SACRED PEAKS RETREAT
Nature-Based Psilocybin Retreats in the Colorado Foothills
An immersive mountain sanctuary offering licensed natural medicine experiences, wilderness integration, breathwork, yoga therapy, health coaching, and private on-site lodging to support meaningful, lasting change.
Nestled in the Arapahoe National Forest, outside Boulder, Colorado, Sacred Peaks Retreat is a private mountain sanctuary where healing unfolds in relationship with the natural world. Guided psilocybin experiences are thoughtfully paired with preparation, wilderness integration, and holistic practices that provide the structure, support, and ongoing integration to carry insight forward into everyday life.
Sacred Peaks draws its name from Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak, and the Green Mountain Range that surround our retreat. It also reflects the profound moments of insight that often emerge through intentional psychedelic experiences.
They are often catalysts that shift our perspective, and expand our capacity to infuse our lives with purpose, creativity, fulfillment, resilience and blaze a path to awakening.
At Sacred Peaks Retreat, our mission is to steward safe, intentional journeys where nature, community, and mushroom medicines support deep healing, and meaningful transformation.
We envision a world where humans remember their belonging to the Earth and their inherent capacity to heal, evolve, and live in alignment with their true nature. Guided by the quiet intelligence of the wilderness and the profound teachings of mushroom medicine, we cultivate experiences that awaken reverence, restore balance, and illuminate the path back to the Self — in mind, body, and spirit.
Our Guiding Principles:
- Safety & Ethical Stewardship
- Nature-Based Healing
- Community & Connection
- Integration & Lasting Change
We gather on lands long held and cared for by the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne peoples, and we offer gratitude to the original caretakers of this sanctuary while committing to respect, humility, and right relationship with the earth
JOURNEYS & OFFERINGS
YOUR GUIDE
KAREN BAKKE
PSYCHEDELIC GUIDE | PSILOCYBIN FACILITATOR | HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACH | FOUNDER & OWNER OF SACRED PEAKS RETREAT
I am a Licensed Psilocybin Natural Medicine Facilitator with Elemental Psychedelics and a Credentialed Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Guide from the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness.
I specialize in psilocybin facilitation, cannabis-assisted psychedelic therapy, microdosing protocols, yoga therapy, and integration coaching.
I'm also certified as a Psychedelic-Wilderness First Aid Responder, trained in trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and research-based dosing strategies.
I bring decades of personal psychedelic journey experience coupled with dynamic expertise as a Health and Wellness Coach. I specialize in gut-brain optimization with leading-edge wellness solutions that support clients in achieving vibrant health through customized, multi-modality practices that blend modern neuroscience with ancient wisdom tradition practices.
Owner/Facilitator Licenses: NMO-00114
SACRED PEAKS SETTING
THE SACRED SUITE
Tucked into the mountainside at 7,500 feet, Sacred Peaks Retreat is a private sanctuary where wilderness, wildlife, and wonder converge. This tranquil, secluded space is perched among pine forests and boulder fields, offering expansive views of Boulder, Bear Peak, and the Green Mountain Range.
Step out onto the flagstone patio or soak in the sky-deck hot tub and you’ll be greeted by sweeping vistas, crisp alpine air, and star-filled night skies that stretch into eternity. Frequent visits from deer, foxes, bears, hummingbirds, add to the enchantment — especially in the golden light of summer.
I invite you into wilderness-based integration sessions held on secluded mountain trails—places where movement, breath, and the living landscape naturally support your healing. Gentle hiking becomes an extension of the work we began in ceremony. Walking helps activate somatic processing, allowing insights from your journey to settle into the body rather than float as abstract ideas.
These integration adventures offer a multifaceted and embodied way to weave your journey into your daily life. The elements, terrain, flora and fauna work as co-facilitators, and together we make space for the insights of your experience to take root in a way that is both grounded and enduring.
I’ve been hearing my spiritual call for years, but for some reason, I didn’t answer it till I was in contact with Karen.
I felt she was the one to help me understand and explore my inner universe.
With the help of the sacred plant, we did 2 journeys, they were very different, but at the same time, perfect for me.
I was very pleased with the experience, the music, the words, the silence, and the end. It was made for me!!
Thank you Karen for all that you give and your guidance.
- Joel B., Boulder, CO
As a newcomer to the psychedelic experience, I was a bit nervous leading up to my day—both about the physical sensations and what might surface psychologically. I was also timid about having someone present for an extended time as I processed internally, and possibly verbally.
The setting for Sacred Peaks Retreat is just far enough from Boulder to feel immersed in natural beauty with views and rock outcroppings, and conveniently a bit removed from the city. Karen’s professionalism, combined with her caring and attentive nature, immediately put me at ease. She gently guided me when it was time to settle in and let the medicine take its course.
Throughout the journey, Karen was fully present—laughing with me, and asking thoughtful questions when the timing felt right. The day was pleasant and comfortable, and I wasn’t ready to leave when it ended.
In the days following, I felt very tired but also calm, with a clearer sense of the changes I want to make in myself and in my life. I’m already looking forward to returning to Sacred Peaks Retreat and have recommended her to others.
- Emelie G., Boulder, CO
As a daily cannabis user, I questioned how a cannabis Journey could be effective for me on a different level. I found out very quickly that using cannabis in an intentionally healing way is a very different experience.
