The Mesa Refuge

"A place for writing on the edge."

The Mesa Refuge is a writers' retreat located in Point Reyes Station, CA. It is one of the few retreats in the United States that supports people writing about nature, economics and social equity. Since 1998, we have granted residencies to nearly 500 writers.

Program Information

The Refuge offers two and four-week residencies to writers who need the solitude essential to creative work.. Essayists, journalists, economists, naturalists, screenwriters and authors of memoirs -- all are welcome.

The Mesa Refuge invites people to think and write about the intersections between human activity -- capitalism in particular -- and the natural world we are obliged to preserve. A Mesa Refuge residency is an opportunity to develop ideas and projects so that they may be published and transformed into practice.

Residents are offered the gift of time and space. There is a settling in, a letting go, a connecting with nature’s muse, and a finding of creative rhythm.

Location

The Mesa Refuge is located on a bluff overlooking Tomales Bay and pastures that are being restored to wetlands. It sits atop the San Andreas Fault, on the periphery of a great city, at a spot where urban civilization adjoins agriculture and wilderness. It is an ideal place for contemplating many things.

The Refuge is misty bluffs, hummingbirds and herons, winding paths of lavender and sage, daisies and roses, solitude, the company of other writers, and the blissful absence of noise, demands, and daily chores. Residents are encouraged to enjoy the many attractions of the Point Reyes area. Opportunities include hiking, kayaking, beach-combing, bicycling, bird watching and yoga, as well as gardening, tennis and ping-pong. The town of Point Reyes Station is a 10-minute walk away.

Living Arrangements

The Refuge hosts three residents at a time. Each enjoys a private room in a spacious shared house. A printer is available for common use; however, residents need to bring their own computers and writing supplies. A single telephone is available on a limited basis and its use is discouraged. E-mail use is similarly discouraged, but dial-up access is available for a fee.

Room and most meals are provided at no cost. Travel to and from Point Reyes is each resident's responsibility.

Application Information

Complete application information can be found here:

Mesa Refuge Application Information

Mesa Refuge Advisory Board

Carl Anthony, The Ford Foundation
Alan AtKisson, Balaton Group
Harriet Barlow, Blue Mountain Center
Sue Conley, Tomales Bay Foods
Chris Desser, Writer
Mark Dowie, Writer
Deirdre English, Writer
Ellen Friedman, Tides Foundation
Michael Krasny, KQED-FM, SF State
Hunter Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute
Bill McKibben, Writer
Richard Norgaard, UC Berkeley
Jonathan Rowe, Writer
Derek Shearer, Occidental College
Terry Tempest Williams, Writer

Resident Quotes

"These days a blessing
The safety and security of this shed
This chair on the porch looking out
So I could look in
After seven years a book completed.
A leap. Thank you. Thank you."
Terry Tempest Williams,
Naturalist and Author, Refuge

"The landscape of sky, marsh, and bay flowing to the sea helped concentrate my mind. I loved the quiet. I loved the wild garden overlooking the wetlands below and the hundreds of birds circling above. It is rare and wonderful to feel so quietly cared for--so completely supported and encouraged."
Chris Desser

"I wake up to the sound of two red-tailed hawks screaming for joy.
They soar low over the pasture, keen eyes hunting. I shake off a dream
and return to my desk, to a story asking to be told. I am so grateful for
this opportunity to discover, in the midst of a demanding life, the freedom
of poetry, the gift of art."
Phil Klasky - Director and Poet, Bay Area Nuclear Waste Coalition

"I've gotten a tremendous amount of work done here at Mesa, the final 40,000 words of a 60,000 word book. This retreat hasn't been good; it's been vital."
Jim Motavalli, Editor, E Magazine, and Author, Forward Drive: The Race to Build the Next Generation of Clean Cars

"I find the time to contemplate the timeless. That is the gift of this spot."
David Morse - Author, The Iron Bridge

2007 Resident Biographies
Resident Biographies 1999 - 2006

Contact Information

The Mesa Refuge
c/o Common Counsel Foundation
678 13th Street, Suite 101
Oakland, California 94612
(510) 834-2995
(510) 834-2998 fax
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