The Magic of Zaca Lake
A place once thought to be a portal still has the power to transport
Zaca Lake is the only naturally occurring spring-fed lake in Santa Barbara County.
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks
Photographs by Blake Bronstad and Maia Hinton
Zaca Lake lures guests with its mysticism, its otherworldly energy, and its varied natural history. Once rumored to be bottomless, the emerald-toned body of water—which is the only naturally occurring spring-fed lake in Santa Barbara County—was formed approximately 10,000 years ago by a landslide that caused a fissure in the earth. Chumash legend held that Zaca Lake could essentially siphon swimmers to other regions of the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond. Today the lake is the centerpiece of a 320-acre resort that remains secluded, spiritual, and stylish.
“The legendary lake sits at an altitude of about 2,400 feet above sea level.”
Early one spring morning, we bounced along the nearly seven-mile drive from Foxen Canyon Road to the lake. After working our way uphill, through a final series of corkscrew turns, and then back down, we were rewarded by the sight of a bald eagle taking flight over a marshy pool of water, Zaca Lake’s seasonal overflow. One of several eagles that have been spotted on the property, the creature seemed symbolic of the rarity of this body of water and the land we were about to explore.
We would see the bird again from the dock that juts out in front of the 16 restored and redesigned cabins that line the lake’s northern shore. Towering redwoods planted in the late 1940s shade those cabins, and pines blanket the mountain range on the far side of the lake, at an altitude of about 2,400 feet above sea level. It is hard to remember that this spot is less than an hour from Santa Barbara and just 10 minutes from downtown Los Olivos, in Santa Ynez Valley’s wine country.
Zaca Lake is being preserved as a hidden natural oasis functioning as a bespoke group guest ranch, a role it has played for more than 100 years. The property was in sore need of repair and maintenance when it was acquired by the current partners, whose goal is to protect, preserve, and respect the history of the land and the lake. Water used for the property is pulled from its springs; solar panels supply electricity. The new stewards aim to maintain the land’s natural resources while they also share it with locals and visitors through customizable, rustic, elevated experiences that highlight the place’s magic.
The original wood cabins, which were built in the 1940s and have been restored in the camp vernacular, are available for private events and as part of property buyouts. There are fireplaces in the sleeping areas, and the furnishings are designed with luxe fabrics that play well with rough-edge limestone vanity tops, glass-enclosed showers, and flagstone bath and patio floors. Wooden trusses crisscross the cabin ceilings, and the floor is done in white oak.
Between the cabins and a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, the property can sleep as many as 42 guests, plus staff. The Barn, also an original structure, serves as a gathering place for guests, with its grand fireplace and billiard table, and an expansive deck that looks out toward the horse corral. The view also takes in The Dome, a focal point for a new series of events hosted by Santa Barbara–based PALMA Colectiva. Husband-and-wife founders Daniel Pozas and Meredith Markworth-Pollack had been searching for the right spot in the Santa Ynez region to hold retreats, and in April they started the Nature Within at Zaca Lake.
“When we first visited Zaca Lake, we sat with the spirit of the land,” says Markworth-Pollack. “We were inspired by the story of the property, beginning with the Chumash and having many iterations over the years of spiritual and well-being uses. We felt connected to the design and new aesthetics of the restored property and how the inherent beauty and grace of the land has been revitalized in an organic and respectful manner. We’re utilizing the retreat space and bringing healing and wellness for the community back to its most authentic use.”
Explaining the name of the retreat, Markworth-Pollack notes, “You feel so isolated here, with all of the elements of nature—wildness, beauty, extremes…they all reflect the nature within ourselves.”
PALMA Colectiva’s first three-day, two-night retreat included workshops and activations such as a cacao-and-sound ceremony with vibrational artist and healer Micah Sheiner, who also opened the weekend with a land-and-water blessing that honored the history of the land and its people.
“Zaca Lake is being preserved as a hidden natural oasis functioning as a bespoke group guest ranch.”
Inside Zaca Lake’s acoustically unique Dome, which was staged with custom EmmaRose Floral arrangements, guests attended a yoga flow session with Krista Fleming, followed by a silent tea ceremony with Morgann Francesca. Reiki and intuitive bodywork by Markworth-Pollack and Pozas complemented the meals curated by chef Natacha Stojanovic’s MIDI Foods, and a zero-proof beverage program sponsored by nonalcoholic Tilden Cocktails. To close the weekend, grief coach Amar Atma led retreat attendees in a “Funeral for Self,” effectively leading guests to decide which parts of themselves they could let go as they cycle through life.
PALMA Colectiva is planning a similar Zaca Lake retreat in November—expanded to four days and three nights, with attendees limited to 26 overnight guests—and will also host single-day social well-being retreats open to a greater number of people.
Historical images of Zaca Lake’s past lives, culled from a 1994 book on the subject, History of Zaca Lake.
Zaca Lake’s intimate commercial kitchen is used by chefs and catering crews brought in for retreats, private events, weddings, and corporate affairs. The original lakeside lodge, which has a larger kitchen facility, was damaged in a fire in 2015 but is being rebuilt.
One of the most fabled elements of the property is its original outdoor kitchen and stone-paved barbecue area, the Alamo, which has “1939” carved into one of its keystones. Featuring two barbecue pits, a rotisserie, a massive fireplace, and a live-edge wooden bar, the structure is said to have been built for the storied Rancheros Visitadores, who used Zaca Lake as an encampment during their spring retreat.
Outdoors enthusiasts will revel in the range of activities available for guests at Zaca Lake, such as swimming, fishing, paddling, and rowing. Equestrian outfitters are on call for guided trail rides into the Santa Barbara backcountry, hiking and mountain biking trails line the ridges that ring the lake, and culinary adventurers can forage for edible gems like chanterelles.
