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100 years ago, 100 percent of Americans could see the Milky Way’s galactic core on a clear night. Today, 80 percent of us can’t.
She’s still up there, though.
As industry sprawls across our land and dark skies become increasingly rare…treat yourself to the wild shores of Lake Superior where the dusty strands of our spiral galaxy still wind across the pitch blackness of a late summer night. (We’re talking class 2 on the Bortle scale!)
The Milky Way Retreat blends nature, myth, and movement in a one-of-a-kind experience designed to slow you down and reawaken your wild, intuitive self. Whether you're craving quiet renewal or creative spark, this retreat is a portal back to connection—with the stars, the land, and your own inner knowing.
Perched on a wooded cliff above Lake Superior, we’ll gather to eat nourishing food, soak in the natural silence, move our bodies (light yoga, forest walks, maybe even a lake plunge?), and listen to stories around the fire. And when deep night falls, we’ll go on the hunt for the glowing galactic core—the same river of stars that guided, inspired, and enchanted our ancestors.
Marveling at these stars has produced poetry, scientific exploration, religion, navigational guidance, and seasonal wisdom. What will you find when you look up?
Check In: July 23, 2025 - 4 pm
Check Out: July 27, 2025 - 11 am
Tuition + Meals: $1,175
With TreeHaus Twin Lodging Package: $2,131
With TreeHaus Queen Lodging Package: $2,171
With RicePod Twin Lodging Package: $2,371
With RicePod Queen Lodging Package: $2,451
With Nest Lodging Package: $2,531
- Class description
- Bio
- Supply List
- gallery
Class description
The Milky Way Retreat is designed to slow you down, restore your senses, and rekindle your connection to something larger.
Each day includes a mix of structured and open time—ideal for napping, wandering, trips to the Apostle Islands, or quiet moments with a journal. Anchored in nature, our daily rhythm blends informative sessions, forest walks, and somatic breathwork with reflection and rest. In the evenings, we gather for fireside chats, mythic storytelling and guided stargazing beneath the cosmos. And on the clearest night, we’ll search for the galactic core.
What to Expect / Why You’ll Love This Retreat
Equal parts restorative and inspiring, each day has a guiding theme:
- GATHER – Arrive, land, and connect. Meet your fellow retreat-goers, ease into the rhythms of rest, and step gently into sacred time.
- ATTUNE – Slow down and listen. Let your senses reawaken through nature, myth, and quiet noticing.
- REMEMBER – Drop deeper. Explore ancestral stories, cosmic perspectives, and your place within the larger whole.
- INSPIRE – Follow your wonder. Let beauty, joy, and intuition lead the way. Begin to harvest what this retreat has stirred awake within you.
- EMBODY– Carry it home. Mark your return with meaning and carry the magic into your everyday life.
Private sessions in a dedicated space that’s just for us include:
- Silver Branch Perception + Awakening Your Wild Nature
- Milky Way 101
- Night Sky Photography Tips
- Milky Way Magic Ritual
- How to Create A Sacred Space
- The Art of the Ramble
- Great Lakes + Milky Way Myths: A Storytelling Session with an Ojibwe Elder
Plus access to Wild Rice Retreat’s daily programming like:
- Morning Intention Setting
- Yoga
- Forest Bathing
- Crystal Connection Class
- Lunar Lessons
- Sound Bath
Check the Daily Calendar to see what sessions will be offered during our stay.
The beauty of this retreat is you can create whatever experience you need. Let your retreat unfold moment by moment and craft the perfect mix, this time is yours.
Important Notes:
Milky Way viewing is weather-dependent. We’re meeting on a new moon at the ideal time of year, and the area offers excellent conditions, but the exact night we chase the stars will depend on the skies.
Cloud cover may prevent us from seeing the core in full, but you’ll leave the retreat with the tools and knowledge to find the Milky Way again—camera or no camera—in a dark sky near you.
In short, bring flexibility. We take our cues from nature.
Also, the Milky Way looks different to the naked eye than in long-exposure, enhanced photos. It's still breathtaking, but we want you prepared, not disappointed. (Curious about what you might see? Here’s a great blog post from an astrophotographer.)
Who This Retreat is For:
This retreat is for adults 18+—stargazers, nature lovers, mystics, poets, deep feelers. Anyone seeking stillness and wonder: come as you are, and may you leave enchanted.
biography
Claire Young is a retreat guide, ceremonialist, and storyteller who creates immersive, soul-centered experiences inspired by nature. With a background in journalism, somatic anxiety coaching, and over a decade of corporate facilitation experience, she weaves myth, movement, and seasonal wisdom to create grounded, engaging spaces. Claire's work integrates science-backed strategies, nature-based practices, and an understanding of cycles—whether lunar, menstrual, or seasonal—to offer actionable support.
Born and raised in the Great Lakes region, Claire knows the magic of summer nights spent on the lake. She is currently learning how to skateboard and has not stopped talking about the Milky Way since the first time she saw it.
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Supply List
- Camera!!!
- Either a phone camera or a full-frame camera
- For cameras, a lens with wide aperture like 2.8, 1.8, or 1.4 is best
- Tripod for camera/phone << this is CRUCIAL for Milky Way photography
- Flashlight or headlamp with red light setting (to preserve night vision)
- Sturdy walking shoes or hiking sandals
- Comfortable layers for movement and stargazing (it can get chilly!)
- Light backpack/pack for hiking and stargazing
- Journal
- Reusable water bottle
- Favorite blanket or shawl for evening fireside gatherings
- Bathing suit for optional lake dips and sauna
