The Writing Ranch, High Desert Museum to host unique nature writing intensive next month at Summer Lake Lodge

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Calling all writers and nature enthusiasts! The Writing Ranch, in collaboration with the High Desert Museum, is again hosting the Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive at the scenic Summer Lake Lodge in Summer Lake.

Scheduled from August 8-11, this will be a weekend of exploration and creativity, inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of the High Desert.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of High Desert flora and fauna as well as the region's rich archaeological heritage thanks to morning field trips led by Jon Nelson, naturalist and Curator of Wildlife at the High Desert Museum, and Dennis Jenkins, noted archaeologist field school director for the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon. 

Daily generative writing workshops will be led by High Desert author and poet, Ellen Waterston. Waterston serves on the faculty of OSU-Cascades MFA, is the founder of the Writing Ranch, and in 2024 was recognized with Soapstone’s Bread and Roses and Literary Arts’ Stuart H. Holbrook literary awards. 

"The Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive is an opportunity for writers to explore the role of nature in their poetry and prose,” says Waterston. “You’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful location for this exploration to take place.”

Space for the Lost in Place Nature Writing Intensive is limited. Interested participants are encouraged to RSVP early to secure their spots. To register or learn more about this enriching experience, visit highdesertmuseum.org/lost-in-place or email info@writingranch.com with questions.

ABOUT THE WRITING RANCH: 

Ellen Waterston is the founder and president of the Writing Ranch which, since 2000, has been dedicated to supporting the craft and careers of established and emerging writers through multi-day generative workshops and retreats. Guest faculty’s expertise heightens participants’ experience of the unique landscapes and cultures where Writing Ranch workshops are held. www.writingranch.com 

ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

The HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.