Wandering Fern offers seasonal retreats on the North Shore of Lake Superior
and beyond!

Our retreats feature nourishing food, gentle itineraries, thoughtful reflection, creative activities, and cozy cabin vibes.

Come steep yourself in the good energy of beautiful places
and let us take care of you.

You’ll leave rested, connected, energized, and inspired so you can keep doing amazing things out in the world!

Upcoming Retreats

Knit Camp Sedona
Apr
11
to Apr 18

Knit Camp Sedona

Join me for a 6-night all-inclusive knitting retreat in Sedona, Arizona to knit, hike, thaw out, and recharge in the breathtaking red rock desert! Each day begins with a knitting circle hosted by Dorothy (Wandering Fern owner and holistic coach); features a guided excursion, workshop, or choose-your-own adventure, and ends with dinner, hot tub, stargazing, and knitting around the campfire.

Knit Camp Sedona 2026
from $3,500.00

April 12-18, 202612 spots

REGISTRATION has closed. Email me if you would like to join the waitlist! 

A knitting retreat in the red rock desert

Join me for a 6-night all-inclusive knitting retreat in Sedona, Arizona to knit, hike, thaw out, and recharge in the breathtaking red rock desert.

Each day begins with a continental breakfast and knitting circle hosted by Dorothy (Wandering Fern owner and holistic / integral coach); features a guided excursion, workshop, or free day activities with a packed brown-bag lunch, and ends with dinner, hot tub, stargazing, and knitting around the campfire.

Our itinerary

Our gentle itinerary offers ample time through the week to knit, explore the hiking and biking trails behind the resort, soak in the hot tubs, do a little shopping, and connect with new knitting friends!

Day 1: Arrive and Welcome Dinner
Day 2: Colorwork Design Workshop: Tsekoh Cowl
Day 3: Guided Excursion: Choice of Hike or Jeep Tour
Day 4: Fiber Circle and Free Day
Day 5: Guided Excursion: Choice of Hike or Jeep Tour
Day 6: Free Day and Farewell Dinner
Day 7: Depart...until next time!

What’s included:

This retreat is all inclusive! We provide all meals and supplies. Guided excursions are included and there are no surprise add-on costs to enjoy the full experience of this retreat.

  • Daily knitting circles

  • 6 nights at The Red Agave Adventure Resort

  • 5 dinners (home cooked and / or restaurant)

  • All lunches (brown bag)

  • All breakfasts (continental in your chalet)

  • Guided Hike

  • Guided Jeep Tour

  • Transportation to/from 2 guided excursions

  • Tse'koh Cowl Workshop, pattern, supplies 

  • Access to camp store

  • First dibs on a spot if we host this retreat next year!

What’s NOT included:

  • Airfare

  • Transportation from airport in Phoenix to resort (~2hr drive)

  • Transportation on Free Days

  • Alcohol (feel free to bring your own!)

Where we’ll stay

Knit Camp Sedona is hosted at The Red Agave Adventure Resort. This casual destination is located 7 miles south of downtown Sedona, in the Village of Oak Creek. While technically a Sedona address, this area is a little quieter, more walkable, and has easy access trails. Follow the link above for slideshow tour of the property!

The resort’s sweet chalets and simple studios arc around a spacious courtyard with fire circle, pool, and hot tubs overlooking iconic Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.

Each chalet accommodates 3 people with a single room (queen bed) on the main floor and a shared loft (1 full bed, 1 twin bed) accessible from the living room / kitchen by a spiral staircase. 

Hiking and biking trails lead out into the desert.

Our retreat will occupy about half of the units at the Red Agave and will share courtyard space with other guests who are not participating in the retreat. This resort does not have indoor gathering space so we will gather outside giving this retreat a true Knit Camp vibe!

Featured Patterns

During the retreat, we will spotlight and explore the work of two Dine (Navajo) knitwear designers who live and work in the southwest: Jennifer Berg (The Native Knitter) and Tressa Weidenaar (Tsin Bikee Knits)

  • Trunk Show of Dappled Fern shop knit samples designed by Jen and Tressa.

