Adult Horse Connection Camp
May 14-17, 2026
Ages 18+
Tuition $600 base rate, $750 restoration rate
For anyone wanting to foster a more connective relationship with these wonderful, intuitive, reflective, wise, and relational creatures! And go deep with Ekone’s #1 horse fan, advocate, caretaker, and self-proclaimed nerd, Jenna Milton.
Most human relationships with horses tend to be very human-centered, focused on OUR goals and needs. In this camp, we’ll focus on the desires and needs of the Ekone horses, tending their bodies, minds, and hearts, while learning about them and about ourselves while we’re at it.
We’ll spend the long weekend sharing ourselves with the horses while keeping our feet on solid ground. Without the pressure to ride, so many possibilities and opportunities for sweet connection are opened up. Exact curriculum subject to participants’ interests and what the horses tell us, but may include any/all of the following:
Horse bodywork
Gentle, connected training practice
Tea time (non-demanding time)
Relaxation & Conditioning work (to help the horses feel better in their bodies)
Hand grazing
Trail walks
Feeding
Blowing softly into their noses and telling them how wonderful they are 🥰
Participants can choose to spend full days with the horses, or spend the morning with the horses and the afternoon in a choose-your-own-adventure time, ideas include but are not limited to:
Hiking (we can provide a trail map and directions)
Reading by the pond
Your own artwork or journaling
Rope swings…you are not too old, we promise!
Naps or other unwinding from your busy life
Solo sits by the canyon
You may also join the Ekone staff and volunteer team on projects of the day if you'd like. This program will overlap with our April Work Party, focused on grave digging and garden tending. 🌱
Logistics
We’ll arrive after lunch time at about 2pm on Thursday, land with each other, sketch out our time together, and dive in!
Of course, all meals are provided and will be delicious!
Lodging options include our open-floor-plan shared bunkhouse, your own tent or vehicle, local AirBnBs, or hotels in Goldendale
Departure Sunday after lunch
We obviously love kids but this camp is for adults—participants must be 18+. If your teenager would like to participate, look at our Horse Connection Camp!
Really want to ride? Sign up for our Adult Trail Ride Camp in October!
Requirements
Experience around horses is helpful but not necessary; we’re good teachers, and so are the horses!
Willingness to put safety and the well-being of the horses above personal goals
Deep appreciation for the little things
Resources
**Some excellent additional resources to consider if you also identify as a first rate Horse Nerd 😉:
The Masterson Method Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork
Emotional Horsemanship by Lockie Phillips
Sharon and Laura Wilsie’s Horse Speak & Precision Equine Body Language Skills
Celeste Lazaris’ Balance Through Movement Method Pillar Work
So many more!
Ekone Bird Nerds Spring Excursion
Sunday, May 24 - Monday May 25, 2026 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Ages 18+
Tuition: $85 base rate, $115 restoration rate
Capacity: 15 participants
Ekone Friends & Birders Tim Whitehouse & Judy Todd offer this first time Ekone Nerd-Birds Excursion. It’s a great way to learn, be together on the land sharing our sightings and experiences of Ekone’s multitude of rich gifts of springtime. So bring your binoculars, your iPhone, camera and field notebook!
Starting with our Orientation in the Yummy Tummy, you’ll have all the information you’ll need to find your way around the Ranch. You’ll meet each other, local experts Connie & Joseph Jones and guest leader John Richter. You’ll also get the best birding tools, tips, and training available whether or not you’ve ever birded before.
Tim will make sure you know how to use the tools: the Merlin Bird ID App, e-Bird mobile, or your own birding book-or all three! We’ll have maps with ‘short’ and ‘long’ routes as well as terrain ratings to help you choose your distance and challenge level. No prior experience is necessary!
And did we mention food? Sunday Dinner at 6pm in the Yummy Tummy, so bring your appetite. And, afterwards, we’ll take a Sunset Walk out to the canyon to see the light go and watch for night birds that might be about, ending the day about 9pm. Oh, and did we mention stories? Bring yours and plan on adding more. Oh, and did we mention wake-up call on Monday at 5am? Now you know why it’s called Bird-Nerds!
More details, information, and what to bring when you register.
A Few Other Notes:
Arrival Sunday afternoon at 4pm (or if you’d like to join all day Sunday for the White Eagle Memorial Day Event (RSVP required)
You can stay in the shared bunkhouse, camp in the valley, or camp out on the land. RVs, vans, etc. are also welcome.
Departure Monday at 4pm.
We obviously love kids, but this time is for adults—participants must be 18+
Remembrance Day at White Eagle Memorial Preserve
November 8, 2026, 11am-4pm
This gathering in service to the land and the spirits of our loved ones is a yearly tradition. All are welcome; join us to honor a loved one in the earth at White Eagle, celebrate your ancestors in a simple, non-denominational way, learn more about our natural burial practices, or just to spend some time on the land.
