California’s diverse mountain ranges hide numerous spiritual retreats where monks and nuns have established peaceful sanctuaries away from the bustling cities below. These monasteries offer visitors a chance to experience contemplative life, stunning natural beauty, and architectural marvels that blend seamlessly with their mountainous settings. From the redwood forests of the north to the desert peaks of the south, these sacred spaces provide respite for both pilgrims and curious travelers.
Here is a list of 20 mountain monastery visits in California that offer unique glimpses into monastic life and breathtaking alpine scenery.
New Camaldoli Hermitage
Perched dramatically on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean near Big Sur, this Benedictine monastery combines mountain solitude with coastal grandeur. The hermitage sits 1,300 feet above sea level, where monks live in individual cells scattered throughout the forested hillside.
Visitors can attend daily prayers, purchase handmade fruitcakes and religious books, or simply absorb the profound silence that characterizes this remarkable place.
Abbey of New Clairvaux
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Chico, this Trappist monastery operates a working farm and winery while maintaining ancient monastic traditions. The community reconstructed stones from a 12th-century Spanish monastery, creating a stunning chapter house that serves as the centerpiece of their modern abbey.
The monks welcome visitors for prayer services and offer tours of their agricultural operations, including vineyards that produce award-winning wines using traditional methods.
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Madonna della Strada Retreat Center
Nestled in the Santa Lucia Mountains above Salinas Valley, this Jesuit retreat center occupies a former Franciscan monastery site with sweeping views of agricultural lands below. The facility sits at 2,000 feet elevation, surrounded by oak woodlands and hiking trails that wind through chaparral-covered hillsides.
Guests can participate in directed retreats or self-guided spiritual exercises while enjoying the Mediterranean climate and panoramic vistas.
Prince of Peace Abbey
This Benedictine monastery, located in the coastal mountains near Oceanside, combines traditional monastic life with modern, sustainable practices. The community operates an organic farm and maintains extensive gardens that supply much of their food, while solar panels and water conservation systems reflect their commitment to environmental stewardship.
The abbey church features stunning stained-glass windows that cast colorful light across simple wooden pews during daily prayer services.
Mount Calvary Monastery
Situated in the Santa Barbara Mountains, this Episcopal monastery welcomes visitors to share in the rhythm of monastic prayer and contemplation. The brothers maintain beautiful gardens and a library filled with theological works, while guest rooms provide simple but comfortable accommodations for those seeking extended stays.
The mountain setting offers hiking opportunities through oak and pine forests, with trails leading to scenic overlooks of the Santa Ynez Valley.
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Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
Hidden deep in the Los Padres National Forest, this Buddhist monastery requires a challenging drive down a winding mountain road that keeps casual visitors away. The center operates as a monastery during winter months and opens as a retreat center in summer, offering guests the chance to experience Zen practice in a pristine wilderness setting.
Natural hot springs on the property provide relaxation after meditation sessions, while the surrounding mountains create a sense of complete isolation from the modern world.
Incarnation Monastery
This Benedictine women’s community in the Berkeley Hills combines urban accessibility with mountain tranquility, offering stunning views of San Francisco Bay from their hilltop location. The nuns welcome visitors for prayer services and maintain a gift shop featuring handmade pottery, religious art, and baked goods.
The monastery grounds include peaceful gardens and walking paths that wind through eucalyptus groves, providing quiet spaces for reflection and contemplation.
San Damiano Retreat
Perched on a hillside in Danville, this Franciscan retreat center offers panoramic views of Mount Diablo and the surrounding East Bay hills. The facility features a beautiful chapel with soaring ceilings and large windows that frame the mountain landscape, creating a sense of openness and connection with nature.
Retreat programs range from silent weekends to guided spiritual direction, all taking advantage of the peaceful mountain setting.
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Mount Tabor Retreat Center
Located in the foothills above Menlo Park, this center is situated on a historic estate featuring gardens and walking trails that wind through oak woodlands. The mountain location provides a sense of seclusion while remaining within easy reach of Silicon Valley, making it popular with tech workers seeking spiritual balance.
The facility offers both individual and group retreats, with meditation gardens and quiet spaces designed to encourage contemplation and prayer.
Vedanta Retreat
Situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Olema, this Hindu monastery serves the Vedanta Society with a temple and retreat facilities surrounded by towering redwood trees. The mountain setting creates a cathedral-like atmosphere where visitors can experience ancient Hindu traditions in a uniquely Californian environment.