  • Show and Share (bring anything you’ve knit by Jen and Tressa to show off and share what you enjoyed about the patterns. 

  • Tsekoh Cowl Workshop: Explore nature-inspired motifs and color work design while knitting this pattern designed by Jennifer Berg. 

The Tse'koh Cowl Workshop

In this workshop you’ll learn how to design a color work motif and cast on your very own version of The Tsekoh Cowl by The Native Knitter. 

Tse'koh means the “Rock-cut or Canyon” in the Navajo language. The pattern features two motifs, one representing rock and one representing water. Designer Jennifer Berg dreamed up this pattern to: “teach aspiring designers how to create their own motifs within a developed design." You can knit the pattern just how it's written, or add your own motifs to reflect the water, rocks, and other nature elements around you.

We will spend part of this workshop walking and sitting in the desert behind the resort to find inspiration for our unique color palettes and nature-inspired motifs for this cowl project. We’ll return to the resort where we'll translate these ideas into color work knitting motifs using grid paper, simple math, and various stitch dictionaries. You can then work on this project throughout the retreat, or take the design home as a souvenir to knit up later. 

Guided Excursions

You’ll have the opportunity to participate in two guided excursions in the area:

  • A jeep tour of the region with a stop at Sinagua cliff dwellings.

  • A guided half day hike through the red rock desert. 

You can sign up for one or both (no extra cost!) or do your own thing on these days instead! Transportation to and from these excursions is provided.Please note the destinations for these excursions may change depending on weather and guide availability. 

Free Days

On the two Free Days planned during the retreat, we’ll begin and end with our usual knitting circles and set you free to do whatever you’d like in between. I'll share a list of some favorite hikes, shops, restaurants, and historical sites in case you want to adventure beyond the resort. You could book a massage or energy work. Or find a lovely spot at the resort to curl up and knit to your hearts content! We’ll reconnect as a group at the end of the day to share stories of our adventures.

How to get to Sedona:

  1. Fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Rent a car or take a shuttle (~2h) to The Red Agave. Shuttle options include:

  2. Road trip! Make this retreat part of a Southwest road trip and visit places like Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arches National Park, The Grand Canyon, or Mesa Verde along the way!

A note about transportation 

Dappled Fern will organize transportation to and from the Jeep Tour and Guided Hike excursions. You will need to bring or rent a vehicle if you would like to venture beyond the resort and surrounding trails at any other point. Dappled Fern is not able to provide transportation to retreat participants at this time per our insurance policy. 

Cost

  • Shared Room (Twin bed) $3200

  • Shared room (Double bed) $3500

  • Single room (Queen or King Bed) $3800

  • Private Studio (King Bed, private bath, private kitchenette ($4300)

Payment Plan

  • $1000 deposit due at registration (use radio buttons for this option)

  • Remainder due on October 1, 2025.

Cancellation policy:

Clear cancelation policies are important so everyone knows what to expect!

The initial $1000 deposit is non refundable. $50% of remainder is refundable until 60 days before the start of the retreat. After that, no refunds will be issued unless you find someone to fill your spot and get approval by Wandering Fern Retreats in writing before the start of the retreat. 

If you do not pay the remainder due by October 1, 2025 your spot will go to someone on the waiting list and no refund will be given. 

Refunds cannot be issued for last minute events that causes you to miss the retreat (emergencies, travel delays, missed flights, etc). We do encourage you to look into travel insurance on your own in case this might offer peace of mind.

Exceptions to this policy cannot be made. We are a small business counting on registration costs to prepay the venue, caterers, and other retreat expenses.

This trip needs a minimum of 9 participants registered by October 1, 2025 in order to make it happen! If we do not have the minimum by then, deposits will be refunded or credited towards another 2026 Dappled Fern retreat of your choice.

We hope that spreading out payment over time makes it easier to budget for the experience and minimizes your losses should you need to cancel, and having a clear cancellation policy helps you know what to expect when you register. 

Why Sedona?

Sedona is one of my very favorite places in the world! There's nothing like the red dirt, big skies, petroglyphs, cliff dwellings, agave, manzanita, creosote bushes, desert rain, smooth sandstone rock formations, and dusty desert colors.

