Reconnect with Nature and Compassion: Glamping in Washington State at Rocky’s Retreat and Animal Sanctuary
It’s no secret that glamping in Washington State is a top bucket list item for anyone, so Rocky’s Retreat & Animal Sanctuary is the perfect place!
As someone who works online from my computer in my office and often in big cities, it’s truly refreshing not to have to compromise beauty and still enjoy the luxuries and resets of nature while also giving to a greater mission and supporting a sanctuary. I’d say that it’s the total package! Plus, who doesn’t love luxury in a beautiful setting? It can’t be beat.
It’s a great space for couples, families, honeymooners, romantic getaways, and solo travelers. Whether you’re looking to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, beat/recover from burnout, celebrate, relax, and work remotely, or just flat-out escape to nature, glamping in Washington state at Rocky’s Retreat is for you!
Allow me to share more of how you can reconnect with nature, relax, unwind in the woods, glamp, and support this sanctuary…
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Washington Travel Resources Key
All resources on our site are shared to fuel and inspire you to be able to confidently, courageously, and sustainably explore this beautiful world. Here are some resources for before and after your trip!
Rocky’s Retreat Inspiration & Uniqueness
Well, Rocky’s Retreat was dedicated to the very first rooster that had touched the heart of Jenny, the founder of Rooster Haus Rescue. Initially, she started out her heartwarming path by building a sanctuary for other animals, like Rocky, to receive care and have a safe haven home.
Rocky’s Retreat is a glamping retreat on a forested 5 acres, which is owned by Rooster Haus Rescue. Which is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and giving permanent sanctuary to neglected and abused farmed animals, with a special focus on roosters. However, there are over 100+ residents in total, some being other varieties of birds, dogs, cats, and even fish. So, you’ll see me refer to it as an animal sanctuary; although it has quite a few roosters, it also has various animals.
But Rooster Haus Rescue has blossomed into so much more, from offering events to now having a fully fenced glamping site named Rocky’s Retreat. What makes it extra special is that it’s an incredibly unique and new experience with a bit of personality and an immense amount of compassionate intention. Honestly, there’s nothing like it!
Location & Parking
Rocky’s Retreat is an animal sanctuary, so its official location is kept relatively private for the peace of all the animals and those who stay here. So, rest assured, if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle or even people, you’ll love it here!
Wonderfully enough, Rocky’s Retreat glamping is in Fall City, near Snoqualmie and less than an hour from Seattle. Also near some extremely well-loved tourist attractions in Washington State’s Snoqualmie Valley; like the Snoqualmie Falls, hiking trails, bike trails, Mt. Si Golf Course, Northwest Railway Museum, PSE Hydroelectric Museum, Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum, The Black Dog Arts Cafe (Vegan!), and more! Plus, all the attractions in Seattle too!
It’s the perfect balance of relaxation, nature, and peace, yet close enough to the tourist attractions or adventures for everyone’s interests. Additionally, it’s easily accessible, and so are most of the attractions I’ve shared; a simple 2WD drive vehicle does well. The parking maxes out at two cars, so if you plan on bringing a small group, try carpooling together.
Once you’ve received the location and arrived, you’ll be guided to and checked in at the gate, and then you’ll be shown your private parking spaces. From there, you’ll be guided to the back of the property, a bit down a forested path on a lower level of the forest. Stepping into the glamping site, you’ll find a secluded area of the woods and a gorgeous forest view. Again, it just reinforces the privacy and peace!
Best Times To Go + Scheduling & Booking
Throughout half of the year, Washington State is full of glistening greenery, colorful berries, blossoming flowers, and gorgeous sunrises. Which is when glamping is also open, from May through October Rocky’s Retreat is open and ready for bookings. Whether you’re looking to go glamping within the next few weeks, book it for a special event, or save your spot for next year, they’d be happy to welcome you!
