The Legacy of New Life Hiking Spa
This site is maintained by Kathleen LeSage in honor of Jimmy LeSage and the New Life Hiking Spa community.
Founded in 1978, New Life Hiking Spa was a beloved Vermont retreat rooted in hiking, simplicity, wellness, and intentional living.
Former guests are welcome to stay in touch for the possibility of future retreats and may join the newsletter by sending an email.
Founded in 1978, New Life Hiking Spa was a beloved Vermont retreat rooted in hiking, simplicity, wellness, and intentional living.
Former guests are welcome to stay in touch for the possibility of future retreats and may join the newsletter by sending an email.
New Life History:
A Brief History of New Life Hiking Spa
Founded in 1978 in the Green Mountains of Vermont, New Life Hiking Spa was created as a place of restoration, simplicity, and authentic living. Long before the wellness industry became mainstream, New Life offered a return to fundamentals: daily hiking in nature, nourishing whole foods, rest, and meaningful human connection. At the heart of this vision was its founder and director, Jimmy LeSage, whose philosophy emphasized movement, simplicity, and whole foods as sustainable pathways to lasting change.
For decades, Jimmy ran New Life with a hands-on, deeply personal approach, welcoming guests not simply into a program, but into a way of life. In 2003, he married Kathleen LeSage, and together they stewarded New Life through its next chapter. While preserving its core values, they guided the retreat through a changing cultural and economic landscape, expanding its reach while maintaining the authenticity that had defined it from the beginning. Their partnership brought New Life into a new season of recognition without losing the spirit that made it distinctive.
In 2016, New Life Hiking Spa was named the number one destination spa in America by Travel + Leisure Magazine, a reflection of its enduring impact and distinctive approach to wellness. Over more than forty years, New Life welcomed thousands of guests from across the country and around the world. Many returned year after year, forming lasting friendships and traditions rooted in shared hikes, simple meals, and quiet reflection.
Though New Life Hiking Spa eventually closed and its founder has since passed away, the legacy of Jimmy LeSage continues through the community, stories, and relationships formed during its more than four decades of operation.
Staying Connected
Former New Life Hiking Spa guests and those interested in future plans are invited to stay connected through our private newsletter, which includes a community of over 20,000 individuals who have been part of the New Life experience over the years. We will not inundate you with emails, and your contact information will never be shared or sold.
We are currently not on social media, so this newsletter is the best way to keep in touch.
From time to time, we may send occasional updates to remain in touch, including news related to possible future retreats or publications connected to the New Life community and its history.
We look forward to hearing from you!
We are currently not on social media, so this newsletter is the best way to keep in touch.
From time to time, we may send occasional updates to remain in touch, including news related to possible future retreats or publications connected to the New Life community and its history.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sign up for our newsletter here: