Enjoy the comforts of home—including flush toilets, showers, and a kitchen.
Private sites
100% of recent Hipcampers say the sites felt private.
Hike-in sites
Hike-in to some sites at this Hipcamp.
EarthWell Retreat Center boasts a spring-fed swimming pond situated on forty acres of rolling prairie, forest and wetland, surrounded by one hundred acres of Washtenaw County Nature Preserve. Six off-grid sleeping cabins dot the landscape, all within a short walk to our Common House, that includes a large gathering space, community kitchen/dining and bathrooms/shower. EarthWell offers Yoga and Meditation classes and weekend retreats year-round.
Located in Southeastern Michigan, just 30 minutes west of Ann Arbor, and near the towns of Grasslake, Chelsea, Manchester. (All downtowns are 7-10 miles away). EarthWell allows hiking, wildlife watching (amazing sandhill cranes), swimming and canoeing/kayaking/paddleboating in our pond.
East of Chelsea is the expansive Pinckney and Waterloo State Recreation areas, with over 20 lakes and trails for hikers, bikers, backpackers, and horseback riders.
There are two households (the families of Ari Wakeman and Emily Adama) that live permanently on the property. (one in the lower level of the common house, and one in a cabin 200 yards from the common house.) During your rental they will maintain quiet and privacy for your group, but will remain on the property for the duration of your stay and will be available should any issues arise.
SWIMMING AT YOUR OWN RISK +
Paddle board, Kayak, Canoe, Paddleboat and life jackets/floaties available in the green shed by the pond.
*Please note the common house is unavailable between 9:30-5:30pm on the following 2024 dates due to day long retreats.
* July 28
* Aug 6
* Aug 10
* Aug 18
* Sept. 14
* Oct 19
* Nov 9
* Nov 16
* Dec 7
Awesome getaway, not far from Detroit. We spent a day browsing the cute Chelsea downtown, and then gathered for campfire and memories. The space is very thoughtful, and Emily is a GREAT host. There are a lot of details that make the camp special.
Thumbs way up for this awesome space! A few of us booked a last-minute overnight and we had a great time. The space was clean, calm, and awesome. Attention to details like extra blankets and a fire pit made the stay even better. Thanks so much for this hidden gem!
My son (10 years old) and I had a lovely time here. We especially loved playing in the pond. The hosts were great and the land is beautiful. Thanks for the stay!
This was a peaceful camping getaway with a friend and first hip camp stay. The garden carts to the tent site were very sturdy. Waking up to a beautiful lake view was amazing. The common house was clean, kitchen drawers and supplies labeled, and a fantastic view. Trails were maintained. I'll remember this retreat and trip for a long time with good memories.
I booked a weekend stay for my mom and I. We enjoyed our time! The bungalow was nice and as pictured. The trails had clear paths to follow which was nice. Activities for the pond were included. The pond was murky so we didn’t try, however other guests utilized. The community house initially was pretty messy, the refrigerator smelled awful and the kitchen was dirty. But as the weekend came to a close (there was an event on Sunday) the area was cleaned and tidied. The hosts were pretty friendly and fairly welcoming. Improvements could be having an area for firewood off grass — the wood was in grass so often wet and was in a pile of weeds. We wouldn’t have worried about that except there was a sign warning for poison ivy. Other than that, it was a quiet and very relaxing stay.
Location
Chelsea, Washtenaw, Michigan, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Peoria, Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), and Meškwahki·aša·hina (Fox) First Nations according to