Just be sure to keep in mind that peak season is usually June through August. The other months are more open. But a major benefit to their booking system is that they do allow one night stays too, so if you’re looking to just do a quick weekend trip, they’re quite accommodating.
Regardless of what time of year you book though, Washington can have unpredictable rain, there may be mosquitoes and gnats, and the trail may be muddy, so it’s best to prepare for both rain and shine.
Check out their openings on either Hipcamp or Vegvisits.
It’s important to note VegVisits doesn’t support add-ons during checkout. So, if you’re booking through VegVisits, you must message the host and pay separately when requesting add-ons.
When brought to the booking screen, you’ll have multiple upgrade options too. Some may be;
- A regular-sized snack basket filled with a variety of vegan snacks
- A large snack basket is also filled with various vegan snacks but can be adjusted to include smores stuff (They’ll occasionally be able to accommodate if asked in advance.)
- Additional Campsites
- Sanctuary Tour (subject to host availability)
Another part I loved is the somewhat late checkout; if you’re anything like me, you must also love to soak in as much nature time as possible. So, this is a major win! To be more specific, check-in is after two, and check-out is at noon.
Accommodations and Amenities
Of course, Rocky’s Retreat’s beautiful centerpiece is the main glamping tent, which features a plush cozy bed, a mini kitchen, a luxurious futon, and an overall rustic yet retro style.
The tent is made up of a canvas material that’s quite breathable and really brightens up with the sun. When strolling in and out of the tent, the front has multiple layers and the windows that allow you and I to be able to adjust the temperatures to your liking and let in as much sunshine as you do or don’t want.
Now, let’s step on in…
Plush Bed & Cozy Futon
The glamping tent is filled to the brim with comfort, luxuries, and entertainment. One of my favorite parts of the tent is the bed. It’s so thick, and I absolutely melted away in it.
One quirky thing I remember from talking to the host about it was that she’d said it was so incredibly heavy, but she was committed to bringing it down the hill for the tent and comfort of the guest. Honestly, her attention to detail and care continues to shine.
The bed has multiple layers of pillows for different preferences, a mostly soft yet slightly firm mattress, and a sturdy metal frame. Around the bed, there are rugs, side tables, a space heater, adjustable string lights, remotes for turning off the lights, a charger box, a speaker, rooster portraits, a bench with baskets of supplies, and books to enjoy.
There are quite a few different varieties of books. Whether you like activist books, tourist activity books, or other story books, they all have a unique touch too! Most of the books there have been donated or given by the community. Maybe one day you’ll see my book there!
When it comes to the string lights, they’ve gone a bit techy to be more accommodating. So, each button turns on and off a different set of lights. But there are also buttons on the remotes to ‘power it off,’ too. Just don’t unplug anything; it’ll reset the system.
Now, I’m sure you’re wondering what’s in those baskets at the end of the bed, right? Well, two baskets are filled with emergency and backup supplies. Some of that is a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, lighter, backup bug spray, and more! Then, the third basket is filled with games and cards for additional entertainment.
Additional Tent Camping
The main glamping tent can accommodate a maximum of about four people on both the futon and main bed. Also, although the main focus is the glamping tent, there is the option to do a group campout. Whether it be for families or friends, they do offer the ability to have a few other tents below for others to bring and sleep in. It’s a little extra charge, and you’d need to bring your tents for the extra people, but it’s still great to have the option!
Kitchen Area & Deliciousness
Next up is the kitchen area and all the deliciousness offered there! Are you excited and hungry? Yeah, me too!
Overall, the foundational parts of the kitchen area include a fridge, table, chairs, teas, coffee pods, sugars, paper towels, mugs, plates, utensils, napkins, and a coffee maker.
The mini coffee machine makes delicious single-serve coffee, but can also heat up water for teas, soups, sipping broth, ramen, etc. If you put too much water in it, it overflows when brewing. So, the trick is to pre-measure. There’s a sink right outside the tent where you’d get your water and soap for either washing or drinking. All the water is well water, and tested regularly, so it’s perfectly safe to drink.
