Unplug and connect with nature at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary, a 600 acre preserve hosting thousands of guests since 1987. The facilities at this wilderness oasis are rustic but comfortable with miles of hiking trails & acres of gardens. The Birch Bungalow is a woodstove-heated off-grid cabin with beautiful forest views, a full size bed in the main room, bedroom with two twin bunk beds, & a porch. Showers, bathroom, & kitchen are located in separate buildings & shared with other guests.
The Birch Bungalow is an off-grid cabin featuring a family-friendly layout offering beautiful views into the forest. It has a writing desk, a sitting table, a full size bed in the main room, a bedroom with two twin bunk beds, and is heated with a wood stove. This cabin does not have electricity but has propane- and battery-powered lights. Our forest cabin is tucked away off the beaten path, providing a perfect space for a couple or small family. It features a small dining table, writing desk, a private deck, a sleeping room with twin bunk beds, and a futon bed that can be modified as a couch. This cabin includes wall lanterns fueled by propane, and is heated by a wood stove. We provide a solar-powered battery pack to guests in this cabin to use for charging incidentals, and your first bundle of wood is included during cold season; additional bundles are $5 each and must be purchased onsite - outside wood is not allowed on property due to pest and disease transfer.
The Birch Bungalow is one of four cabins at Sage Mountain. Check out the Pixie Cabin, the Ladyslipper Lodge and the Maple Forest Yurt for other cabins. Please read our descriptions carefully to understand the layout of our retreat center and shared spaces with other guests.
Our common shower room with two showers and two sinks, and our restrooms with two toilet stalls and a sink, are located in separate buildings. The fully stocked community kitchen includes all amenities to prepare your meals for the weekend. These facilities are shared with guests of our four other cabins. We also offer private garden, forest, and wildlife tours as well as massage therapy sessions for additional fee.
The Birch Bungalow is situated near four acres of diverse gardens with medicinal herbs and flowers, and a short walk to our trail network with over ten miles of hiking trails through the mountain. A swimming pond offers a refreshing spot for swimming at the south end of the property.
Sage Mountain has been a retreat center for over three decades hosting guests since 1987, and is a pillar for conservation in the community. We are located on unceded Abenaki territory in Central Vermont, providing a remote wilderness retreat in convenient proximity to Groton State Forest and Montpelier.
Renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar's home and teaching center of thirty years is indelibly marked by the grace, wisdom and love of plants that she has shared with the thousands of students who have been touched by this wild mountain. The moment you step foot onto the sanctuary, you can feel the depth of the prayers that have been planted on this land over the last three decades. When you stay in retreat at Sage Mountain, you will be transformed by the wild magic that lives in these forests.
Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary is located in Unceded Abenaki territory, commonly called Central Vermont, in a rural town adjacent to a main state road providing access to the capitol of Montpelier 25 minutes to the west, and the expansive Groton State Forest 25 minutes to the east. Our center is situated at 2000 feet elevation on the south-facing slope of a mountain range. This biodiverse landscape is home to hundreds of plant species and an abundance of wildlife that graciously allow us to take respite within their home. Sage Mountain seeks to provide a safe, welcoming sanctuary for plants, animals, and humans from all walks of life as an LGBTQIA and POC friendly retreat. All are invited and welcomed to connect with the magic and power of this land and its inhabitants. Learn more about the Sanctuary at sagemountain.com.
Guests will be greeted by hosts for a brief introduction tour upon arrival. Host or staff aim to treat guests with privacy, but are available when needed. To reach your host, find us in the office. If we are not there, ring the doorbell to the main house located at the door at the Stone Walkway across from the Community Kitchen. If we do not answer, we may be out on the property – ring the outside bell to reach us.
We are located on six hundred acres in the midst of an eighty-thousand acre contiguous forest. We have three neighbors along our small country road, who are peaceful and respectful. Our land is shared by an abundance of wildlife, making it a treasure for anyone seeking a unique tranquil getaway.
A parking landing is nearby the cabins and common buildings. We are conveniently located off of a state highway, just 20 minutes from the state capitol Montpelier and 20 minutes from Groton State Forest.
We have limited cell phone signal depending on carrier. There is no wifi. There is a landline available for urgent phone calls. The Birch Bungalow does not have electricity.
