General Questions
The Karma Institute, Inc. leases the property, consisting of 18+/- acres for the purpose of managing and operating the rental activities at Willow Springs Lodge & Retreat Center. For a list of the facilities at Willow Springs included in the lease, refer to the next question, “What facilities are available at Willow Springs”.
Willow Springs offers various accommodations: Renovated Lodge (Entire): sleeps 22 in beds, commercial-style kitchen; Partial Renovated Lodge: sleeps 10 in beds; 1 bed/1 bath furnished Cabins: sleeps 4 with sofa bed in living room; Campground: fenced tent camping area for up to 30 people with community kitchen and bathhouse; Yurt: furnished (no kitchen/bath) adjacent to camping area; Additional campsites available outside camping area; RV sites: full hookup, partial, water only, flat graveled pads We also offer a variety of other amenities and facilities: Hot tub/wood-burning sauna Yoga studio; Recreation Room; Event Terrace & Pavilion open on three sides for large group gatherings; Outdoor beverage bar; Group fire pit; An herb garden and Permaculture garden; Nature trails in forested area of approximately 10 acres.
The Lodge and Cabins are on the lower 4 acres of Willow Springs Retreat Center grounds. The cabins (and a few RV spots) are about 300 feet from the Lodge. The cabins are all next to each other. The Campground is located on the upper portion of Willow Springs on the adjacent hilly 14 acre parcel. It’s less than 1000 feet from the Campground down the hill to the Lodge and 500 feet to the group Pavilion and Cabins. Coming up is a bit of a hike but a car can be driven by those that need additional assistance. Immediately outside the fenced camping area is the yurt, community kitchen and bathhouse, and multiple options for additional camping sites, RV pads (full and partial), and parking.
Yes, the hot tub is available to the registered guests of the Willow Springs Lodge, only.
There is NO hot tub for those renting the Campground.
Reservations can be booked at AirBnB, VRBO, Glamping Hub, Hipcamp or directly through www.WillowSpringsLodge.com, www.KarmaInstitute.org, or www.CaliforniaRetreatCenter.org.
All of our accommodations are booked separately. You will need to book them each one at a time and state your dates and number of people for each accommodation because there are different occupancy requirements.
We are 1.5 hours from both the Sacramento International Airport and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. We are an approximate 3 hour drive from San Francisco.
From Sacramento/Bay Area take I-80 heading east. At Auburn, take exit 119B to Hwy 49 North to Grass Valley. Just beyond Grass Valley/Nevada City, turn left and continue east on Hwy 49 (towards Downieville) for approximately 15 miles at which point you will most likely lose cell service until you reach the lodge.
When you reach the green “North San Juan” sign, put on your right blinker. Continue for a very short 1/10 mile:
To get to the CAMPGROUND: turn right at the first gravel road beyond the sign and go UP the gravel driveway. You will go up a steep driveway, stay to the right, and stop at the large parking area up top. We will meet you to provide specific directions into the campground itself.
The LODGE is beyond the gravel road to the Campground. The lodge is the first pull-out on the right and the first building on your right, grey with a red roof. The address is 29085 State Highway 49.
The CABINS: Continue past the lodge and turn right on the very first street on your right – School Street. The Homestead Cabin (white) is the first cabin (10074 School Street) and the Phoenix (green) is the next cabin (10076 School Street).
Here is a link to the CalTrans road video that you may find helpful:
Video in Nevada city
The newly renovated Lodge sleeps 22 in beds ($15 per person/per night charge after 13 guests), our two cabins sleep 4 each, and the fenced group campground has space for multiple tents (no RVs) and we limit campers to 30 people with a $15 per person/per night charge over 24 guests for additional tent campers. RV sites (full to partial) are available throughout the property for an additional fee. A dump station is available on site. For clarification, anyone over the age of 5 is considered a paying guest.
Yes, but these are considered “special events” and must be discussed in advance and do require a custom contract with guests providing liability insurance and a security deposit. Contact Mark directly at 530-615-9055.
Dogs are not allowed on the Retreat Center grounds, including the lodge and the cabins, but ARE allowed within the fenced group camping area. When outside the fenced camping area, they must remain on a lease and on the campground property only (not the Retreat Center grounds). Dogs must be non-aggressive and well-behaved. There is a $35 charge/dog/visit under 35 lbs. Dogs over 35 pounds must be approved in advance and a fee of $50 will be charged. Owners are responsible for clean-up, behavior of their dogs, and any damage they make. Repeated offenses of aggressive behavior will result in eviction of the dog(s) and dog’s owners.
We suggest you buy your groceries in the Grass Valley area, as there are lots of stores to choose from. You will find Safeway, SaveMart, Grocery Outlet, SPD Market, Raley’s, and the BriarPatch Food Coop.
The water at Willow Springs is from a deep well, cold and refreshing, and we love the taste – no chlorine or chemicals. It’s been tested with good results. Bring bottled water only if you want to.