Programs include meditation instruction, philosophical discussions, and cultural celebrations that blend Eastern spirituality with Western accessibility.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
This Buddhist retreat center in the Marin Headlands offers meditation instruction and retreats in a setting of rolling hills and oak woodlands. The center sits at an elevation of 1,200 feet, providing views across the North Bay while maintaining the sense of mountain solitude essential for contemplative practice.
The facility features a beautiful meditation hall with large windows that connect practitioners with the natural world, while walking meditation paths wind through the surrounding grasslands.
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La Casa de Maria
Nestled in the foothills above Montecito, this retreat center occupies a Spanish colonial estate with gardens and facilities designed for spiritual reflection. The mountain location offers views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance while providing the quiet atmosphere necessary for retreats and contemplative programs.
The center welcomes visitors from all faith traditions and offers both guided and self-directed retreat experiences in a setting of exceptional natural beauty.
Mount Madonna Center
This yoga and meditation retreat sits atop a 355-acre mountain preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains, offering panoramic views of Monterey Bay and the surrounding peaks. The center combines Eastern spiritual practices with environmental education, maintaining organic gardens and sustainable living practices that reflect their philosophical commitments.
Visitors can participate in yoga classes, meditation sessions, and educational programs while enjoying hiking trails that wind through redwood forests and grassland meadows.
Monastery of the Angels
Located in the Hollywood Hills, this cloistered community of Dominican nuns offers a surprising oasis of contemplative life within the bustling Los Angeles metropolitan area. The monastery is situated on a hillside location that offers views of the city below, while maintaining the silence and solitude essential for monastic life.
Visitors can attend daily prayer services and purchase handmade altar breads and religious items crafted by the nuns.
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Christ the King Retreat Center
Situated in the San Bernardino Mountains near Lake Arrowhead, this Catholic retreat center offers programs in a setting of pine forests and mountain lakes. The facility sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet, providing cooler temperatures and alpine scenery that contrasts dramatically with the desert valleys below.
Retreat programs include silent weekends, directed retreats, and youth camps that take advantage of the mountain environment for both spiritual and recreational activities.
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
This Theravada Buddhist monastery in the Mendocino mountains provides a traditional monastic environment where visitors can observe authentic Buddhist practice. The community adheres to ancient monastic discipline while welcoming laypeople for meditation instruction and dharma talks.
The mountain setting, featuring oak woodlands and grasslands, creates an atmosphere of simplicity and natural beauty that supports contemplative practices.
Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center
Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this historic retreat center has served Christian communities for over a century, set amidst towering redwood trees. The facility offers year-round programs, ranging from family camps to theological conferences, all of which take advantage of the mountain environment for both spiritual and recreational activities.
It maintains extensive facilities, including hiking trails, recreational areas, and cabins designed to accommodate groups of various sizes.
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Presentation Center
This retreat facility in Los Gatos is situated on a beautiful campus in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, offering programs that blend spirituality with social justice education. The center is situated on 46 acres of oak woodlands and gardens, offering serene spaces for reflection and group activities.
Programs include retreats, workshops, and educational events that address both personal spiritual development and community engagement.
Saint Andrew’s Abbey
Located in the high desert mountains near Valyermo, this Benedictine monastery operates a ceramics studio and retreat facilities in a stark but beautiful landscape of Joshua trees and desert peaks. The community welcomes visitors for prayer services and retreat programs, while maintaining traditional monastic practices adapted to the unique environment of the Mojave Desert.
The abbey church boasts a simple yet elegant architecture that complements its dramatic mountain setting.
Rancho La Puerta
This wellness retreat in the mountains near Tecate combines fitness and spiritual programs in a setting of oak-covered hills and organic gardens. The facility offers a unique blend of physical activity, healthy cuisine, and contemplative practices designed to promote holistic well-being.
The mountain location provides hiking opportunities through diverse ecosystems while maintaining a sense of separation from urban distractions.
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Sacred Ground, Timeless Peace
These mountain monasteries continue to serve as beacons of contemplative life in a state known more for its beaches and entertainment industry than its spiritual traditions. Each community has adapted ancient monastic practices to California’s unique geography and culture, creating spaces where visitors can experience silence, natural beauty, and spiritual reflection. The mountains themselves seem to call forth this kind of sacred response, offering elevation not just in altitude but in perspective and possibility.
Whether seeking personal renewal or simply curious about monastic life, these communities welcome visitors with the same hospitality that has long characterized religious communities. The combination of California’s stunning mountain landscapes with centuries-old spiritual wisdom creates experiences that linger long after visitors return to their daily routines.
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