Entry No. 33 — the Pueblo file — filed under: witchy
Haidakhandi Universal Ashram
Crestone has fewer than 150 permanent residents and more than 20 functioning spiritual centers — and this ashram is one of the stranger ones to actually walk into. A resident community of Babaji devotees burns a daily havan fire in the open lawns while chanting Om Namah Shivaya, the smoke drifting up toward the Sangre de Cristo peaks overhead. The Mahalakshmi Temple is open to drop-in visitors, who sometimes end up staying for a satvik lunch, a tour of the shrine rooms, and a blessed mala pressed into their hands on the way out. Western seekers and initiated monastics share the same chai kettle here, which is either completely normal in Crestone or completely not, depending on your frame.
The story
Crestone holds fewer than 150 permanent residents, but somewhere between the sagebrush and the Sangre de Cristo range, someone carved up the high desert for over twenty distinct spiritual lineages. Pulling onto Camino Baca Grande leads straight to the Haidakhandi Universal Ashram, a sanctuary dedicated to the immortal avatar Haidakhan Babaji and the Divine Mother.
This isn't a museum or a staged cultural stop; it is an active monastic compound sitting under towering granite peaks. On the open lawns, residents and visitors sit around the outdoor pit for the daily havan fire ceremony, burning wood and cedar while chanting Om Namah Shivaya into the thin mountain air. Inside the Mahalakshmi Temple, barefoot travelers and long-term monastics share the exact same kettle of chai.
If you arrive with quiet respect, the compound opens up without fuss. You can stroll through the quiet solar greenhouse, tour the shrine rooms, sit through a bhajan chant, and occasionally end up invited to a simple satvik lunch before having a blessed mala slipped into your hands at the gate.
What it's like
Drive straight up Camino Baca Grande—it's fully paved, so your standard hatchback will handle it fine. Before stepping past the threshold, respect the house rules: shoulders and legs must be completely covered (long pants for men, long skirts for women). If the main temple gate seems quiet or unattended, head around to the Maha Lakshmi gift shop entrance. For the full experience, aim for a full or new moon morning: arrive around 9:30 AM to walk the gardens and greenhouse, then sit in for the 10:00 AM fire ritual and let the rhythmic bhajan singing clear out your head.
The move: Drive up on a full or new moon morning (10am ceremony), wander the garden and greenhouse beforehand, then attend the havan fire ceremony and let the bhajan singing do whatever it does to you.
📍 Before you go Camino Baca Grande is a paved road into the Baca Grande subdivision — no high-clearance required. Dress modestly: legs and shoulders covered; women in long skirts, men in long pants. The Maha Lakshmi gift shop is a separate entry point if the temple gate is unattended.
- 📍 Crestone
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2349 Camino Baca Grande, Crestone, CO 81131
Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Crestone Spiritual Centers Cluster — The ashram is just one node in a surreal 20-plus spiritual sanctuary grid tucked along the same mountain base.
- Tashi Gomang Stupa — Trade Vedic fire chants for Tibetan prayer flags by driving two miles south to where the pavement turns into dirt washboard.
- Crestone Ziggurat — Follow up the ashram's quiet grounds with a walk up a Babylonian tower built on a nearby ridge by aviation executives.
- The Greenhouse at Sand Dunes Recreation — After wood smoke and cold mountain air, drive south into the valley floor to soak in artesian mineral water inside a enclosed tropical greenhouse.
Good to know
What is the dress code for visiting the ashram?
Dress modestly before entering temple grounds: keep shoulders and legs covered. Men are asked to wear long pants and women are expected to wear long skirts. Shoes must be removed before entering sacred shrine spaces.
Do I need a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle to get there?
No. The ashram sits directly on Camino Baca Grande, which is a paved road through the Baca Grande subdivision.
Can drop-in visitors attend ceremonies or tour the grounds?
Yes. The Mahalakshmi Temple and gardens are open to drop-in visitors. You can attend morning fire ceremonies, walk the greenhouse, or visit the gift shop without a advance reservation.
What happens during the havan fire ceremony?
It is a traditional Vedic fire ritual where devotees sit outdoors around a fire pit, offer herbs and wood to the flames, and chant Sanskrit mantras like Om Namah Shivaya alongside devotional bhajan singing.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: crestoneeagle.org · Tripadvisor · templesinindiainfo.com · Official site · chieftain.com
last checked: 2026-06-21