Yes! Please refer to our Blog page at www.WillowSpringsLodge.com. We feel that the best trails are ALSO the trails that lead you to the best swimming holes on the Yuba River. We have detailed descriptions of our favorite hiking and swimming spots available at the Lodge and Campground. The popular spots are all within a short drive from Willow Springs including, Oregon Creek State Park (7 min); Edwards Crossing/Purden Crossing (20 min); South Yuba River State Park (10 min); and much more.
Yes! We are currently expanding our Nature Trail to include a loop of approximately 1.2 miles with varied terrain and ecosystem. Currently our guests are enjoying meandering (and perching) through Trish’s Herb Garden or Permaculture Garden. If you wish to receive an educational tour of the Nature Trail or Gardens, contact Trish in advance for her availability: 530-615-9054
WiFi is available at the Lodge, the Cabins, and in the kitchen/bath-house areas of the Campground. There is no charge for use. The WiFi passwords can be found in the “Guest Information Book” in the Cabins and the Lodge. Generally, cell service is available through-out the property, depending on your carrier.
The Lodge has a back-up commercial generator in the event of a power outage and everything will stay up and running. The Campground generator will keep the 2 refrigerators and bathhouse functioning. The Cabins do not have back-up power.
We have plenty of parking for large vehicles, boats and trailers. If you want to bring your RV, we have various sites which include both full and partial hook-ups. Full hook-up RV sites are $75/night and partial (water) are $45/night. Please let Mark know if you have any unusual needs for parking: 530-615-9055.
When you rent the Lodge, you have exclusive use of the Lodge and the Lodge grounds. You do not share it with other paying customers. The Exclusive use of the Yoga studio, Rec Room, and Pavilion is available for an additional charge.
When you rent the Cabins in addition to the Lodge, the residents of the Cabins have the same privileges as those in the Lodge. When a party rents just the Cabin(s), they DO NOT have access to the Retreat Center Grounds when another party is renting the Lodge.
When you rent the Campground, you have exclusive use of the Campground, Community Kitchen & Bathhouse, and, for an additional charge, the adjacent Yurt and RV sites.
When you rent the Lodge, you are allowed to enjoy the Herb Garden (and cut available herbs), check out the Permaculture Garden, and walk the Retreat Center Grounds. Please close all gates behind you and please do not harvest any fruit/vegetables without permission. We also ask that you ask us first before walking or hiking on the Nature Trail at the Campground, in the event we have another party occupying the Campground.
When you rent the Campground, the 1.2 mile Nature Trail loop is also available for your exploration. Varied in terrain and ecosystem, this trail includes both intermediate and advanced hikes. You can take it easy or get a cardio workout. The Sunset Overlook at dusk is a must. If you wish to receive more guidance on the Nature Trail, please contact Trish. We also ask that you ask us first before walking on the Retreat Center Grounds at the Willow Springs Lodge, in the event we have another party renting the Lodge.
If you would enjoy an educational tour of the Nature Trail or Retreat Center Gardens, contact Trish in advance for her availability: 530-615-9054.
We are conveniently located in the foothills of the Tahoe National Forest at a favorable elevation of 2,100 feet. We are rarely affected by the snow. In addition, we are located on Hwy 49 and CalTrans keeps it plowed right in front of our Lodge. However, drive twenty minutes up elevation and you will often find 2-8 feet of snow and fun winter activities. Sledding and Skiing is 1-1.5 hours towards Tahoe/Reno.
An on-site Level 2 EV Charging Station is available in the lower Lodge parking area, adjacent to the rec room building. It is available to Willow Springs guests ONLY. You will need to arrange to receive (and return) a charging card from Mark or Trish.
Hopefully! Chances are increased if you book during the summer or fall harvest season, so please check with us first and we will let you know what is available. Arrange this in advance and you can better plan your shopping.
LODGE MAIN FLOOR:
2 – Queen Bedroom suites
I – Full Bed with Trundle with sink only
1 – Sofa bed in living room
2 – private ½ baths
1 – private shower room
LODGE UPSTAIRS:
1 – Hobbit room with queen bed
7 – Twin beds
Guests must use ½ baths and shower room on Main Floor
ADJACENT YOGA BUILDING:
1 – Queen Bedroom suite
1 – Crow’s Nest Full size bed. Guests must use ½ baths and shower room on Main Floor of lodge
CABINS (2):
Two fully furnished cabins approximately 300 feet from Lodge. Each contains:
1 bedroom with queen bed
Sofa bed in living room
CAMPGROUND:
Camp sites for up to 30 people (group rental only)
Furnished Yurt with Queen bed & Sofa bed (no bathroom or kitchen)
Campground group kitchen
Bathhouse (2 private showers/2 private flush toilets/2 sinks)
RV SITES:
4 – full hookups
1 – Electric/water
4 – water only
Dump station on property