Getting Oriented
Gomde California sits on 250 acres of land in the midst of the beautiful Redwood forests of Northern California. Our secluded location in the abundance of nature makes Gomde California an ideal place for the study and practice of the Dharma. The land is studded with gardens, crossed by trails, all of which lead down to the Eel River, a perfect spot of cool off and relax during the summer months.
Welcome to the Sangha House
The Sangha House is the main communal space at Gomde. Here you will find check-in and registration for programs, as well as information on upcoming programs and activities, ride-sharing, work-study, and volunteer opportunities.
A small library is located at the Sangha House in our Tara Shrine Room, where you can check out a variety of Dharma books. At the Sangha House, you will also find a selection of Dharma items from our Ratna Store, which are available for purchase.
Meals are served in our spacious, screened Dining Tent, which adjoins the Sangha House.
WiFi is available at the Sangha House. This region generally receives spotty cellular service, but we have found that T-Mobile works best, while AT&T and Verizon provides intermittent data service.
The Buddha Hall: Our Spiritual Home
The Buddha Hall serves as the teaching center for our programs. This is where our seminars take place, where we conduct our morning and evening practice sessions, and where we gather for other community events.
Following the path behind the Dining Tent, you will make your way uphill to the Buddha Hall, which has both the air-conditioning and heating. It is an easy five-minute walk through the woods. Just below the Buddha Hall you’ll find a vast lawn with a beautiful hill ideally suited for meditation, and our Circle Garden, which is a perfect place to relax and reflect between teachings.
Explore the Campground
Our spacious and shady campground is located south of the Buddha Hall and the Circle Garden. The campsites are cleared of underbrush before the start of programs each year.
Throughout the campground, tent cabins are set upon platforms and designated campsites. Each is fitted with a framed bed and other amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible. For those who are not staying in our tent cabins, there are spaces for setting up your own tent and equipment as well.
Shower House
Our Shower House is equipped with multiple bathrooms and hot showers. It’s located between the Buddha Hall and the Campground, making it conveniently accessible from both locations.
Shedra Meadow
The Shedra Meadow is located at the halfway point on the walk to the river. Here we have storage for equipment in our Shedra Meadow Building and a large water tank, which supplies much of the land with spring water throughout the year.
Our Lama House & Retreats
There is a path leading from the front door of the Buddha Hall. Further down the main Gomde road you will find the Lama House, as well as the River House and Tara Cottage (pictured). These houses are used for many of our land residents and visiting teachers, lamas and Rinpoches, as well as for personal retreats.
Visit the Gardens & Cedar Creek
The Buddha Garden & Tara Garden are a five-minute walk below the Lama House. Here we grow a wide variety of vegetables and legumes, including many kinds of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, beets, beans, squash, chard, lettuce, and much more, depending on the season.
The gardens are situated near the confluence of Cedar Creek and the Eel River. Cedar Creek has the coolest and shadiest swimming hole on the land, with a refreshing miniature waterfall.
Swimming on the Eel River
The Eel River runs through our property, its cool waters providing welcome relief on hot summer afternoons. You can access it by following marked walking trails (or the road) downhill from the Buddha Hall. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the river from the campground. As private cars are not allowed to be driven on that part of the land during retreats, please enjoy the leisurely walk down.
The trail to the other swimming areas branches off from the end of the loop road past the River House and heads downhill to cross the river at a shallow rocky ford. A few minutes’ walk downstream is the lovely Redwood Beach, a sandy cove facing a placid pool backed by sun-warmed cliffs. If you’re lucky, you might see a sleek river otter at work here. Jade Lagoon is just a few minutes’ walk further downriver, a deep pool of emerald water rimmed by a rocky beach.