The Pond Retreat
Come to the Pond
The Pond Retreat is a private, off-grid retreat and vacation property on the shores of Walker Pond in coastal Maine. Designed as a place for restoration, connection, and time in nature, it is available for therapeutic retreats, restorative vacations, and for facilitators looking for a beautiful setting to host their own retreats, workshops, and gatherings.
The property includes a spacious Guest House, with modern comforts and expansive views, along with two rustic sleeping cottages, beautifully furnished for a comfortable stay. Guests have access to the shared spaces and amenities throughout the property, creating a flexible setting for individuals, families, and groups.
The landscape is part of the experience. A private dock opens onto Walker Pond for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. A wood-fired sauna offers a place to warm up and unwind, while fire pits, hammocks, and quiet places throughout the property invite people to gather, reflect, or simply be.
Whether you're coming for a therapeutic retreat, gathering a group for a workshop or wellness experience, or simply looking for a restorative vacation in nature, The Pond Retreat offers a place to slow down, reconnect, and make space for what matters.
Guest House Booking
Sleeping Arrangements
3 private bedrooms, each with a queen bed and a door that closes for privacy.
1 queen bed in an open loft sleeping nook.
Please note that the loft sleeping nook is open to the surrounding space and does not have curtains or other light-blocking features. Eye masks are provided for light-sensitive sleepers.
For larger groups, the house also includes:
2 queen sleeper sofas (one in the upstairs loft and one in the downstairs living area)
1 single sleeper couch in the upstairs loft
Please note: When the sleeper sofas and couch are in use, common areas become significantly more crowded. This arrangement allows for additional guests but offers less privacy and tighter shared living space.
Bathroom Access
There are no bathrooms on the second floor. All indoor bathrooms are located on the main level:
One bathroom features a handcrafted cement soaking tub with a shower wand (not a traditional stand-up shower).
The second bathroom features a walk-in shower and no tub.
An outdoor shower is also available for guest use during the warmer months.
Additional Accommodations
For larger gatherings, reserve the two sleeping cottages as well! Booking link is in the following section. Sleeping cottages are available May-October.
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50% non-refundable deposit due upon booking.
Remaining amount due 7-days before check-in.
No refund if cancelled less than 7 days before check-in.
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Up to two (2) well-behaved pets are allowed for a flat pet fee of $100 per stay. Service animals stay at no charge.
Pets must not be left unattended in the home unless crated. Pets are not allowed on beds or furniture, so please bring a pet bed or crate.
Please clean up after your pet immediately in the yard and common areas. Place bags in the outdoor garbage bin.
Pets must be fully housebroken and flea-free. Guests are 100% responsible for their pet's behavior and any damages to the property.
Pets must be kept on a leash at all times while on the property's exterior grounds.
Please bring your own pet bowls and disposable bags.
Cottages Booking
2 cottages sleep up to 4 adults
Includes LED lamps, outhouse, heated outdoor shower, porta potty, grill, fire pit, and picnic tables.
All guests have access to the private dock and watercraft.
Cottages available from May - October.
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50% non-refundable deposit due upon booking.
Remaining amount due 7-days before check-in.
No refund if cancelled less than 7 days before check-in.
-
Up to two (2) well-behaved pets are allowed for a flat pet fee of $100 per stay. Service animals stay at no charge.
Pets must not be left unattended in the home unless crated. Pets are not allowed on beds or furniture, so please bring a pet bed or crate.
Please clean up after your pet immediately in the yard and common areas. Place bags in the outdoor garbage bin.
Pets must be fully housebroken and flea-free. Guests are 100% responsible for their pet's behavior and any damages to the property.
Pets must be kept on a leash at all times while on the property's exterior grounds.
Please bring your own pet bowls and disposable bags.
Planning a Special Event?
The Pond Retreat is available to rent for large gatherings, reunions, group retreats and workshops. Connect with us to discuss the details of your event!
Your Stay Gives Back
A portion of the proceeds from every stay, retreat, and event helps fund therapeutic retreats and time away for trauma recovery, as well as restorative experiences for helping professionals.
When you choose to stay here or host an event, you help make this work possible.
Our nonprofit arm, Wake Up, extends this work through grants and philanthropic partnerships, helping us expand access to restorative experiences and find new ways for The Pond to serve the wider community.
The Pond Retreat is surrounded by Maine Heritage Trust conservation land, with protected land and miles of trails nearby. There is plenty to explore close to the property, as well as along the coast and throughout the Blue Hill Peninsula.
The Land
A short walk from the Pond, Cooper Farm Preserve offers blueberry picking and the quarter-mile Peter Clapp Trail. Nearby, Caterpillar Hill has expansive views of the surrounding hills and water.
A short drive brings you to Lookout Rock Preserve, with views of Eggemoggin Reach. In nearby Blue Hill, explore the forests and shoreline around Snow Cove, or visit Bluff Head Preserve for views of the Bagaduce River.
The Bagaduce River runs toward Penobscot Bay, connecting forests, working waterfronts, blueberry fields, and coastal communities. From Walker Pond, you can spend a day sailing, exploring the coast, visiting nearby harbors, or taking a ferry to islands including Isle au Haut and Vinalhaven. Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor are both an easy day trip from the property. Blue Hill has galleries, shops, restaurants, farms, and other local places to explore.
And, of course, you can stay close to home. Walker Pond, the trails, and the property itself offer plenty to explore, but many guests find that their favorite days are the ones spent simply being here.
Honoring The Land
The Pond Retreat sits on land that has been part of the Wabanaki homeland for thousands of years.
Walker Pond and the surrounding Bagaduce watershed have long been places of travel, gathering, fishing, hunting, and community for Wabanaki people. The waterways connected villages and coastal communities by canoe, and Walker Pond was part of this network. A Penobscot village once stood near the outlet of Walker Pond, a place that also holds a history of profound loss.
We honor the Penobscot Nation and the broader Wabanaki Nations—the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq—who have longstanding relationships with these lands and waters and continue to live here today. We recognize their sovereignty and their ongoing connection to this place.
As stewards of this property, we have a responsibility to learn its history, acknowledge what has been lost and what endures, and care for the land and water with respect.