Tuttle Creek Ashram

An abandoned ashram in the Sierra rises high above Lone Pine and the Owens Valley. Popular with hikers, it has been forgotten by historical sites.

Frank Merrell-Wolff and his wife, Sherifa “Sara” Merrell, dreamed of an ashram high in the Sierra. The couple and their followers worked on the church for almost thirty years, never completing their dream. Today, you can visit the abandoned ashram, known to some as “The Monastery.”

The Merrell-Wolffs Dream

Frank Merrell-Wolff and his wife, Sherifa “Sara” Merrell, were told by an “Old Indian” that the most spiritual place is the highest point. Since Mt. Whitney was the highest point in the US before Alaska gained statehood, the couple traveled to Owens Valley.

Falling in love with the natural beauty, they camped for two months. The couple wrote books on transcendental philosophy, mysticism, and “esoteric Hinduism.” They were inspired to create an ashram, a non-denominational place of worship and religious study.  

Tuttle Creek Ashram

The Merrell-Wolffs wanted to build an Ashram at the base of Mt. Whitney but obtained permission to build at Tuttle Creek instead. Construction began in 1928 with blasting to form a foundation. The couple and their followers worked on Ashram for twenty years but never finished the structure.  

The Merrell-Wolffs and followers constructed the ashram using local stone. Burros carried concrete mix up the steep road daily. The church is in the shape of a balanced cross, representing equilibrium and aligned in the four compass directions.  

Work ceased in 1950 as Sara could no longer make the trip to the ashram. In 1964, Tuttle Creek Ashram became part of the John Muir Wilderness. New regulations disallowed buildings in a wilderness area. The US Forest Service planned to destroy the structures, but they saved the ashram due to its historical significance.  

Exterior Photos

Interior Photos

The altar was unadorned, but in the 1960s, someone inscribed the top.

Father, Into thy eternal wisdom, all creative love, and infinite power I direct my thoughts, give my devotion and manifest my energy That I may know, love, and serve thee.

Hiking to Tuttle Creek Ashram

Tuttle Creek Ashram is 7,600 feet. The hike was steady and steep with no relief; AllTrails rates it a “challenging route.” Someone blocked the trailhead with boulders, more than doubling the hike.

As Tuttle Creek is now in the John Muir Wilderness Area, motorized vehicles and drones are prohibited.

WANT MORE GHOST TOWNS?

For information on more than five hundred ghost towns in Nevada & California, visit the Nevada Ghost Towns Map or a list of Nevada ghost towns.

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References

• AllTrails: Tuttle Creek Ashram Trail
• Merril-Wolf Org.: Ashram
• US Forest Service: Tuttle Creek Trail
• Wikipedia: Tuttle Creek Ashram

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