Monastery of Christ in the Desert
Chama Canyon, New Mexico, United States
A Benedictine monastery founded in 1964 deep in Chama Canyon, reached by a long gravel road, where monks live the full sung liturgical day and share it with retreat guests.
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert was founded in 1964 by Aelred Wall with monks from Mount Saviour Monastery in New York, on land along the Chama River canyon northwest of Abiquiu, New Mexico. At about 6,500 feet the community keeps the Benedictine round of prayer, Vigils through Compline, all sung, the church bells audible down the canyon. The monks support themselves with a craft brewery, handcrafts and recordings; their 2012 Gregorian chant album Blessings, Peace and Harmony brought national attention. Guest visits are a deliberate part of the charism: guests eat the main meal in silence with the community, and the guesthouse runs on solar power with deliberate limits.
Access is part of the story: the final thirteen miles are unpaved Forest Service road, weather permitting. In 2026 the guesthouse closed for a kitchen remodel and accessibility upgrade beginning April 12, with overnight guests not received during construction and day visitors still welcome.
Visiting
The monastery's visiting pages carry current status: day visits welcome; overnight retreats paused from April 12, 2026 through mid-summer for construction (when running: 2 to 5 night stays, arrivals Tuesdays and Fridays, capacity 10, meals in silence). Check the news page before planning.
Photo: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MonasteryChristDesert.jpg), public domain, Jeffrey Zoeller.
Associated traditions & practices
Visitor stories