It’s possible to encounter God among the trees on a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventure — just ask Jim Blake, executive director of the Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds in Occidental, California.
Blake and his team at Alliance Redwoods build bridges between community and Creator, offering a new perspective on faith to thousands of visitors each year. Some of Blake’s guests are Christian, but many are not. Alliance Redwoods offers them an opportunity to encounter God and His Word in an open-minded way.
“We’re talking to people who don’t think about anything spiritually,” Blake said. “They’re spiritual people, they’re not religious people, so this is a safe place for them.”
“It’s a safe space for post-evangelicals and those who don’t have spiritual faith and have a spiritual hunger. We call it a ‘place of reinvention.'”
Using Psalm 19 and the concept of God revealing himself through his creation, Alliance Redwoods takes visitors on an unforgettable journey through the treetops. Along the way, unique Route 66-style signs (a clever callback to the famous highway and parallel to the 66 books of the Bible) display Scripture and create opportunities for visitors to ask questions and reflect on their faith.
Faith and Quest
Founded in 1946, Alliance Redwoods has served as a sacred space of restoration and renewal where visitors encounter the Creator through His creation. Families, children, and people of all backgrounds have come from near and far to experience the wonders of God’s world in Sonoma County for more than 75 years. This immersive nature experience is owned and operated by the Christian and Missionary Alliance and serves as a bridge between God and the outside world – a “Bridge to Life.”
Alliance Redwoods spans 117 acres and welcomes approximately 50,000 visitors of all faith backgrounds each year, many of whom are students and at-risk youth, as well as church and corporate groups, families and others simply looking to experience the majesty of California’s coastal redwood forests.
Visitors to Alliance Redwoods experience “service as high as our trees” and positive Christian interactions. Along the way, they encounter the words and symbols of the Bible that have inspired thousands of visitors for decades. Blake said countless visitors, including his daughters, “have experienced life-changing experiences at Camp (Vision of Camp), and hundreds turn to Christ here each year.”
There are currently two experiences available for day visitors: Sonoma Zipline Adventures and Sonoma Treehouse Adventures. The zipline experience has two routes and includes an eco-tour, eight sky bridges, 14 ziplines, abseiling on the forest floor, and an impressive spiral staircase. For visitors who want to spend the night in the forest, the Sonoma Treehouse Adventure offers overnight stays in a treehouse between ziplines.
Visitors to the Treehouse Experience can also enjoy some forest bathing on the Wonder and Ponder Trails. Forest bathing Japanese forest bathing revolves around spending time in the forest, meditating and reflecting. Forest bathing has been scientifically proven to have positive physical benefits, and at Alliance Redwoods, visitors can take time to pray, meditate, reflect and relax. There are eight stations along the trail where you can step away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world and sit still in the silence of the forest.
Blake and his team have drawn on spiritual metaphors as well as scripture. My favorite example is the story of the ghost redwoods, or “albino redwoods,” located on the property (location not disclosed). These highly unusual trees absorb toxins and heavy metals from the surrounding environment, creating a healthier place for the redwoods to thrive.
“In fact, the ghost sequoia gives us life back,” Blake says. “Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep,’ and the ghost sequoia does just that.”
“And when a sequoia starts to suffer, other trees with the same genes sprout up to support it. It’s a community, a spiritual community really.”
Safe Space
Alliance Redwoods is more than just an adventure destination – it contributes to the surrounding community in many ways. The camp is funded by donations and revenue generated from adventurers who visit for conferences, retreats, and zip-line and treehouse experiences.
Alliance Redwoods has housed thousands of disadvantaged and at-risk youth whose families might not be able to afford to send them to camp. It also hosts refugees and foster children and works with organizations to keep field trips affordable. With funding from local donors and organizations, the camp is sometimes able to gift these experiences.
Alliance Redwoods has also contributed to large-scale disaster relief: In 2017, the campground served as a base for more than 4,000 firefighters and 100 evacuees during the Tubbs Fire, one of the largest wildfires in recent state history. Since then, the campground has served as an emergency shelter for multiple fires, including the Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
Finally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the camp hosted 200 homeless people over a 14-month period. The zip line was able to operate during the lockdown, but other parts of the camp were closed. Homeless accommodations in nearby Santa Rosa were full, so Blake chose to open the camp to people who needed a place to stay. Alliance Redwoods provided them with food and shelter until the lockdown was lifted and daily life returned to normal.
bright future
Since the pandemic lockdowns were lifted, Alliance Redwoods has experienced unprecedented growth and exposure: The camp was featured in an Apple product launch campaign in 2022, as well as in an airline in-flight commercial featuring other famous California locations, including Disneyland and the Golden Gate Bridge. Inspired by this incredible reach, Blake and his team began thinking about ways they could expand the camp to accommodate more visitors and experiences.
Previously, my team at PlainJoe: A Storyland Studio and I worked with Alliance Redwoods to reimagine the spatial design and wayfinding of a themed lodging environment. This time, we worked to imagine what a conference venue could look like with expanded accommodations and services for guests. Together, we brainstormed and created concepts for new possibilities, including an all-new nature center, forest cabanas, and a hostel for Christian pilgrims walking the Sonoma Trail (similar to the Camino de Santiago in Spain).
Blake and his team also plan to build an Indigenous Center to honor the Native Americans who originally inhabited the forest. They have built relationships with some of the neighboring Native American tribes, whose ancestors lived in the redwood forest long before colonization. Together, they are creating a place where visitors can learn about how the region’s Native Americans once managed the land. While the particular group he is working with is a Christian tribe, their Native American roots go back to ancient monotheistic beliefs that are closely linked to the biblical story of creation.
Blake said tribal history is passed down and preserved through oral traditions, and he envisions creating a space at the camp where Indigenous people can share those traditions.
“I want them to tell that story,” he says.
As Blake and his team continue to plan for future growth, they hope church leaders will join them in their mission to lead people of all backgrounds to Christ through God’s creation.
“Instead of hunkering down and waiting, we need new, creative and innovative ways to impact the culture around us.[ing] Build Down[ing] “I’m trying to build bigger walls,” he said. “I’m trying to build bridges with the community, not walls, and we’re honoring the purpose of the church.”
For more information about Alliance Redwoods, https://allianceredwoods.com/.
