Entry No. 17 — the Seattle file — filed under: outdoor-weird
Earth Sanctuary
A 72-acre nature reserve and sculpture garden on Whidbey Island laced with sacred-geometry structures scattered through the forest and around three ponds. You can walk a labyrinth, two stone circles (one with twelve eleven-foot standing stones), two medicine wheels, a Buddhist stupa, and a dolmen, all woven into restored old-growth habitat. The founder runs it on a 500-year plan to return the land to mature forest.
The story
Most Puget Sound nature preserves try to erase all traces of human handiwork. Earth Sanctuary takes the opposite route: it intentionally planted megaliths, sacred geometry, and dowsed energy structures across 72 acres of Whidbey Island forest. Positioned around three active, bird-filled ponds, the entire reserve is managed under a formal 500-year ecological plan intended to return the timbered landscape back into mature old-growth habitat over the next five centuries.
Wandering the two miles of dirt trail puts you face-to-face with monuments pulled from a handful of distinct spiritual traditions. You'll run into a walking labyrinth, two medicine wheels, a Tibetan Buddhist stupa, and a stone dolmen overlooking the water. The centerpiece is the Cottonwood Stone Circle, where twelve 11-foot standing stones circle a massive central boulder—all aligned according to dowsed earth energy lines mapped directly across the property.
What it's like
After taking the ferry over to Clinton, drive ten minutes up Newman Road to the quiet trailhead. Entry is $7 per person using a self-pay box that accepts cash, check, PayPal, or Venmo. Leave pets at home—dogs are strictly banned to keep from disturbing resident ospreys, blue herons, and owls. The two-mile trail network is quiet and dirt-packed, offering plenty of solitude around the ponds on weekdays, but bring appropriate mud boots after rain and plan to leave before dark.
The move: Pay the $7 each, walk the cottonwood stone circle and labyrinth slowly, then sit by the dolmen pond and watch for ospreys and owls.
📍 Before you go $7/person self-pay (cash, check, PayPal, or Venmo). Open daily during daylight hours. No dogs. Requires a ferry ride to Whidbey Island plus a short drive from Clinton.
- 📍 Langley, Whidbey Island
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 2059 Newman Rd, Langley, WA 98260
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Seattle Metaphysical Library — Pair a real-world walk through dowsed ley lines and megaliths with an dive into 16,000 esoteric texts back across the sound.
- Bioluminescence Night Kayak Tour (Port Gamble) — Follow a daytime sit by sacred standing stones with a quiet night spent paddling through glowing dinoflagellates in Port Gamble Bay.
- Manresa Castle — Extend your strange Olympic Peninsula and island loop by pairing Whidbey's 500-year forest plan with an overnight at a 1892 castle mansion.
Good to know
How much does it cost and how do I pay?
Entry is $7 per person, paid via self-service cash, check, Venmo, or PayPal at the entrance.
Are dogs allowed at Earth Sanctuary?
No. Pets are strictly prohibited on the property to protect the native wildlife and delicate pond ecosystems.
What features and megaliths will I see on the trails?
The 72 acres contain two stone circles (including one with 12 eleven-foot standing stones), a stone dolmen, a walking labyrinth, two medicine wheels, a Buddhist stupa, and three wildlife ponds.
How do I reach the sanctuary from Seattle?
Take the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry to Whidbey Island, then drive roughly 10 minutes north to 2059 Newman Road near Langley.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · whidbeycamanoislands.com
last checked: 2026-06-24