Land of Medicine Buddha Retreat Center

Excellent place to get away and reconnect with your soul. Friendly staff kinda of a hidden jem. Just obey the rules and enjoy the space.

Just returned from a Universal Education weekend. Stunning event with the nicest people, cozy & warm, very peaceful, nature walks adjacent Nicene Marks State Park (I could go for miles). Who knew being Buddhist could be this much fun - prayer wheels, golden Buddhas, yummy meals. Bliss! HUGS!

Beautiful, developing place that heals your soul. Brings you a peace of mind and calmness, away from this daily routines.
Come to enjoy Buddha spirit, teaching along with walking this healthy 6 miles trail.

This place is absolutely gorgeous and serene. It's one of my favorite places to take people to go hiking. They have this trail called the 8-Verse Trail. Each spot has a sign with some type of philosophical sentiment. It's a perfect place to go and reflect and meditate. In fact, at about the 7th or 8th stop, The small group I went with took a moment to do a meditation session. And it was absolutely so peaceful. We could hear all of the sounds around us like the bugs buzzing and the birds chirping and the wood creaking. It was a perfect opportunity to clear the mind and to set intentions.

After that trail we decided to venture into the Enchanted Forest. They had tall redwoods and plenty of beautiful ferns and clovers. We were there in the morning at around 10:00 a.m. In the middle of July and the weather was absolutely perfect. It wasn't too cold or too hot. There's plenty of shade, So it's great for a summer hike. There was a spot in the enchanted forest where people put shrine dedications to those who passed away. They even had a special spot for pets.

Beware that there is a lot of poison ivy and poison oak, so watch what you're touching while you're out there.

They also had a bunch of really cool things to check out before you go on the hike. Like a giant prayer wheel. They also had a large bell and a gong that you're allowed to make noise on.

I plan to come here again and again and bring people here to experience this beautiful place

I'm reviewing the hiking trail and not the retreat center.

Be careful when driving. I missed the sign to exit right, so I had to make a U-turn to get to the parking lot.

I came here with a party of 6 to hike on a Saturday morning. Most of us got here before 9am, so we were able to find parking. If you plan to come any later, your chances of finding a parking spot is very unlikely! The center will ask for donations, so make sure you come prepared with some cash!

We started off our hike but walking on the Verses trail. I think about half way into this trail, we went off to the another trail. In total, we hiked about 6.5 -/+ miles! I love hiking trails with a lot of shade. I burn easily, so I try to avoid the sun as much as possible. We ended up walking about 900+ ft in elevation. It wasn't so bad. I think what made the hike difficult was the amount of smoke in the air. The night before the hike, there was a fire, so we could still smell the smoke in the air. I'm a slow hiker and I need to take frequent breaks, so breathing in the smoky air didn't help me haha.

I would say that this hike is in between easy to moderate. My group and I enjoyed the trail. I definitely recommend this hike!

My girls and I have been eyeing this beauty for a while but could not find a weekend that would welcome us. You know -- rain and overcast weather is what the pacific coast has been know for. Always hard to predict.

Finally, we were able to get the gang out -- it was a much deserved and frankly needed treat.

Some things to note before visiting:

* there is no admission fee but there is a greeter at the entrance who will gladly accept cash tips.

* parking is extremely limited. Carpool or arrive very early.

* there are a few options while visiting the property in terms of hiking trails -- while the trails are relatively easy, I would suggest planning a full afternoon if you are venturing with kids, seniors, or someone who is pregnant. Heart!!! ( 2 miles vs. 6 miles, etc.)

* the majority of the space is shaded but even with that fact -- I encourage y'all to still bring sunscreen, lots of water, and lunch or snacks.

* the grounds are meant for meditation or for a space to reflect and to practice silence. Please bring your indoor voices even though y'all will be outdoors. Visitors practice getting in tune with their spirituality so I would say it's a pretty sacred environment.

* one could stay overnight or through the weekend -- check the website for on-site accommodations.

* they offer weekly meditation classes and are incredibly affordable if you happen to chose a day with an entry fee.

* there are donation boxes scattered throughout the property -- donate (cash only) if possible as this establishment is a nonprofit organization in which operates largely on the donation gifts received throughout the year.

* be respectful and pick up after yourselves. Do not litter. Be considerate for those who reside (including animals) on the grounds and remember -- you are a visitor.

In summary, this is a gorgeous place to spend an afternoon at, and the nature escape coupled with the Buddhist setups makes it appropriate for anyone to visit regardless of age, ethnicity, or religion preference.

We arrived there just before 9am on a Saturday and the front gate was closed. Since we were one of the first there, we easily found parking. The gates opened a few minutes later and we gave a small donation. We hiked up to the buildings and stopped to look at the Buddha and some other things. We took the 6 mile hike and it took us about 2 hours. We walked at a pretty good pace and stopped a few times to take pictures. Being the first one on the trail, there were some cobwebs we walked through. Since of the trails were very narrow and you might brush up against poison oak. Longer pants are advised or bring something to wipe your legs after. Overall a very nice hike within the Santa Cruz redwood trees.

Went on a whim to go on a hike by myself here. 10/10 recommend, especially as you can really take in the environment. There was even a point where you can listen to the wind chimes near the beginning of the trail if you listen closely.

Keep in mind: the road is shared so you may have to maneuver to get there. Also, parking is a little difficult. There are a handful of parking spots right before the bridge leading up to the entrance. There is also parking past the bridge which I believe parents use for dropping off/picking up their kids or for staff. But I believe it is available to hikers as well (not 100% sure).

The trail itself is not too strenuous. Definitely some parts with incline but doable with friends/family/pets. I did the 6 mile hike and omg it kind of felt like it went on forever. I felt like I was getting lost but the trail is pretty straightforward *see trail map attached*.

Such a tranquil and lovely place. It amazes me that there is a school here, too!

Will be coming back!

Extremely quiet, serene place! Besides some woman talking loudly on the phone... The place seems cool to hike. We only got to see part of it as our dog can't walk that long or far. Kind of an adventure, 1 lane road to get up there so be careful.

This review is just for the 2 mile hike and area open to the public.

Came on a weekday so parking in the lot was plentiful. I can imagine it fills quickly though on weekends.

The grounds is so peaceful and a great place to meditate and ground yourself. I went when it wasn't too crowded. Most people I came across were staff taking care of the grounds/doing chores, and others were socially distanced. The gift shop is only open Fridays and weekends, and in the front of it, there are several tables you can use to eat a snack, lunch, or have a quick rest.

To get to the two mile or six mile hiking trails (and porto potty), you'll have to do a 5-10 minute steep incline walk. The bathroom area is maintained decently. There is no place to wash your hands but they place a big bottle of hand sanitizer near the potty.

The two mile hiking trail loop is a bit challenging with a step incline for the first half. The second half tends to be more flat and downhill. There are wonderful redwoods everywhere. I still wore sunscreen despite being in shade most of the time, but there will be a few parts where you'll be under the sun. Be warned there's poison oak/ivy so wear long sleeves and pants and be mindful of where you step and what you touch.

Overall, it was a wonderful hike and a very peaceful and awesome property. I definitely want to try the six mile hike loop and plan to return to this very healing natural space.

Hidden germ in Santa Cruz area. Hiking trail was under tree shade. Came here on Monday afternoon and there were few cars in 3 parking lots. Love 8 buddha verses trail with bench at each stop to read and rest.