Sanctuary Cove celebrates 70 years of its hand-built desert chapel

MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sanctuary Cove is marking 70 years since its hand-built stone chapel first opened as a place for quiet, peace and reflection in the Sonoran Desert. The nonprofit that oversees the property says the mission remains the same today as it was in the 1950s — to protect the land and offer a space for visitors to slow down and connect with nature.

The chapel was originally created by a small group of Tucson men who purchased the property to keep it from future development. Alison Boelts, who looks after the property along with her husband, says their vision continues to guide the organization.

“They decided to buy this land and set it aside to provide a place for people to come and find some peace and quiet and respite and spiritual connection with the land and their gods,” she said.

The site covers 80 acres of undeveloped desert, and Boelts says it will stay that way as long as community support continues. Sanctuary Cove operates entirely on donations, relying on volunteers to maintain trails, remove invasive plants and preserve the chapel.

“We are supported solely by donations. We get no money from any government entity or grants,” Boelts said. “So we’re just a very small organization offering for seventy years a place for people to find a wonderful moment of peace.”

To honor the anniversary, Sanctuary Cove will host a celebration Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m. The event includes refreshments, a craft for kids, remarks from the board president and the unveiling of new stained-glass panels inside the chapel. Remarks will be given at 10:30 that morning.

The four panels — representing earth, air, fire and water — were created by local stained-glass artists and installed in the chapel’s original steel windows. Boelts says the themes were chosen to reflect the site’s inclusivity.

“We welcome all creeds, all faiths, and so we thought that the four elements were a wonderful way to tie together all humanity,” she said.

For those who visit — whether during Sunday’s event or another time — Boelts hopes the experience reflects the founders’ intention.

“A moment of absolute spiritual connection with the land, with themselves, with their heart, with their family, with their friends… a moment of peace,” she said.

Sanctuary Cove is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Donations are welcome but not required to visit the trails or chapel.