Avalon, California, United States
Join us for a 5-day, 4-night hiking and yoga retreat on the Trans-Catalina Trail, just off the coast of Southern California. We'll backpack 42 miles across the island over 4 days, one of the most scenic and beginner-friendly thru-hikes in the U.S., taking in ocean vistas, rugged hills, and remote beaches you can only reach on foot.
This is a fully supported, plant-based, substance-free wellness retreat. We handle gear haul between camps so you only carry a daypack, Chef Zach prepares fresh, protein-rich vegan meals on the trail, and every evening closes with restorative, yin-style yoga to help your body recover. You'll sleep at some of the most beautiful campsites in California, with beaches, sweeping hillside views, and campfires under the stars.
Expect little to no cell service — that's the point. This is a chance to unplug, slow down, and reconnect with yourself and a small, supportive group. You don't need prior backpacking experience, but you should be ready to train a bit and take on some hills.
Trip Length
Short Escape (4-5 days)
Travelers
9 spots available
Trip Type
Adventure & Outdoor, Yoga & Movement, Eco & Nature Retreat, Personal Growth, Group Tour
Dates
29 Apr 2027 – 3 May 2027

This trip is provided by
Bigger Life Adventures5 trips listed
Fully Dry
This retreat is fully alcohol- and substance-free for the entire 5 days. Like all Bigger Life Adventures retreats, this is a drug and alcohol-free experience. You don't have to identify as sober, but you do need to be open to taking a break from substances during the retreat. We believe everyone is navigating something — stress, burnout, addiction, disconnection — and this retreat is a chance to step away from the noise and come back to yourself. Zach and Carrie walk the trail with you the whole way, and we all really get to know each other around the campfire. There's no formal recovery programming, but the shared substance-free agreement plus the intensity of backpacking together builds real trust fast. Instead of trailside beers, you get gourmet plant-based meals, cold ocean swims, campfire s'mores, and restorative yoga under the stars.
Wake up at camp, guided group warm-up, then break camp and load your gear onto the haul vehicle. Start hiking the day's section of the Trans-Catalina Trail with just a daypack.
Continue hiking through rugged hills and ocean vistas, keeping an eye out for the island's famous foxes and bison. Trail snacks and lunch on your own (2 lunches are on the trail, purchased at the Airport Cafe or the cafe in Two Harbors).
Arrive at the next campsite, set up camp, and cool off with a swim in the ocean. Free time to relax, journal, or explore before dinner.
Group dinner cooked by Chef Zach around the campfire, then restorative, yin-style yoga to stretch out and let your muscles recover. Evenings close with campfire s'mores, songs, and stories under the stars before an early night.
Anyone craving a beginner-friendly backpacking trip in California, willing to train a bit and take on some hills. A great fit for those wanting a yoga retreat that's active and outdoorsy, a supportive group where you can show up as you are, and a real chance to disconnect from technology and reconnect with your body. You don't need prior backpacking experience, but reach out if you're unsure whether you're ready — we're always happy to help you prepare.
Camping
4 nights of beach and backcountry camping at some of the most beautiful campsites in California — think white sand beaches, sweeping hillside views, and unforgettable sunsets. This is BYO tent and gear (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad), but we handle the gear haul between camps so you only carry a daypack on the trail. Campsite reservations and logistics are all arranged for you.
Some Meals
Dining style
Dietary options
Activities are included in this trip.
Current early bird pricing available through Jan 1, 2027, after which price increases by $100. Full gear haul service between campsites is included — you only carry a daypack on the trail. Trip is capped at just 9 spots for a truly small-group experience.
Also not included: camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack), 2 lunches on the trail, and personal spending. Fly or ferry into Los Angeles/Long Beach; we'll share ferry booking details once you're registered.
| Timing | Refund Policy |
|---|---|
| 48 hours after booking | 100% refund including deposit |
| After 48 hours | deposit non-refundable |
| 61+ days before departure | remaining payments refunded 100% |
| 31–60 days | remaining payments refunded 50% |
| 30 days or less | no refund |
Bigger Life Adventures
We're Carrie Hoffman and Zach Minnich, the husband-and-wife team behind Bigger Life Adventures. We started this in 2018 out of a shared love for world travel, yoga, real food, and time outside, and a belief that adventure and sobriety aren't a tradeoff. Every retreat we run is plant-based, alcohol-free, and rooted in trauma-informed yoga, whether we're leading a hike through the cloud forest in Monteverde or a beach camp on Catalina Island. We try to tread lightly on the places we visit, and we treat yoga as more than a workout. You don't need a label to join us. Just a desire for something real.
Carrie Hoffman • Teaching Yin Yoga (Bernie Clark & Diana Batts) • RYT500 (Lakshmi Rising, Dr. Liz Lindh) • RYT200 (Quantum Yoga, Lara Baumann) • Trauma-informed yoga & teaching yoga to youth (Prison Yoga Project, Yoga Ed.) • Ayurvedic Health Counselor (800 hours) – Joyful Belly • Wilderness First Responder (NOLS) • Permitted Day-Hiking Guide, Grand Canyon NP Zach Minnich • Reiki Master • Holistic Nutrition • Wilderness First Responder (NOLS) • Permitted Day-Hiking Guide, Grand Canyon NP
You don't have to be "in recovery" to want an alcohol-free space or to feel better in your body. Plenty of our guests come because social drinking stopped feeling good, or because they want clarity, better sleep, and real connection instead. For us, choosing an alcohol-free retreat isn't about a label. It's about choosing your well-being, and the well-being of the places we travel through, over the default. We hold every retreat to the same standard: trauma-informed teaching, choices that respect the land we're guests on, and yoga practiced as an ethical path, not just a workout.
Trauma & Nervous System
Wellness Modalities
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