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Overnight Lodging in all of our spaces includes:
• Pillows, Bedding, Linens and Towels
• Access to Swimming Pond
• Use of Common Shower Room and Restroom facilities
• Access to Research library
• Use of our Community Kitchen, including guest refrigerator, guest dry storage, propane stove and oven, toaster oven, cutting boards, cups, mugs, cutlery, plates, bowls, pots, pans, and complimentary teas
• Full access to all of our gardens and our ten-mile trail network
• Brochures with maps to guide you through our trails and gardens
• Opportunities for a private tour of our gardens or guided walk along our trails, meal plan catering customized to your dietary needs, and other concierge services upon request which must be reserved in advance.
Optional Add-Ons include:
• Bundle of wood (for indoor or outdoor fires) / $5 each
• Private guided plant walk along our Medicine Trail / $100 for 90 minutes
• Private guided tour of our Gardens / $75 for 60 minutes
• Private guided tour of Forest with focus on Wildlife / $100 for 90 minutes
• Session with a Massage Therapist / $165 for one hour
• Local & Organic Meal Catering / $20 Breakfast, $25 Lunch, $30 Dinner Costs may vary for specific dietary needs.
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Honoring the Land
Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary is home to hundreds of plant species and an abundance of wildlife, who graciously allow us to take respite here. We are guests in their home, and accordingly, we seek to walk lightly on the land. Harvesting is not permitted in the gardens or forests unless arranged in advance through our conservation or research programs. All guests are expected to clean up after themselves and “leave no trace” of their presence. Visitors must remain on the trails at all times, as sensitive plants just beside the paths can be irreparably damaged by our footprints. Wildlife encounters are not uncommon, and guests are expected to
arrive prepared with a basic understanding of wildlife safety and a respect for the creatures who call this mountain their home. Your hosts can answer questions and provide additional resources to ensure a comfortable cohabitation with our wildlife neighbors during your stay.
Light and Sound
A visit to Sage Mountain is a journey into the wilderness, and the gifts of rural living – including the quiet of nature and dark starry skies. We use limited outside lighting to reduce our contribution to light pollution, and encourage all guests to bring a flashlight or headlamp, as lighting outside our buildings is minimal to protect the darkness for stargazing and privacy. We encourage quiet hours after 8 pm so that all guests can enjoy the serenity of the stillness that falls on the forest in the evenings.
Connectivity
A benefit of your visit to Sage Mountain is the opportunity to truly unplug, in order to reconnect with yourself and with nature. Our internet service is very limited on the mountain, and we are not in most coverage areas for cell service (though occasionally, depending on the provider, guests will find “one bar” when they stand on one leg on a particular rock or spot in the
meadow). There is no internet available on the property. We can arrange use of our landline periodically for guests to make outbound calls within the US and Canada. Guests can also give our phone number to family members in order to receive messages. We monitor this line frequently to ensure prompt delivery in urgent situations.
The magic of Sage Mountain is that we are located in one of the few remaining places where these technologies don't overrun our lives. Please prepare accordingly to have limited access to phone and internet while you are here, and allow yourself to enjoy the music of the birds and insects or engage in robust conversations with the trees during your stay.
What to Bring
Pack the following items to make your stay as comfortable as possible:
• A towel, a pillow, linens and bedding are provided for each guest. You may wish to bring your own favorite billow, blanket, or extra towels
• Flashlight or headlamp (and extra batteries)
• Personal toiletries
• Rain gear (we often live “in the clouds”)
• Warm jacket and sweaters (the weather can change in a moment)
• Slippers or socks for indoors; we ask guests to remove shoes inside buildings
• Comfortable well broken in shoes for enjoying our hiking trails
• Comfortable casual clothing, layers are recommended
Parking
Parking & facilities
Parking option included
Bathroom & laundry
Bed linen, Essentials, Iron & Board
Heating & cooling
Fireplace
Kitchen & dining
Blender, Coffee machine, Cooking utensils, Kitchen stove, Oven, Refrigerator
Home Safety
Carbon Monoxide Detector, Fire Extinguisher, First aid kit, Smoke Detector
Check-in: 03:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
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