find current conditions and the forecast for Holden Village on our Weather page.

Packing List

  • Linens and towels
  • Free laundry facilities and detergent (summer only)
  • Some hiking, camping, and fishing equipment available for check-out
  • Masks/face coverings
  • Toiletries
  • Sunscreen
  • Flashlight/headlamp
  • Cell phone as a camera/alarm clock (Enjoy time in the Village to unplug and connect in person! There is no cell service or Wi-Fi for guest devices at Holden. A laptop in the Library provides community internet access if needed, limited to 20 minutes per use.)
  • Summer Packing
    • Warm jacket (summer temperatures still dip into the 40s at night)
    • Lightweight casual clothing (summer day temperatures hover in the 70-80s, but can often be hotter)
    • Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
    • Light rain gear
    • Bathrobe – bathrooms are located at the end of each guest lodge hallway
    • Bug Repellent
  • Winter Packing
    • Have readily at hand (not tucked away in your luggage) cold-weather clothing for the 40-minute bus ride between Lucerne (where you’ll leave the boat) and Holden Village
    • Bring extra medications and other essential personal items that you would need if weather conditions prolong your stay in the Village
    • Warm clothing layers and waterproof outerwear (temperatures generally hover in the 20s and 30s but it can get colder)
    • Bathrobe – bathrooms are located at the end of each guest lodge hallway
    • Snow boots
    • Snow/Ice traction devices (some are available to borrow and more available to purchase in the store)
    • Children’s helmets for sledding (some are available to borrow)
  • Hair dryers and curling irons (These items strain our hydroelectric plant.)
  • Pets (However, service animals are permitted in the Village.)
  • Firearms (Holden does not allow firearms, including hunting rifles, in the Village or on our transportation. For hunters, please note that Holden also does not transport or store game.)
  • Illegal drugs (Because the Village is located on federal land, marijuana is also illegal, and its use will not be tolerated.)
  • Candles and/or incense
  • Glass (Not recyclable.)

Hiker Services

Holden is a great base camp for adventures in Washington’s North Cascade Mountains. Make Holden part of your backpacking, climbing, or thru-hiking route! Learn more about services we offer to backpackers, climbers, and thru-hikers, including transport, meals, camping/lodging, amenities, and more on our Hiker Services page.

Financial Assistance

At Holden Village, we are committed to welcoming all people into the wilderness. The Holden Village Access Fund exists to offset the cost of a visit to Holden Village for people with financial need.

Holden Village acknowledges that the oppression of people based on race, ethnicity, income level, gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical ability creates barriers that make the cost of visiting difficult. The Access Fund is particularly designed to expand welcome to people of color and people who identify as LGBTQ+.  

 Fill out this form to request financial support from Holden Village.

Technology Policy

Internet connectivity in the wilderness is limited. Shared public computers in the Holden Library provide 20-minute sessions. Guests cannot access wifi on their personal devices. You are welcome to use your phone, laptop, e-reader, or tablet in your room. Please limit use in public spaces. We practice limited use of technology as a discipline of our low-impact and simple wilderness lifestyle. Enjoy this time in the wilderness to unplug and connect in person!

HOLDEN BED & BREAKFAST

Lodging on Your Way to Holden

Need a place to stay on your way to or from Holden Village? Check out the Holden Bed & Breeakfast! Although not located in the Village, the Holden B&B is a great place to start or end your trip to Holden Village. A six-bedroom house on Lake Chelan, the B&B offers travelers simple and comfortable lodging amidst national forests, apple orchards, and Washington’s premier wine country. Whether you are on your way to the Village or just passing through, the Bed & Breakfast is the perfect place to experience Holden hospitality downlake.

Education

Holden Village is a community where your questions are valued and encouraged. Most programs led by visiting teaching faculty occur during the summer months. However, Holden also invites faculty to teach sessions for special events and retreats throughout the rest of the year.
Check out a list of the 2024 Summer Faculty.