Balanced Rock Foundation

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El Portal, CA
Balanced Rock Foundation

Yosemite’s premier health & wellness organization offering nature retreats, guided adventures, community classes, and yoga teacher trainings since 2000.

09/08/2026

One gift can create a ripple far beyond a single moment.

It can open the door to a yoga class,, a day spent in nature, a new connection in community, or an experience that someone may not otherwise have access to.

What is gained from those moments travels with us beyond—into our families, friend groups, workplaces, schools, and communities.

We see this after every program we offer as a ripple effect of giving.

We need your help to keep it going in 2027 and beyond. Together, we’re working to raise $40,000 by November 1st—funds which will directly impact community programming, financial aid opportunities, and professional development for local instructors and guides.

Every gift, at every level, becomes a part of what comes next. 💜

Give today through the link in our bio!

08/07/2026

For more than 25 years, Balanced Rock has helped people reconnect with themselves, each other, and the natural world. Today, that work feels more important than ever.⁠
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Across Yosemite and the Sierra foothills, people are searching for connection, resilience, and places where they can simply breathe. Thanks to supporters like you, hundreds of local residents, students, and park employees have found those spaces through Balanced Rock during the first half of 2026.⁠
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During the first six months of 2026, together we have...⁠
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💟 Served over 975 community members⁠
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🧘🏽 Reached 545 students across local schools⁠
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🕉️ Hosted 166 community yoga classes⁠
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🤗 Offered 42 days of accessible programming⁠
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💸 Awarded $5,409 in tuition assistance & financial aid⁠
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Every number represents a real person—a child discovering confidence, a park employee finding relief from burnout, or a neighbor building meaningful connections through community.⁠
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As we launch our Mid-Year Giving Campaign, we're working toward the goal of raising $40,000 by November 1st to ensure this work continues into 2027. If you are able to give, please consider making a donation to help us shape what comes next.⁠

🩵 DONATE TODAY ➡️ https://www.balancedrock.org/donate
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Follow the links to check out our Mid-Year Impact Report and help us raise $40k!⁠

VIEW THE IMPACT REPORT ➡️ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-9S6MXQBu0QQRcf-k-Uf6IEnwvntHh3B/view

READ THE LETTER FROM HEATHER ➡️ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vYq9q6auEzHV0I7AZCn0ZPatXdjA76Qv/view?_kx=xZrYTKeguKl17pw8PX9NOUvzRe0Zz-LYeumrYNmXakDDZefI8T5sCH0_Dwo1tA90.QV6i8K
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📸 by 📷 Fred Pompermayer

07/14/2026

We have an exciting weekend of local events coming up this July 17-19!

🎨 OBATA ART WEEKEND
📍 Yosemite Valley
Check out the incredible schedule of speakers, art demos, and workshops. Balanced Rock will be offering free yoga Saturday morning at Yellow Pine Campground + hosting an interactive art booth at the Community Art Fair on Saturday!

🏕️ PARSONS MEMORIAL LODGE SUMMER SERIES
📍 Parsons Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows
Join our co-Founder and Executive Director Heather Sullivan for a wellness retreat in the meadow! Bring your own yoga mat and journal for a dreamy practice in the high country this Sunday!

Both events are hosted by Yosemite Conservancy in collaboration with Yosemite National Park 🩵

06/12/2026

FREE WELLNESS WORKSHOPS!!!

Friends—we are beyond excited to share this with the community! We’ve partnered with Yosemite National Park Health and Wellness to offer a series of free wellness workshops aimed to help you move from burnout to balance through nervous system regulation, breathwork, creative practices, neural knowledge, and being in community.

Thanks to a generous grant from Yosemite Conservancy there will be 3 summer series and 2 standalone workshops in autumn for park employees, park partners, and local community members.

All of the programs are live on our 2026/2027 CALENDAR ➡️ balancedrock.org

The June series will focus on tools and techniques to manage your nervous system, led by the incredible Paula Wild 🩵

June 15 - Yosemite Valley (Library)
June 16 - Wawona (Community Center)
June 17 - Mather District (Rush Creek Lodge)
June 18 - Tuolumne Meadows (picnic tables near SAR Cache)

🫁 JULY - Power of Breath with Catherine Wortmann and Meg Olsen

📝 AUGUST - The Art of Letter Writing with Heather Sullivan

OCTOBER - Songwriting & Creative Expression with Heather Sullivan, Jamie Gonzales, and John Orrego

NOVEMBER - Intro to Chronic Pain Recovery with Eliza Kerr

Please help us share these free sessions far and wide with our community. As we dive into another busy season here in Yosemite, everyone who makes this place enjoyable for visitors and the community members who are the heart and soul of the area deserve to be taken care of 🫶🏻

DM us with questions! We’re here to support your wellness journey.