Sedona is located in North Central Arizona, 2hr drive North of Phoenix, AZ and about 2hr south of the Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation. The average highs in April are in the 70s and the average lows are in the 40s. That’s basically summer weather in Grand Marais, Minnesota!

I grew up visiting my grandparents in Sedona, hiking places like Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, and Cathedral Rock, and exploring spots that my grandfather stumbled upon during his daily rambles or learned of from local birding society, Friends of the Forest, and museums: Schnebly Hill,Back’O Beyond, Thompson’s Ladder.

Sedona is a beloved destination to many and yet I find it doesn’t take much to get off the beaten path. I return every chance I get and it’s been a dream of mine to host a knitting retreat there to share this special place with you!

Tell your knitting besties!

How to register:

  • Read details and cancelation policy above before registering. 

  • Use drop-down menu to select accommodation type. 

  • Use radio buttons to select pay deposit vs. full amount (you have to scroll sidewise to see this on a phone).

View Event →
Spring Knit Camp
May
29
to May 31

Spring Knit Camp

Join me for Spring Knit Camp, a knitting retreat in Lutsen, MN. Our gentle itinerary features knitting circles, saunas, hikes, naps, and yummy meals. You’ll have plenty of time to knit and relax during this all-inclusive retreat, and will leave feeling rested, rejuvenated, connected, and inspired!

Spring Knit Camp 2026
from $680.00

Friday, May 29, 2026 (4pm) thru Sunday, May 31, 2025 (10am)

FULL - To join waitlist, email dorothy@wanderingfernretreats.com

Join us for Spring Knit Camp, a knitting retreat in Lutsen, MN hosted by Dorothy Broomall, owner of Dappled Fern Yarn Shop. Our gentle itinerary features knitting circles, saunas, hikes, naps, and yummy meals.  You’ll have plenty of time to knit and relax during this all-inclusive retreat, and will leave feeling rested, rejuvenated, connected, and inspired! 

Ski Hill Cabins

Ski Hill Cabins is our base camp for the weekend. There Nordic modern cabins offer spacious living rooms (where we can cozy up to knit), full kitchens, two full bathrooms, fire circles, and private saunas. Accommodations include main-floor single room (king bed), main floor shared bunk room (queen above queen bunk beds), and shared loft (two full beds in loft accessible by ships ladder). 

What’s included:

  • Gently facilitated itinerary

  • Knitting circles hosted by Dorothy

  • Access to camp store

  • 2 nights at Ski Hill Cabins

  • Yummy home-cooked meals

  • Early bird registration at any future Spring Knit Camps at Ski Hill Cabins.

Options:

  • Private Room - King Bed (3 spots)

  • Shared Loft (accessible by ships ladder) - Full Bed (6 spots)

  • Shared Room - Queen-above-Queen Bunk (6 spots)

  • 3rd night add on $340

Things to do in the area:

  • Fika Coffee is minutes away!

  • Oberg Mountain Trailhead

  • Caribou Trail Trailhead

  • Cascade Lodge Restaurant and Pub

  • Coho Cafe and Bakery

  • Dappled Fern Fibers

  • The North Country gift shop

  • Clearview General store

  • More

THE FINE PRINT:

  • 2026 participants have the opportunity to register early or hold their spot until general registration opens in November for a $50 nonrefundable fee. Full payment is then due when general registration opens or your spot will be released. 

  • Cancellation made on or before March 29, 2026 will receive a full refund.

  • Cancellations after March 29, 2026 will not receive a refund unless we are able to fill your spot. Alternately, you are welcome to send a friend in your place or donate the spot for us to fill with someone in our community who could use a break.

  • Please share the love, not the bugs. That goes for Covid and colds. If you are sick, stay home and send a friend in your place. We will send home anyone with symptoms to protect others in attendance and no refund will be given.

  • Pets are not allowed per property policy.

  • Please arrive during the 4-6pm check in time. Late arrival impacts group cohesion. 

  • Folks who attend will get first dibs if we host this retreat next year! 