Karen provides a very safe, comfortable space where I felt I could relax into the journey without stress or anxiety. The music she curated to guide me along the journey was perfect. We incorporated breath work into my session. I really didn’t have any expectations of breath work as I had never tried it, so I was really blown away by how powerful it is. It took the journey to the next level both somatically and visually. I feel like the breath work allowed me to access trauma that I had stored.
Once the session was over, Karen helped me process the journey in a compassionate and professional way.
Her insight and guidance was invaluable for me to understand how to work with this trauma.
I look forward to continuing my magical journey with Karen to expand my growth and healing.
- Tracie M., Longmont, CO
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is there research to support mental health with specific conditions such as depression and anxiety?
Yes, Numerous studies support psilocybin as a ‘breakthrough therapy,’ a designation granted by the FDA. This recognition continues to drive groundbreaking research into psilocybin and other serotonergic psychedelics.
This study highlights how psilocybin produces a physical, durable and specific rewiring of large-scale neural networks and connectivity: “Psilocybin Triggers an Activity-Dependent Rewiring of Large-Scale Cortical Networks.”
Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris is a leading figure in psychedelic research, particularly known for his studies on psilocybin’s potential in treating mental health conditions. His work has significantly contributed to the resurgence of interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
A landmark 2016 study published in The Lancet Psychiatry by Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and colleagues explored the use of psilocybin with psychological support for people with treatment-resistant depression. Just two guided sessions led to rapid and significant reductions in depressive symptoms, with some participants experiencing lasting improvement for up to three months.
Read the full study here:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(16)30065-7/fulltext
Six-Month Follow-Up Study
A follow-up study extended the findings, demonstrating that the antidepressant effects of psilocybin could persist for at least six months post-treatment. This study provided preliminary support for the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression.
Brain Imaging Studies
Functional MRI studies conducted by Carhart-Harris revealed that psilocybin therapy leads to increased global brain network integration. This neural reorganization is associated with rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, indicating a potential mechanism by which psilocybin alleviates depression.
Would it be most beneficial to start with a therapeutic dose, or microdosing?
Both approaches offer unique and valuable benefits—it really comes down to your personal intentions. If you’re new to this work and feel called to begin gently, microdosing can provide a gradual, sustained path of attunement. On the other hand, a therapeutic dose may catalyze more immediate and profound shifts.
Ideally, using microdosing within a structured protocol with a therapeutic dose(s) will exponentially increase neuroplasticity, and maximize the “critical learning period”, a window of opportunity where the brain is more susceptible to learning, novel perceptions and self-discovery.
Read more about the “critial learning period” with psychedelics at John’s Hopkins: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2023/06/study-shows-psychedelic-drugs-reopen-critical-periods-for-social-learning
How do clients achieve the most meaningful, long-term results—and what role does the number of sessions play?
I work with people who are ready to engage deeply with their own healing and growth—those who feel called to partner with the unfolding process rather than seeking a quick fix. Psychedelics can open powerful doors, but the indwelling, perpetual changes must be developed into daily empowerment practices/habits that allow re-embodiment of the mushroom’s intelligence and reignite the critical learning period.
Many clients notice positive shifts after just one session (psilocybin or cannabis), though lasting change occurs with strategic integration sessions, lifestyle modifications, microdosing or a deeper dive can help realign.
There’s no fixed formula—each person’s neurobiology and life path guide the process.
No matter your path, my role is to support you in reconnecting with your inner strength, clarity, and purpose—so you can live from that place with trust and intention.
Is it legal to use psilocybin?
Colorado’s path to legalizing natural psychedelics began with Proposition 122 (Natural Medicine Health Act) in November 2022, decriminalizing the personal use, possession, cultivation, and sharing of certain natural psychedelics for adults 21+.
Sacred Peaks Retreat is a state-licensed Natural Medicine Healing Center through the Department of Revenue (DOR).
I am a Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator (License No. NMO-00114) and founder of Sacred Peaks Retreat. Through Colorado’s regulated Natural Medicine program, I am authorized to provide professional psilocybin facilitation services, including preparation, administration support, and integration, within a safe, ethical, and trauma-informed framework.
What populations do you serve?
Many of my clients are seeking support with depression, grief, anxiety or have a sense that mushrooms could provide insight or catalyze change.
Through my own recovery from multiple concussions, I developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of neurological healing. I am particularly passionate about supporting individuals navigating post-concussion symptoms, cognitive and emotional challenges, and the often-overlooked journey of rebuilding a meaningful life after brain injury.
Others are drawn to this work to deepen spiritual inquiry, expand creativity, or move into the next level of performance, vitality, and well-being.
I also support those focused on health optimization, and conscious life design.
Are “bad trips” common?
Psilocybin journeys can occasionally include periods of emotional intensity or difficulty. These experiences are usually transitory and often meaningful parts of the healing process.
Careful attention to set and setting—the mindset participants bring into the experience and the safe, supportive environment in which it unfolds—plays a vital role in helping individuals navigate these moments with greater ease and trust.
Expanded states of awareness may allow previously stored memories, emotions, or unconscious patterns to surface. When held within a prepared mindset and a thoughtfully guided setting, these experiences can be revisited and processed with new perspective and compassion.
Many participants find that moving through these moments leads to emotional release, insight, and a deeper sense of wholeness and personal empowerment.