Turtle Island Preserve

Students gather around the friendship circle to practice fire by friction.

We live, teach, breathe and believe in nature's governing truths. We interact with the beautiful clarifying teachings of nature as we interpret it's story. We are more about doing it than talking about it. We invite you to visit us and experience all that is Turtle Island!

The programs at Turtle Island Preserve are powerful and effective. We dig deep reaching profound connections within us, touching our ancestral roots. "SIMPLY REAL", we touch the sources of life directly, unshielded from nature's truths. Intimate and personal, we experience relationship building with the foundational essence of our existence.

Visiting educators, campers, and family members repeatedly and independently have exclaimed excitedly while participating in our programs, "You guys really do it!"

The easiest way to see Turtle Island Preserve is to schedule your own personal Horse Drawn Carriage Ride with Eustace! This is great for those people who want to come to Turtle Island but just can't wait for the next Open House!

Scheduled Programs and Activities

A tipi being set up.

Note: Please only use the directions posted here on our website! Mapquest and other web-based navigational sites will get you lost.


Workshops and Classes

  • Adult Camp: June 24th - 28th. $130.00 per day. Participants must plan to attend each day.
  • Spoon Carving Workshop: July 12, 2008. Download a printable flyer in Adobe Acrobat format here.
  • Fire by Friction Workshop: August 16, 2008. Download a printable flyer in Adobe Acrobat format here.
  • Blacksmith Workshop: September 20th, 2008. Download a printable flyer in Adobe Acrobat format here.
  • Tipi Workshop: September 20, 2008. Download a printable flyer in Adobe Acrobat format here.
  • Fall Open House: September 21, 2008 - No registration necessary, a totally free event!
  • Traditional Lifestyles Workshop: Saturday October 18, 2008. Download a printable flyer in Adobe Acrobat format here.

Download a Workshop Registration Form to register for any of the above workshops:

Click here for the form in Adobe Acrobat format.


2008 Summer Camp Dates

  • Young Boys Camp (Ages 7-10): June 22 -June 28, 2008
  • Older Boys Camp (Ages 11-17): July 6-19, 2008
  • Girls Camp (Ages 8-16): July 20-26, 2008

Download the camping application form for 2008:
Click here for the camping application in Adobe Acrobat format.


New! Now you can register for all of the above classes and camps using a credit card or a Paypal account! Just click the "Buy Now" button below. You'll be directed to a secure Paypal site. Be sure to add up all the costs for the classes or camps you wish to attend and fill in that amount on the secure site. Leave us a note in the "Special Instructions" area about what you're registering for, or send us an email after your transaction has been processed. If you don't have a Paypal account, just click the link on the following page that says "Use your credit card or bank account (where available)" to use Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover.



Important Liability Waiver - Read before entering: Please be aware that Turtle Island Preserve is NOT LIABLE for your safety, health or any impairment of it. Enter at your own risk. Your presence represents your acknowledgement that you accept full liability for any damage to your person or property. This applies to everyone on the property or associated with Turtle Island Preserve.


Recent Events

The trout pond.

Turtle Island in the News

  • Turtle Island Preserve is featured in a new National Geographic book by Pam Grout called "The 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life." You can find the book here!
  • MSN interviewed Eustace, and you can find the full interview here!
  • A new article about Eustace on "The Outdoor Weblog" can be found here!

Workshops and Classes

Other items of interest:

Fantastic News! Our new photo gallery area is up and running! See photos of Turtle Island Preserve's life and activities here! More galleries are still being added, so keep checking back for more.


Eustace and other Turtle Islanders have made a successful horse logging journey elsewhere in North Carolina! Read about it and see pictures here!


You can make a monetary donation to Turtle Island Preserve using a credit card or a Paypal account! Go to our Donations page to read more.


Learn how to visit Turtle Island Preserve.


Micro Hydro Power has arrived at Turtle Island.


Turtle Island seeks cooking interns.


Lasting Memories - View recent quotes from campers and visitors.


Click here for further information on Programs for 2008!