A 225 acre retreat in the middle of the Californian desert complete with helipad, vintage ‘wild west’ jail cell and self-sustaining lily pond has gone on the market for $4.5 million.
The Mojave Rock Ranch in Joshua Tree is built from stones and bottles and is surrounded by gorgeous desert landscaping incorporating thousands of cacti.
The ranch – within walking distance of the city of Coachella – was painstakingly carved out of a hilltop over 23 years by landscape designer Gino Dreese and interior designer Troy Williams.
Nicknamed ‘The Jewel of Joshua Tree’, there’s plenty of outdoor space for enjoying the spectacular desert views and warm climate.
The pool is ideal for basking in the year-round sunshine, and when the sunlight is aligned with the bottles lining the walls, it is possible to see a gorgeous display of colourful rays.
The romance of the place is enhanced by the fact that the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom that all look like they’ve been carved out of rock.
So why is such a spectacular place on the market? Because Gino and Troy want to travel the world.
‘We want to travel like crazy. Our goal is to visit every country in the world to learn about plants, animals and different cultures. It is our passion,’ said Gino.
The Mojave Rock Ranch in Joshua Tree is perched on a rocky outcrop and is surrounded by thousands of different cacti and other plants that blend seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape
The ranch – within walking distance of the city of Coachella – was painstakingly carved out of a hilltop over 23 years by landscape designer Gino Dreese and interior designer Troy Williams
The property is the ultimate getaway location and comes complete with a helipad (above), spectacular 360° views, spectacular architecture, unusual boulder formations, snow covered mountain views and eye-catching cactus gardens
The property is fitted with amenities such as air conditioning, washer and dryer and a heated in-ground pool with hot-tub and cabana. It abuts pristine state owned land and at night time offers amazing desert-side view of the stars
What appears to be a primitive stone hut complete with weathered pine timbers have been designed to reflect the scarceness of wood and sizable stones in the desert
The landscaping is the work of owners, Gino Dreese and Troy Williams, who transformed the retreat over two decades spent traveling the world to bring back boulders, glass, and other treasures to add to their dream home
Newest to the property are a wine cellar and pool, complete with a bottle-adorned pool house sheltering four turquoise rocking chairs
Temperatures at night time at this time of the year at the Mojave Rock Ranch are about 16 C rising to 24 C during the day
The romance of the place is enhanced by the fact that the kitchen, bathroom and other rooms all look like they have been carved out of rock
The site layout reveals deep insights into building and landscape design, aiming to capture the path of the sun during the morning, afternoon and evening breezes
The property is set high on a ridge just north of Joshua Tree National Park in the south-west of the USA, – some travelers have commented that it ’emerges from the sand and screes as if it had always been there’
Cold and dry, but fiercely hot with monsoonal downpours, the tough looking desert landscape is in stark contrast to the luxury of the property and its comfortable facilities
At 700 metres, the ranch is set high and the plantings reflect the elevation. With temperatures not too cold, not too humid with only occasional snow and rare summer rain, the conditions favor a very wide selection of local plants, arrayed and arranged with rare skill and study, architectureau.com said.
The ranch is situated north of State Highway 62 out of Joshua Tree, California, USA and is not open to the public – but wildlife is always welcome
The property has a range of outhouses that have been especially designed to blend in with the landscape – even they display artefacts gathered from all over the world
Also on the ranch is a shrine where its possible to contemplate life in total peace and quiet, far away from the worries and the strife of the outside world
Barely enclosed, the buildings open out on all sides to the breathtaking landscapes of the nearby deserts – the Sonoran, Colorado and Mojave. Coyote and mountain lion wander the surrounding two hundred acres, their presence supported by arid land restoration projects
Even the spacious enclosed areas of the property – which has its own power supply – contain much natural light
Twenty-three years in the making, the property has been described as an architectural blend of global inspirations, from Mayan temples to South African lodges. When the sun sets, neon light streams through the rock walls dotted with recycled, colored bottles
If this ‘ jewel of the high desert’ is beyond your budget, it’s possible to arrange occasional visits by contacting Gino and Troy at mojaverockranch.net
Trees here barely grow although the Joshua Tree (Yucca Brevifolia) from which the property derives its name can be seen along with other hardy specimens
A pathway lined by barrel cacti leads guests to the front door which opens up into a window-paneled entry way. There are spectacular vistas from every room
Garden beds and terraces are flooded with barrel cactus of many sizes and ages, and then dotted with other rare succulents and cacti, relying on mass and form, colour and texture with just a few flowers
The kitchen of the ranch is up-to-date as anything found in more accessible urban areas and has a spectacular collection of tiles gathered from all over the world
There is no danger of nosy neighbors at the Mojave Rock Ranch – although the insects at night can sometimes be a little nosiy
Located just just an hour outside of Palm Springs, the one-bedroom-one-bath property was originally a homestead cabin from the 1950s – its secluded location means that its ideal for people wanting a quiet break in luxurious surroundings
The bathroom in the property are as well equipped as any luxury hotel and have his-and-her lavatories and basins, a shower and a deep bathtubs beneath tiles collected from all over the world
The property is located near the city of Coachella in Riverside County, California – the city is located 28 miles east of Palm Springs, 72 miles east of Riverside, and 130 miles east of Los Angeles
Barely sketched into the ridgeline scene, Mojave Rock Ranch has been described as ‘an essay in living – a perfect adaption to terrain, climate, local plants and the beauty of the arid lands