If you decide to upgrade, the basket of delicious snacks is a major highlight in the kitchen area. The basket that you buy will contain a variety of vegan food. It could include bars, jerky, trail mixes, popcorn, s’mores fixings, oatmeal, and more! If you purchase the larger basket, the s’mores fixings can be part of it if specifically requested!
Oh, and before I forget, there is an important thing to remember about the fridge. There’s a switch under the table that turns it on and off. This preserves energy if you’re not using it. If you do decide to use it, be sure to switch it on!
It’s also important to note that they asked for this space to be completely vegan, and they do try to accommodate this with vegan snacks. Plus, I’ve got a whole packing list with some great meal ideas as well. There are plant-based alternatives for just about everything these days.
Fire Pit & Screen Tent
As the day slowly fades, the lights strung throughout the cedar trees will begin to brighten, and the cravings for a warm fire and roasted smores will begin to build.
Luckily, a protective screen tent around the firepit is opened by a couple of zippers and keeps out those pesky mosquitos. When it’s summertime, it’s inevitable, but when Rooster Haus set up Rocky’s Retreat, they thought of that!
Also, if you’re not much of a s’mores person but still love to get cozied up with the fire, there’s always the option of brewing a hot cup of tea too. Funny enough, I’d never seen the extra large vegan marshmallows before coming here. I’d always used to use two medium-sized ones, but not anymore!
As a note of precaution, since the space is tightly knit within the forest, a propane firepit instead of a dug-out fire pit has been provided to best prevent wildfires. Also, be extra cautious when lighting and be sure to avoid smoking. The lighter for the propane firepit can be found in the baskets, inside the bench, at the end of the bed, along with the fire extinguisher in one of the other baskets next to it.
Overall, you should definitely enjoy stuffing your face with s’mores or sipping your tea around that cozy fire because summers go by fast, we want that flavor and feeling to last!
Restroom & Sinks
For any bathroom needs, right before entering the gate, there’s a portable restroom just to the left. In all honesty, it’s probably one of the cleanest ones I’ve ever used or been in. It has hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and the essentials that you may need. There’s also a pump sink outside for a deeper hand wash. Simply continuously step on the black pump part at the base, and you’ll see water come out of the faucet part.
The sink by the portable restroom and the sink below at the campsite is also great for brushing your teeth, wetting some wipes, or even washing your face. Since there’s no shower available, just like most campsites, it’s good to bring wipes or washcloths. Also, the water is a bit on the colder side and more refreshing to complement the summer months when they’re open.
Wifi & Cell Service
When it comes to getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s good to take a break from technology. I get it – I often need to as well! But if you need to get away but still have to be reachable, this is a pretty good option too.
When it comes to cell service, there’s great service for some, but it can be spotty for others. For instance, my service had about two bars with Mint Mobile, but my sister had maybe one bar sometimes. So, the service ultimately depends on what mobile company you have.
Also, for the Wifi, the host of the sanctuary and Rocky’s Retreat, said that she’s had the area service and inspected to the max to get the fastest Wifi speed they could get. It was about 30mbps and/or more throughout different parts of the day. So, I had no trouble hosting coaching calls for clients, accessing documents, or uploading to social media. Although video uploads can be a bit slower, they’d still get done in a reasonable time.
So, if you’re a nomad, need access, or just want to ensure you’re connected for safety reasons, you should be set!
Etiquette: Respecting The Space Rules and Things To Consider
When we enjoy this space, we also need compassion for ourselves, the animals, the care of the property, and the rules of the space.
There are definitely some important rules to consider when staying here, Although I’ve mentioned some throughout the article already, there’s still a few more.
First, dogs and other animals/critters can’t stay here with you.
For the safety of the sanctuary residents and the wildlife sharing the forest, dogs and other animals are not allowed at Rocky’s Retreat. However, service and therapy animals may be welcome, but please give them a heads-up to prepare. Although they try to be accommodating, they’ve got to play it on the safe side too.
