Every June we offer a full 7-day sesshin in residence at the Community of Christ’s camp on beautiful Samish Island. Great Blue Herons glide overhead while swallows dance above the grass. We rise early each day and practice indoors and outdoors throughout the day. Year after year, Samish Island provides a wonderous place for settling deeply into our practice.
Directions to Samish Island
DIRECTIONS from the South (Seattle):
North of Mt. Vernon and Burlington, take Exit 231 Chuckanut Drive (and to Bow/ Edison). As you exit and are circling to the right up over the freeway, begin counting mileage from on top of the freeway. Go 2.9 miles NW on SR11 (Chuckanut Drive) to Allen corner (grocery & espresso stand). Turn left (west) onto Allen West Rd. Go 3.15 miles to Farm To Market Rd. Then right (north) 0.25 miles on Farm To Market Rd to D’Arcy Rd. Left (W) 1.3 miles on D’Arcy to Bayview-Edison Rd. Right (north) on Bayview-Edison Rd for 2.0 miles to “T” (Samish Island Rd). Left (west) onto Samish Island Rd around one 90 degree curve and two 45 degree curves 2.2 miles to Scott Rd (as you enter on the island, not separated by water, looks like a hill). Right on Scott Rd 0.2 miles where you will see the sign for the camp entrance on your left. Turn into this driveway and park behind the small cabins. Total distance from the freeway at Exit 231 to the camp entrance is 12.0 miles.
DIRECTIONS from the North (Vancouver):
South of Bellingham, take Exit 236 Bow/Edison Road and turn right (west) onto Bow Hill Road. Follow Bow Hill down a steep curvy hill to its intersection with Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11) 3.7 miles from the freeway. There are restaurants and a post office at this corner. Go straight across Chuckanut into the tiny town of Edison. Stay on the main road and wind through Edison. As the road leaves Edison is turns left (south) and becomes Farm to Market Road. Stay on Farm to Market only 0.4 miles and turn right (west) onto Bayview-Edison Road. There is a sign before this turning for Samish Island. After 1.7 miles, Bayview-Edison turns sharply to the right (south) at the intersection with Samish Island Road. Go straight onto Samish Island Road and continue on for 2.2. miles until leaving the flats of the delta and climbing slightly onto Samish Island (not separated by water, looks like a hill). Turn right onto Scott Road, and after 0.2 miles you will see the sign for the camp entrance on your left. Turn into this driveway and park behind the small cabins. Total distance from the freeway at Exit 231 to the camp entrance is 9.3 miles.
There are many pictures of Samish Island retreats on our Photos Page.