Event Details
Arrive at 11am to join an opening circle in the Ekone Lodge at 11:30
We’ll walk or drive the ¾ mile out to the cemetery grounds at noon
We’ll split up for winter grounds preparation projects, reflective time on the land, and guided cemetery tours as desired
A simple lunch will be served around the fire
Ceremony will include a Litany of Remembrance with Holly Pruett and a Remembrance altar - please bring objects to add to the altar.
Memorial Day at White Eagle Memorial Preserve
Sunday May 24, 2026, 11am-4pm
This annual Open House is a great opportunity to spend some low-key time on the land, and to learn more about natural green burial and White Eagle. This event will be held on Sunday, to allow people to be more flexible with their travel plans and traffic...
We gather in the Ekone Ranch valley to begin the day with a tour of Ekone Ranch and some lunch at the Yummy Tummy, then walk or drive out to White Eagle. WEMP stewards will host a guided tour of the cemetery in the afternoon.
This event is free, and we will provide lunch, but please bring your own snacks if you need them, and let us know about dietary considerations when you RSVP.
Please leave your dog friends at home for this event.
We will send an email with more information during the week before the event.
Sites purchased in conjunction with this event receive a 10% discount.
Adult Personal Retreat Camp
Wednesday, October 14-18 OR Friday, October 16-18, 2026
We often are asked whether it’s possible to simply come and stay at Ekone for a time—to camp on the land and have solo time in contemplation, or stay in the cozy bunkhouse and explore ALL the beautiful trails, or have spacious time for reading or art, and be fed delicious meals at the Yummy Tummy Cafe.
Camp structure
Arrival Wednesday October 14th or Friday October 16th
Maximum 10 participants
This is a DIY retreat, with delicious meals provided! As well as trail maps and information about the land.
You can stay in the shared bunkhouse, camp in the valley, or camp out on the land. RVs, vans, etc. are also welcome.
You’ll be welcome to join the Ekone staff and volunteer team on projects of the day if you like. Those may include gardening, forestry, gravedigging, lodge cleaning, horse chores, etc.
Departure Sunday after lunch.
This will run concurrently with Adult Trail Ride Camp, with 10 participants (maybe you know someone who wants to join for those tracks?)
We obviously love kids, but this time is for adults—participants must be 18+
Capacity: 10 participants
Tuition:
October 14-18 $400 (base rate) $560 (restoration rate)
October 16-18 $ 200 (base rate) $280 (restoration rate)
Adult Trail Ride Camp
October 14-18, 2026
Ekone’s horses are not the “dude ranch” plug-and-play variety—you won’t just be a passenger on these rides, but an active partner learning, listening, and responding to your equine friend as we collaborate to explore as many miles of beautiful Ekone Ranch as we can cover in three days of riding!
Shonie and Jenna will provide active coaching to help set you and the horses up for the best connection and communication possible. We'll include some time engaging in horse observation, communication, bodywork, relaxation, and connective activities that are the foundation of a positive relationship.
We always prioritize the safety of riders and the wellbeing of our beloved horses. Depending on the skills of our riders and the needs and limits of the horses, we may or may not include speed in our rides—riders wishing to be considered for speed are asked to submit a video documenting their readiness, as we just don't have time to teach these advanced skills during the course of three days.
We will be using saddles for these rides, with some options for western or english saddles based on rider preference and saddle fit, and bareback riding possibilities for experienced riders. We provide helmets for all riders, and require riders to wear shoes/boots with smooth(ish) soles and a low heel.
Camp structure
Arrival Wednesday between 4-6pm
Lodging options include our open-floorplan shared bunkhouse, your own tent or vehicle, or hotels in Goldendale
With 10 participants total, we’ll divide into two riding groups
Each group of 5 will ride either in the morning or afternoon each day
Participants will help with catching, grooming, and tacking horses
Depending on how efficient we are, we expect rides to be 1-3 hours long
When not with the horses, participants will be on their own to enjoy Ekone! Options include:
Hiking (we can provide a trail map and directions)
Reading by the pond
Your own art
Rope swings…you are not too old, promise!
Naps or other unwinding from your busy life
Solo sits by the canyon
Visiting Goldendale's world-class observatory
You may also join the Ekone staff and volunteer team on projects of the day if you like. Those may include gardening, forestry, gravedigging, lodge cleaning, horse chores, etc.
One session will be spent in service to the horses, with massage, bodywork, and relaxation activities to thank them for their hard work
Departure Sunday after lunch
We will offer a simultaneous Personal Retreat Camp for folks who would like to spend relaxed time at Ekone without the riding part. Maybe your partner or friend would like to join?
We obviously love kids but this time is for adults—participants must be 18+
Of course, all meals are provided and will be delicious!
Requirements
No riding experience is necessary, we have horses for all levels and we’re good teachers!
Willingness to put safety and the well-being of the horses above the need for speed
Appetite for adventure and beauty!
*$1,000 base rate, $1,400 restoration rate, with 2 spaces offered at pay-what-you-can sliding scale for folks who would not otherwise have access to this experience, with a priority for BIPOC or other marginalized identities.