This post is a continuation of my end of summer trip last week. Here is a link to the first post about spending time in Hood River OR.

After leaving Hood River we started up the White Salmon River, along HWY141, on the Washington State side of the Columbia River. We were making the 20 some mile trek up the Trout Lake Valley to our destination. Before we went to our Air B and B just outside of the small town of Trout Lake we stopped by the Trout Lake Abbey. The Abbey is also a B&B and we had hoped to stay there on this visit, unfortunately they were completely booked for a retreat.

The Trout Lake Abbey contains both a Zen Buddhist Temple and a Druid Sanctuary. Quite the combination but it seems to work. :) Most of what I share in this post will be about the Temple. We were running short on time so weren't able to spend any time exploring the Druid Sanctuary part of the Abbey. Here is a link with more information on the White Mountain Druid Sanctuary.

We had lived in the area for about 2.5 years but the last winter we were there was quite brutal so it was time to move on. It will always remain on my list of favorite places to visit though. :)

Click images for larger view

Here is moving panorama of some of the early fall colors from the road up to Trout Lake.

Mt. Adams Zen Buddhist Temple 雪山禅寺 + Tuyết Sơn Thiền Tự

A little back story on how we found this place originally. About 6 years ago when I was getting ready to abandon the corporate lifestyle and move away from my home of 40 odd years, I ran across this place. I had spent some time in the area in my younger days watching bands from Portland play at The Trout Lake Tavern.

We had been driving around looking at properties and decided to spend the night. There are not a huge amount of lodging options in Trout Lake and everything was full. We ran across a little blue sign that said Bed & Breakfast pointing down a dead end road. To say the least we were amazed at what we found.

A view of the pond and the labyrinth over on the left. Usually Mt Adams is a prominent feature in this view, but alas it is cloud bound this day.

A shrine at the entrance to the labyrinth.

I was amazed at the composition and coloring of this stone table and stools.

The entrance to the labyrinth.

When we had visited here all those years ago the labyrinth was still under construction. In fact we even helped by adding some stones to the path.

A look back at the Temple on the left (in the old barn) and the main house, center right. Some of the Druid Sanctuary can be seen on the far right.

A little pano from the center of the labyrinth. The journey through helped center me also. :)

The Temple bell on the left and the Courage Cabin on the right. When we came here years ago this little cabin was all they had for us to stay in. They don't usually rent it out but they made an exception for us. We were truly grateful.

The doors in the background lead to a collection of meditation huts. They also allow Pacific Crest Trail Hikers to stay in these huts. If the hikers can find their way to the Abbey they are rewarded with a place to stay, showers, and a magnificent meal the next morning!

Prayer wheels.

The entrance to the Temple.
Click images for larger view

Hope you enjoyed the tour. While I don't miss the winters here, I do miss the energy that surrounds the valley. I felt renewed after this visit. :)

Photos taken by me with a Nikon D3300 and CPL filter with some Lightroom post processing.

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!