Welcome to the Diamond Mountain Visitor’s Guide! We are really happy you’ve stopped by to see what it’s like here and how you might come and visit, volunteer, and study.
Diamond Mountain is beautiful and rugged, remote, primitive, and blessedly quiet. We came here to learn from the land, to allow silence to permeate our minds, to test our concepts by pitting them against the challenges of the environment, to learn to work together, and to help each other and the beings who live here.
Because it is rough here, we developed this visitor’s guide to help you prepare for what we hope is a wonderful visit to Diamond Mountain. Please review it completely before you come to volunteer or study.
Location
Diamond Mountain is about 15 minutes from downtown Bowie, a small rural town with few businesses and no hotels or motels. There are 2 gas stations and a couple of small markets. There is one ATM which is often out-of-order. Willcox, a much larger town, lies 45 minutes’ drive west of Diamond Mountain. There are large grocery stores, restaurants, and motels in Willcox. Safford, about an hour north of Diamond Mountain, also has shopping and motels and boasts of a Walmart and Home Depot.
Tucson, Arizona is 1 ¾ hours west of Diamond Mountain and is the very best place to stock up on organic foods and camping supplies. Most people come here via the Greyhound bus originating from Tucson, or by flying into the Tucson International Airport and renting a car or arranging other transportation to our remote site.
Please arrange your transportation, food, and housing needs before your arrival. The following pages outline housing and transportation options available to you.
Helpful things to understand about visiting Diamond Mountain
Arizona weather is extreme. Days can be quite hot while temperatures can fall 40 degrees at night. (See seasonal temperatures *link) Our altitude of 4500 ft (1370m) may take some getting used to. You can become dehydrated without noticing, so drinking plenty of water is recommended even when the temperature is pleasant and mild.
Diamond Mountain is remote. Diamond Mountain is 15 minutes from the nearest town where there are few resources. The nearest full grocery and small hospital are 45 minutes away and we are almost 2 hours from a small city.
Diamond Mountain is mostly undeveloped. Most of our financial resources are being used for purchasing the land *link. Other resources, including volunteer labor, are being used to build the public facilities. We offer classes in 2 main buildings. There are indoor bathrooms, but other shared spaces for cooking and gathering are still in yurts and one large tent. Visitor lodging on the land may include an available yurt, but most often means tent camping if visitors do not choose to stay in a motel or rental in a nearby town.
Communication is important to us. There is one shared computer available although many visitors and students bring a laptop. Wireless internet is provided as well as an emergency phone with local service only. To call long distance, you will need a calling card. Cell phone reception depends upon your provider.
Pets are not allowed at Diamond Mountain.
Directions to Diamond Mountain:
- Heading east from Willcox on I-10, take exit 362 into Bowie.
- At the end of town, turn RIGHT at Apache Pass Road (across from the Bowie Market and at the Fort Bowie park sign).
- Go 10 miles along Apache Pass Road and take a LEFT at Old Fort Bowie Road (there is a parks sign on the left indicating to go left towards Immigrant Canyon and to the Old Fort Bowie handicapped parking access). Take this left onto the dirt road.
Note: If you hit the "Old Fort Bowie Trailhead – 2 miles" sign, you missed the turn by two seconds. If you hit Fort Bowie, you missed it by 2 miles.
- Two miles along Old Fort Bowie Road there is a sign on the left indicating to keep right for Bear Spring ranch. Keep right instead of left (which leads to Immigrant Canyon).
- As you go over the next cattle guard, you are on Diamond Mountain property with the residential village on the right, and the campground and temple site on the left. Look for instructions for where to park.
Parking at Diamond Mountain (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Mailing address: PO Box 37, Bowie, AZ, 85605
Phone: +1 520-232-2024
We look forward to seeing you here!
Lodging and Transportation
Please arrange your own lodging and transportation prior to your arrival.
To rent a car, you will need a credit card and a valid driver’s license. International (non-US) students will need to investigate what kind of licenses are acceptable and whether their credit cards will be accepted. Most companies require renters to be at least 21 years old, and some rent only to drivers 25 years and older.
When planning your trip, please remember to include the cost of gasoline in your budget – mileage adds up here! If you are relying on others to drive you, please try to help them with fuel costs.
Greyhound Bus (*link) has twice daily trips from Tucson to Willcox. Leaving 10:05 a.m. and arriving 11:35 a.m. and leaving 8 p.m. and arriving 9:30 p.m. Please check the Greyhound Bus website for schedule changes.
Below is a list of some motels in Willcox and Safford. Not all of them contain kitchens but many have microwaves and small refrigerators available in some rooms. A few offer a continental breakfast. NOTE: Willcox motels fill up with tourists during Rex Allen Days in the autumn and Wings Over Willcox (sand hill crane migration) in January. Please make reservations early if you plan to visit at these times.
In addition to the Safford and Willcox motels, there are sometimes rentals available in Willcox, Safford, and Bowie. These are often found by word-of-mouth, but do ask the Campground Host if there is anything currently known.
Camping is available at Diamond Mountain, but it’s limited and rather rough. There is one men’s and one women’s bathroom with a shower each to be shared by all. There are also outdoor showers available in the fall and spring terms. Please contact the Campground Host before coming to make sure there’s space. See Volunteering at Diamond Mountain(*link) for information.
Hotels and Motels
Willcox, Arizona
Willcox is conveniently located, along with many amenities, about 45 minutes drive from Diamond Mountain.
State hotel tax will be applied to all prices quoted. Costs for rooms are subject to change.