There is no need to feel sad without your animals, though. There is the potential option of doing a sanctuary tour to see the animals onsite. I’ll share more on this in the next section. As you enter the property, you’ll get a small glimpse of some animals onsite.
Secondly, this space is accommodating for a small group, it’s not for a party or an event. I mean truthfully, it’s called a retreat, so that makes sense! Although Rocky’s Retreat isn’t a space for events, Rooster Haus does host some events near the main portion of the property to help support their sanctuary and non-profit. Explore those events here!
Thirdly, the quiet hours of the property are between 11 pm and 5 am… for humans, that is. Ha! The wildlife and residents within the sanctuary are quite talkative. But I’d take that over hearing cars drive outside my window all day, any day. When winding down for bed one night, I heard the owls and little family chatting for a couple of hours before I drifted off. I did bring earplugs; I bring them everywhere I travel. So my sleep wasn’t affected. It might be a good option for you too. Although I did enjoy hearing the owls in the evening and then woke up to the roosters crowing for the first night and quite enjoyed the nature sounds. Both options can be enjoyable, it’s important to know your preference and come prepared, just in case.This is my favorite pair of traveling earplugs!
Fourth, no shoes inside of the tent. Since the tent is right in the forest, it makes complete sense. This keeps the tent neat and clean as much as possible, reduces germs, and can even be respectful for some people’s spirituality. Overall, this is a great rule. But the one tip I have for you with this is to either put your shoes under the flaps, flipped upside down and/or close the outside portion with your shoes underneath to prevent anything from getting in them. Which could be bugs, sticks, pinecones, or even rain. Good ol’ Washington!
It’s important to note that these are just some of the main rules; I’ve sprinkled more throughout the article too!
Sanctuary Tour
If you’ve not paid for or been approved for a guided sanctuary tour, please do not disturb or feed the animals. Many of the animals have undergone trauma and have been saved from abuse or fights. Many of them are on special diets and/or necessary medicines, so disturbing them could harm their healing process and this is now their peaceful place too.
However, if you have paid and the host has approved that they have time for the guided tour, prepare to meet some amazingly resilient animals with true personalities! The tour includes a one-hour guided walk around the property, where you’ll get the chance to meet the sanctuary residents, learn about their stories and how they ended up at Rooster Haus Rescue, and learn more about their work. Plus, possibly meet an adorable dog or two onsite; they are just the sweetest!
There’s a wide variety of animals at the sanctuary; from peacocks, pheasants, ducks, roosters, dogs, cats, fish, and more. As well as wildlife like chipmunks, deer, owls, etc.
Also, this is not a petting zoo experience, so you may not get to hold or pet the animals. Please don’t expect it, me getting to hold one of the roosters actually has a back story. (I’ll share more in the next section!)
Story Time
So, Rooster Haus Rescue and I connected way before Rocky’s Retreat was even created and set up.
In 2019, I was camping alongside the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, and Rooster Haus Rescue’s founder Jenny shared with my friend that some roosters had been abandoned and needed a home. So, we grabbed some supplies to transport them, and I hopped out of the car and got the rooster named Archie. Unfortunately, the other rooster was too fast, and I couldn’t catch him. I was huffing and puffing and truly got my exercise with that one. So, my friends and I successfully brought Archie back to the sanctuary, where he’s gotten to grow up, living a long and peaceful life.
Memories Await: It’s Time For Glamping in Washington State at Rocky’s Retreat
Nestled in the mountains, cedar forest, and surrounded by the peaceful wildlife, it’s time to have an unforgettable night away from it all. Instead, make some new memories while supporting the peace of those around you. Simply light up a fire, make some s’mores, rest, unwind, and reset.
Rocky’s Retreat is a genuinely unforgettable vegan animal sanctuary experience. By choosing this space, you’re directly helping care for its 100+ residents and yourself!
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