“FGS Deer Park Retreat Center is established by Fo Guang Shan in 1992 as a serene place for retreat, meditation, as well as practicing Buddhism… FGS Deer Park Retreat Center, located in upstate New York, provides a serene place for meditation, retreat, and practicing Buddhism… Fo Guang Shan Deer Park Retreat Center (“Deer Park”) is located at Godeffroy, New York. Godeffroy is in Southwestern New York State, borderlines between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Deer Park is situated on 400 acres of land, which is about four times larger than Fo Guang Shan headquarter in Taiwan. Facilities on Deer Park are Buddha hall, dining hall, and sleeping quarters. Our facility can accommodate a large group of people.”
「鹿野苑」位於紐約州西南方，鄰近賓希法尼亞州和紐澤西州界。這裡曾經是美國天主教著名的青年營地，原名Camp Hayes，1990年11月歸屬佛光山，1996年2月星雲大師依佛祖首次於印度弘法之地命其名「鹿野苑」。
鹿野苑佔地400公畝，約有佛光山高雄本山的四倍之大，被評鑑為紐約最優等的森林露營區。地勢起伏略有高低，景觀隱約各現風采。湖光倒影潾潾盪漾，小溪潺潺瀑布飛濺。春淡夏濃秋紅冬雪，四季分明風光明媚，誠為優美寧靜的森林道場，是紐約佛光山位於紐約上州的禪修中心，也是鹿群生長的地區。許多到此修或駐留的朋友，都曾不經意地和鹿兒們碰個正著兒，剎那間似乎一切都靜止了，你望著我，我看著你，兩廂誰也不敢越雷池一步，似乎很有默契地達成互不侵犯的共識，然後睜睜地目送牠們揚蹄消失在樹林中。
鹿野苑與大自然共生的景象，不止於此。大清早，湖面煙波氤氳，大雁嗄榎叫嚷著划過湖面，撩撥水花隱沒在晨曦之中。成群水瀨在岸邊忙活兒，時不時地給來此間出坡的義工們找些麻煩事。頗有挑釁的意味。午休之後，向山林小瀑布走去，享受叢林芬多精，讓身心靈都浸沐在大自然的懷抱之中。