Best Western
520-384-3556
$80 a night for 2 people
Day’s Inn
520-384-4222
$63 a night 1 person
$68 a night 2 people
Motel 8
520-384-3270
$55 a night 1 person
King bed
Room fridge and microwave available
Motel 6
520-384-2202
$55 a night 1 person
Royal Western (formerly Econolodge)
520-384-2266
$40 a night 1 person
Microwave and room fridge available
Super 8
520-384-0888
$64 a night 1 person
$70 a night 2 people
Microwave and room fridge available in some rooms
Safford, Arizona
Safford is a very pleasant town about an hour northwest from Diamond Mountain.
Safford Super 8
928-428-5851
$75 a night 1 person
$80 a night 2 people
Olney Bed and Breakfast
HYPERLINK "http://www.olneyhouse.com" www.olneyhouse.com
928-428-5118
3 rooms in main house sharing bath $70 each
small cottage $80 a night
large cottage $90 a night
Pioneer Lodge
928-428-0733
$80 a night 1 person
$90 a night 2 people
Camping
The campground at Diamond Mountain is permitted for 25 tent sites and 6 RV sites. During study terms, these campsites are reserved when registering for University courses. Between terms, they are available on a first come, first served basis. The permitted maximum stay is 6 weeks.
Tents
Most of the tent sites are situated on a beautiful raised sand bar between 2 low washes that surround the main gathering and study area of Diamond Mountain. Camping IN the washes is not permitted because it is not safe. Trails to most sites are clearly marked with borders of rocks to make it easier to find your way “home” in the dark.
Consider smaller lower tents to withstand the high winds that can sweep through the area. Other campers will gladly help you choose a site and secure your tent if you are not used to camping.
RVs
Please contact the Campground Host for more information regarding RV camping. Sites are extremely limited and off-grid.
Kitchens, Bathrooms, and more
Shared facilities include a kitchen yurt with 2 refrigerators and 1 cookstove, indoor bathrooms with hot showers, outdoor showers (except in winter), a small room with community computer and internet, wireless DSL internet, a washing machine, and a common outdoor tent with couches and coffee tables.
There is limited additional refrigeration and food storage shelves available for full-time campers. If you are coming for a weekend or short visit, please bring a cooler and/or a closed, mouse-proof container for non-refrigerated food storage.
NOTE: Boxes or bags of food left on shelves attract mice who leave their own small gifts in return. Please keep foods, such as grains, beans, etc. in the large shared food bins in the kitchen yurt or in closed personal food containers or coolers. Personal or shared food bags found torn open by mice or skunks will be composted by the cleaning crew.
Agreements
Support for practice
We keep silence in the campground and especially around the temple (study, meditation, and yoga) from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Protecting the desert brush and each other from fire
Fires, camp stoves, candles, flame lanterns, and incense are not allowed in tents or at individual camp sites.
Smoking cigarettes
If you must smoke, please take a walk on the road or down the wash to keep smoke from gravitating to others and to keep ash and flame from the dry vegetation.
Food in tents
We would like to discourage storing or eating food in tents or at individual camping sites, but we don’t have to. Food at tents brings wild animals who are happy to tear through your tent to get at your food. We feel this is discouragement enough.
Living an ethical way of life
All campers, students, visitors, etc. are expected to uphold the 5 Lifetime Layperson’s Precepts while on the land.
- Not harming living beings — Protecting life
- Not taking things not offered — Protecting others’ things
- Not sexual misconduct — Protecting others’ relationships
- Not lying — Speaking truthfully
- Not bringing or using alcohol or other intoxicants — Protecting our own and others’ minds
Costs of the Campground
It costs about $25 per camper per term to pay the expenses of the campground (propane, toilet paper, maintenance, repairs, supplies, trash removal, etc.) We encourage those who can to contribute by check or cash which can be given to the Campground Host. Sometimes we also host a campground fundraiser to meet these costs.
Community health and safety
Pets, weapons, and alcohol are not permitted on the land. It is also recommended that one’s tetanus immunization be current (within 5 years).
Diamond Mountain Service
During terms of rigorous study, students volunteer at Diamond Mountain by cleaning up after themselves and helping to maintain the facilities. Three days per term are reserved as “work days” when we gather in teams to address development and maintenance of Diamond Mountain. Some teams include landscaping, building, cleaning, trails, etc. Between terms, campers are asked to arrange a schedule of 20 hours minimum volunteer service. This can be arranged through our Volunteer Coordinator and Campground Host.
Coming for a day or a month
Bring a water bottle can refill. It is vital to remain hydrated in the desert.
You need to bring your own food and food storage while at Diamond Mountain. During term, on the weekends, one of our students provides some fresh meals for purchase, but this will not provide all the food you will need.
Bring a flashlight or headlamp as there are few exterior lights and none near the tent sites.
Please bring your favorite hat and a good sunscreen to prevent sunburn. If you are particularly sensitive, you may want to use an umbrella for sun protection.
Nights can be cold, even in summer, so make sure you have warm clothing. Temperatures can drop to 45 degrees F or lower in the desert even in fall and spring.
Make sure you have a good pair of closed-toe shoes or boots and comfortable socks. There is no pavement, and the snakes and other critters have the right of way.
It’s fun!
Camping at Diamond Mountain is fun. During terms, the campground is a vibrant, creative place to gather, study, and serve. Here you join a family of practitioners at community dinners, traditional debates, classes, and even yoga Asana-thons! But the atmosphere is also one of serious practice. Between terms, the campground is much quieter with perhaps a handful of people working on building projects or a dozen or two practitioners keeping silence while attending a group retreat.
Please consider camping at Diamond Mountain to immerse yourself in the possibility of deep practice and selfless service to all living beings.
Residence and Recreational Guidelines
Please read the following if you plan to stay at Diamond Mountain for any length of time.
Residence and Recreational Guidelines