05/31/2026

What a weekend! 🤩🤩

From the 2-day Native Basketry Workshop with in Midpines 🌾

To Nature Journaling with 📓
AND Outdoor Yoga with for the Women of Color in the Geosciences Collective Retreat in Wawona 🧘🏽

💕 Our hearts are full and happy!!! 💓

We love this community so much, and man…we love what we do. To be able to connect people together under incredible facilitators, teachers, and guides is the best feeling!

Thank you to everyone who made all the wonderful pieces of this weekend come together and to all who gathered at these incredible events 🫶🏻

05/01/2026

Our next Notes from the Sierra is here! 😍

The May Edition features Allison of ✨

In her piece, Allison explores the profound connection between scent, memory, and the “sacred brain,” revealing how aromatic plants and the sense of smell can bypass the thinking mind and guide us back to a deeper state of presence, intuition, and wholeness.

We invite you to read Allison’s piece over at the Balanced Rock Journal 💗

Photos provided by

03/29/2026

This past week carried a beautiful reflection of cyclical time. As we stepped into our Spring Awakening Retreat in Ojai, we also came to a close with our 3-week Art, Nature and Wellness Immersion program.

The Ojai group gathered as the Immersion group dispersed, much like the puffs of pollen were becoming well-acquainted with these days (cue the sneezing!) 🤧😆

In the spirit of Spring’s cheeky lightheartedness, we’re leaning into the reminder that this time of year is hardly something we observe passively, but rather at time we are often thrust into (with a little spritely oomph!) 🧚

With that playful energy in mind, we find ourselves expanding outward come April—connecting with community as we offer yoga and interactive booths at local outreach events. We hope to see you out there 😉

April 11 • Mariposa Facelift

April 25 • Yosemite Health & Wellness Fair

May 2 • Spring Fling!
📸 Yerba Santa blooming in the Merced River canyon (credit: Meg Olsen)

03/11/2026

This week one of our senior guides had the pleasure of guiding one of our favorite annual clients—Rustad Tours—on their spring tour of Yosemite Valley!

While Balanced Rock offers the chance to experience Yosemite with our local, experienced guides year round, our season generally begins to kick off in late February and early March—coming into full swing by the height of summer.

If you’re looking for a unique and personalized way to explore Yosemite on your next visit, reach out to our team. We have flexible formats for solo travelers, families, company/team retreats, and small & large groups, ranging from quick tours to full day excursions.

Visit our Guided Adventures page on the BR website to learn more!

03/10/2026

This week we welcomed a new group into our Art, Nature & Wellness Immersion—a 3-week journey rooted in creativity, connection, skills-building, and local community.

Together we’ll be exploring the intersection of artistic practice, mindful movement, and nature connection here in the Sierra foothills. Each week is an invitation to slow down, notice more deeply, and let the landscape shape the creative process.

There is something powerful about gathering in community to make art, move our bodies, and listen to what the natural world is offering.

We’re excited to see what unfolds over the coming weeks, and we can’t wait to share it with you 🌿

📸 by

03/08/2026

If you’re not a subscriber for our weekly e-newsletter, you may have missed this news! 👇

We launched our first Notes from the Sierra series this March—a new monthly storytelling series from the incredible group of artists, practitioners, guides, and teachers who shape Balanced Rock and the surrounding community.

Our first entry is written by .embodyenergy 💫 a Yosemite-based Clinical Massage Therapist and one of our favorite facilitators.

In her piece, Mia reflects on the art of stewarding your energy through nature-based metaphors and embodied wisdom. Through the lens of her own lived experience, she asks the question:

✨ how we can shift from striving and burnout to alignment, resilience, and sustainable flow? ✨

You can read Mia’s full entry in the Balanced Rock Journal by following the link below!

https://www.balancedrock.org/journal/becoming-the-steward

Address

PO Box 102
El Portal, CA
95318

Telephone

+12093799453

Website

http://balancedrock.org/, https://www.balancedrock.org/donate

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