View Event →
September Knit Camp
Sep
10
to Sep 14

September Knit Camp

September Knit Camp 2026
from $1,400.00

Thursday, 9/10 - Monday, 9/14, 2026 (4 nights)12 spaces

Pack your favorite knitwear and head North for our 5th annual fall knitters retreat! 

Cozy Vibe

This intimate weekend is facilitated by Dorothy Broomall, knitter, coach, and facilitator. Dorothy will hold the same warm space you’ve come to know at Dappled Fern yarn shop...it’s just you don’t have to go home at the end of the day. We've added a 4th night this year so you have enough time to really settle into the experience!

Lake-Side Cabins

We'll stay at Golden Eagle Lodge, located half-way up the Gunflint Trail, about 45 minutes from Grand Marais, MN. The cozy, private lake-side cabins are nestled on the south-facing shore of Flour Lake, which is a Boundary Waters Wilderness access point. Each cabin has single and shared rooms, living area, bathroom, kitchen, and private dock access. We'll gather outdoors as much as we can to enjoy the changing seasons and cozy up inside one of the larger cabins when we need to!

Watch this video to get to know Golden Eagle Lodge and the beautiful Boundary Waters landscape! 

Gentle Itinerary

Our gentle itinerary includes morning knitting circles, campfires, simple breakfasts, picnic lunches, and home-cooked suppers... with ample time to rest, explore, knit, and nap in between. We'll have at least 1 free day to choose-your-own adventure. Consider renting a canoe from the lodge and exploring the lake or even getting a day permit for the BWCAW!

I'm thrilled about the new location and excited for this annual opportunity to spend time together with you!  I know we'll leave this intimate retreat steeped in the good energy of the North Woods and inspired by dear fiber friends.

What's included:

  • 4 nights and 3 full days at camp!

  • Gentle facilitated itinerary

  • Daily fiber circles

  • Camp craft or activity

  • Yummy meals made with love!

  • Single Room (Full or Queen) 4 spaces) or,

  • Shared Room (2 Twins) (6 spaces), plus

  • A little swag bag of goodies.

What's not included:

  • Alcohol - you are welcome to BYO!

  • Any add-ons we decide to offer. 

Places to check out on the free day:

  • Magnetic Rock Hike

  • Loons Nest Coffee

  • Poplar Haus

  • Trail Center

Early Bird Registration: September 22-26nd, 2025

Participants who attended Fall 2025 Knit Camp will have first dibs on spots for 2026!

General Registration: March 14, 2026 at 7pm (Central Time). 

Any remaining spots open to the general public. If you don’t get in, email me at dorothy@dappledfernfibers.com to join the waitlist. The waitlist gets first dibs if a spot opens, which has happened most years we've offered this retreat.

 THE FINE PRINT:

  • 50% of cost due at registration, 50% due March 1, 2026. 

  • If you need to cancel, a partial refund (minus $100 admin fee) may be available if we are able to fill your spot.

  • Checkin is between 4-6pm on the first day. Except in unforeseen circumstances, we request that you stick to this check in time to help us facilitate a smooth flow of the retreat and give people time to connect, which is so important for the experience of knit camp! 

  • No pets. 

  • No non-registered visitors during the retreat. 

  • Please share the love, not the bugs. That goes for Covid and colds. We will send home anyone who appears to be sick to protect others in attendance and no refund will be given.

  • Pssssstttt…..Folks who attend this year will get first dibs on a spot if we host Fall Knit Camp at Golden Eagle again next year! 

Please email Dorothy at dorothy@dappledfernfibers.com at time of registration with info about allergies and dietary restrictions so we can accommodate them in our yummy menu!

View Event →
November Knit Camp
Nov
6
to Nov 9

November Knit Camp

Join me for November Knit Camp, a knitting retreat in Lutsen, MN. Our gentle itinerary features knitting circles, saunas, hikes, naps, and yummy meals. You’ll have plenty of time to knit and relax during this all-inclusive retreat, and will leave feeling rested, rejuvenated, connected, and inspired!

View Event →

Nourishing Food

Inspiring Community

Beautiful Places

Sample Fall Menu

Testimonials