Abiquiú Writers Retreat
Hosted by Casa Urraca Press
October 8-12, 2026
Join us for an extended weekend dedicated to your writing in community.
Generative workshops. Craft talks. 1:1 support.
Above all, an intimate gathering of your writing peers at a peaceful getaway in northern New Mexico.
The Abiquiú Writers Retreat is your chance to change your scenery and thrive in a collaborative setting.
Over four days, you’ll explore your craft with authors Jonatha Kottler and Zach Hively at an expansive ranch house on twenty-two acres along the Chama River.
Writers in all genres and from all backgrounds are welcome here. We ask only that you be serious about your work and enthusiastic about engaging with your fellow writers.
Early bird pricing for our first registrants—save $500 and register by April 30.
Regular registration is $2400, now $1900. Spots are limited!
What to expect
Your participation includes:
Mentorship and creative support
A 1:1 support session with one of your teachers and ten pages of a work-in progress
Generative workshop sessions
Craft talks
Writing prompts to un-stick your creativity
Protected writing time
Inspiring experiences
Access to the bosque along the Rio Chama at peak golden cottonwood season, and to the twenty-two acres of Rancho Los Milagros.
An opportunity to take part in an evening reading with your peers, your teachers, and possible guest authors.
Ready access to the Abiquiú area’s cultural and natural wonders, including the Pueblo of Abiquiú, Plaza Blanca, Ghost Ranch, the Georgia O’Keeffe house, and the Abiquiú Studio Tour, which overlaps with the retreat.
Dining
A private chef will provide lunch and dinner daily for all participants, with consideration for allergies and dietary restrictions.
The ranch house will be stocked daily with self-serve breakfast options and snacks for all participants.
We will hold a welcome reception the first evening with hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
Recommendations for area restaurants and hidden gems available for those looking to venture afield.
Accommodations
Retreat participants may choose to stay on-site at Rancho Los Milagros for the four nights of the writing retreat, or may find lodging elsewhere. (We recommend the Abiquiú Inn and searching vacation rental sites.)
Five rooms are available at registration on a first-come, first-served basis.
Arrival
Participants will arrange for their own transportation to & from Abiquiú. It is an easy one-hour drive from the Santa Fe airport and two-hour drive from the Albuquerque airport.
“The way you taught was so great for me!
It took away overthinking and judgement, I could just write.”
— Kim D.
Your teachers
Zach Hively
Poetry, humor, essays
Jonatha Kottler
Creative nonfiction, screenwriting, fiction
Jonatha Kottler’s creative work explores the ways in which literature and culture impact and support us in our lives, and how they have done so throughout history. She is a fierce advocate for body acceptance and mental health.
Her work has been featured nationally and internationally in NY Magazine’s The Cut, The Guardian, Longreads, and Audible. She has written creative nonfiction, comic books, and both short & feature films, and she is currently finishing a novel.
Jonatha is a Lecturer in the UNM Honors College. She holds an MFA in Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts and graduated from the Book Project at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop. She also serves on the board of directors of the New Mexico Humanities Council.
Zach Hively has published three poetry collections so far, including the Reading the West Book Award-winning Desert Apocrypha. He has also written a humor column for more than a decade and claimed four Top of the Rockies awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. Kickstarter designated his book of humorous essays, Call Me Zach Hively Because That Is My Name, as a Project We Love, and it subsequently earned the New Mexico Book Award.
He is the founder and editor of Casa Urraca Press, an independent traditional press that emphasizes New Mexican and Southwestern authors of poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction, and genre-bending works. He leads writing workshops throughout the region and has taught as a special guest instructor at Jimmy Santiago Baca’s Writers Retreat.
Zach earned his master’s in creative writing from Trinity College Dublin. He publishes new work almost weekly through Zach Hively and Other Mishaps.
Rancho Los Milagros—
your getaway in the bosque.
This gorgeous ranch house is perched above the Chama River in the heart of the Abiquiú area. The ranch has flower and vegetable gardens, fruit trees, an old-growth bosque (riverside cottonwood forest), direct river access, and postcard-worthy views.
The house marries old New Mexico charm—deep set windows, kiva fireplaces, original artworks—with modern comforts and conveniences throughout, including satellite internet.
All activities during the writing retreat will take place in the common areas in the house and on the grounds of Rancho Los Milagros. Participants are invited to book one of five bedrooms to stay on-site for the duration of the weekend. Rooms are available for the entirety of the four-night block.
All rooms are private and may be booked for one or two participants. At registration, you will have the option of indicating a fellow retreat participant to share your room. We will not partner you with another participant in a solo room.
The available rooms are as follows:
King bed (convertible to two single beds) with private bathroom (x2): $875 for four nights
Queen bed with private bathroom: $875 for four nights — booked
King bed with large shared bathroom: $750 for four nights
Two single beds with large shared bathroom: $750 for four nights
Check out the images provided by Rancho Los Milagros:
How do I register?
Easy! Registration is now open through the Casa Urraca Press bookstore.
Early bird pricing is available through April 30—register now to ensure $500 off your registration!
Spaces are limited, and room options are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Refund policy:
We recognize that life always has unforeseen circumstances and plans change. In order to keep prices manageable for attendees, we have implemented the following refund policy:
Retreat and lodging charges are non-refundable.
Retreat and lodging registrations can be transferred to another individual at no cost.
Cancelled bookings can be reserved as credit toward a future Casa Urraca Press workshop (in full if cancelled at least 30 days before the start of the workshop, at 50% if cancelled fewer than 30 days in advance).
Cancelled bookings can also be applied as credit in the Casa Urraca Press bookstore (in full if cancelled at least 30 days before the start of the workshop, at 50% if cancelled fewer than 30 days in advance).
If circumstances change on our end, we will do our best to modify the retreat with comparable offerings. If we are unable to do so and must cancel the retreat at any time, your booking will be returned in full.
Questions?
Drop us a note and we’ll answer your questions about this writers retreat as soon as possible.