I Went To A Retreat- Accessibility at Hummingbird Ranch

I went to a retreat last weekend that focused on relaxation, releasing what isn't meant for you, and embracing what is. As I have had a hard start to 2026, I decided to do something that would allow me to meet new people, learn new practices, and have fun! This retreat consisted of fascial muscle release, a nature walk, a sound bath, breathwork, and a fire to end the night. In this blog, I want to review the accessibility of this nature-focused retreat, which had the extra bonus of being close enough to my house to not be a long drive.

---

Food:

As I have shared before, I am eating gluten-free, corn-free, dairy-free, and am also avoiding inflammatory preservatives. I was able to get a copy of the menu, which had some gluten-free options, and bring my own food. I brought rice cakes, gluten-free chicken pot stickers, and grain-free cookies. I was also able to eat the gluten-free option provided on the retreat, which was nice. Overall, the food was accessible because there were options, and it was easy to bring my own. If the retreat had been multiple days, this could have been a bigger problem, but I was able to easily prep everything before leaving.

---

Fascial Release Workshop:

As I have shared before, I lost a lot of weight and muscle in January due to my hospitalization. This workshop had me holding a lot of positions that required strength, such as using my arms to hold myself up while I used tools to dig into different muscle groups. I was a great candidate for the purpose of this workshop, which was to release fascia, because of my HSP diagnosis and my lack of being able to move as regularly as I used to. However, I was too weak to do the full workshop as intended. I had to take breaks and felt very sore the next day. This wasn't an issue in terms of the workshop because participation is always voluntary, but it was hard for me to want to do something when my body wasn't strong enough. Overall, I liked this workshop because it was helpful, and I enjoyed learning how the facilitator uses these tools for her own chronic pain.

---

Nature Walk:

The nature walk is what got my step count up to 7,000 for the day, which, at this point, is my largest since my hospitalization. The paths were mostly paved, but a wheelchair could not do this hike. However, there was the option to stay on the property and journal or meditate instead. I wanted to do the hike when I originally thought I wouldn't be able to, and I am glad I did because the view was gorgeous. However, there were some very hilly parts on the way back that were harder for me than expected, so I had to balance focus on my walking while talking to others at the retreat.

---

Sound Bath:

The sound bath was very accessible; all we had to do was lie down on the grass and listen to the music. This sound bath had a component where we all hummed, which was an interesting addition. There was also a harp, which I had never had used in a sound bath before. Overall, it was very relaxing and accessible because even if you couldn't hear the music, you could feel the vibrations.

---

Breath work:

This workshop also involved lying down, and I was given a pillow for back support, which ended up being helpful. I enjoyed this section of the retreat more than I thought I would because normally people just talk about breathing deeply, which I try to do but struggle with. Instead, this breathwork workshop was more guided, allowing me to immerse myself in the experience. One thing I liked about this workshop was that the facilitator talked about her experience using breathwork for her own chronic pain, which piqued my interest as someone who also has chronic pain. I didn't think of breathwork as something to fix a physical problem, but it's an accessible tool that can be done lying down.

---

Fire:

The fire pit had both steep hills and steps to enter, so I am not sure how a wheelchair would make it up. However, once in the circle, the seats were comfortable, and the fire was warm and relaxing. The retreat ended with some tea, and I got to throw some paper into the fire with things I wanted to let go of. I had done a similar practice of writing letters and burning them in a therapy-like setting before, so this was fun and cathartic for me. I think this was a good way to end the day because we all got to be introspective and take what we liked and leave the rest.

---

Overall:

While the accessibility wasn't perfect, I could see the effort to make an event that was both appealing to people who are very into fitness and accessible to someone like me, who is recovering and wants to be immersed in an experience. Hummingbird Ranch had enough accessibility for me to both push myself and fully participate. However, I needed major rest the next day. If you are ever given the opportunity to do a retreat based on your interests, I highly recommend it. I enjoyed meeting new people and learning practices I can take with me now that it's over.

---

Thank you for reading about the accessibility of Hummingbird Ranch and my experience doing a nature-based retreat. If you have any questions or comments, please comment on the blog, reach out at @Anniekrollblog on Instagram or Facebook, or email me at Anniekrollblog@gmail.com. I hope to see you next week!