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 Breitenbush Retreat Center sits on approximately 1,200 acres in the Cascade Mountains. Most of the property is nestled south of Breitenbush River, with employee quarters on the north side. Breitenbush has several miles of hiking trails, as well as a labyrinth. There's a sauna house, massage house, and seven mineral pools. The sauna and pools are clothing optional. |
The history of Breitenbush goes back to 1874, when an early survey expedition named the area after a local character who came over from The Netherlands, Lewis Breitenbucher. In 1904, the land was homesteaded, and it changed hands several times until it came to the current owners, a cooperative of individual shareholders.
This is the lodge, where they serve three vegetarian meals a day, and people play guitars and piano, and visit. 
This is from the front porch of the lodge, looking toward the gift shop and office. 
The sauna house. 
This is the Near Pool. The other pools are named Middle Pool, Silent Pool, and Spiral Tubs. The Spiral Tubs are four pools under a pagoda, where the temperature progresses a couple of degrees from one pool to the next. The hottest pool is known as the lobster pot. This location also has a cold plunge—river water piped up from the Breitenbush River. 
A rental cabin in the woods. Visitors can choose from a variety of rental accommodations on the grounds. 
The massage house. 
This is named the Forest Shelter. 
This is the Sanctuary; below, inside the Sanctuary. 
These two buildings, plus the Buddha's Playhouse, are open around the clock for meditation, unless there's a class going on. Breitenbush offers a hundred and fifty workshops every year, including yoga and Zen meditation retreats. They also welcome people for personal retreats and day visits, so it is not necessary to sign up for a workshop to visit. 
The color photos show off the grounds. 
Learn more about Breitenbush - Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center (breitenbush.com). Photos of other places 
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