Design meets Wild West with these chic desert huts.
These reimagined wagons offer breathtaking views of endless blue skies and starry nights with all the quirks and comfort you need for a glamping getaway. Set in the high-desert Cuyama Valley north of Santa Barbara, Blue Sky Center is a rural, design and development nonprofit community aiming to support entrepreneurs and build regional creative and economic resources.
On the serene and vast camping grounds, you’ll find a number of humble (but dreamy) abodes to choose from. However, the five novel wagons offer a truly unique stay that evokes a bygone Western era with a subtle touch of modernity.
Each canvas-covered hut, by Shelton Huts, varies in form ranging from the gothic three-pointed arch of the Pope’s Hat to the classic triangular arch of The Gable. All of them come with an iron and wood-framed glass facade that opens out into a communal space complete with a fire pit, string lights, picnic tables, and hammocks. The minimalist structures are accented with colorful traditional textiles and furniture, creating an understated combination of natural elements that reflects the community’s ideals and landscape beautifully.
Evenings can be spent toasting s’mores around the campfire and gazing into the Milky Way. So make sure you bring your telescope and cameras along and allow the heavens to take the stage once the sun sinks into the horizon.
Days can be spent discovering the surrounding lands with a hiking or horseriding trail. During the right season, you can even go fruit-picking at a neighboring farm like Cuyama Orchards and fill your baskets with Crimson Gold apples.
But no matter when you go, there’ll always be community market places to peruse, filled with lavender harvests, and locally produced honey and jams. Downtown New Cuyama also boasts some incredible antique shops for any keen-eyed collectors.
For a rural desert escape that supports a conscious community, this is your destination.
Bookings can be made online here.
NOTE: Due to wildfires and the ongoing pandemic, surrounding parks and travel routes may be affected. Check on official sites before traveling.
Blue Sky Center, 1000 Perkins Road, New Cuyama, CA 93254
[Featured Image: Blue Sky Center via Hipcamp]