Each of our three tipis are traditional Sioux style tipis made of thick, heavy duty, reinforced all cotton canvas. As beautiful as they are it’s important to remember that, by design, they are not a completely sealed environment — there is a slight hole through the top where the poles stick out and also small space along the bottom. We keep the top flaps closed as tightly as possible to protect from rain so please do not attempt to adjust the poles or open the flaps.
DESERT CRITTERS:
Our tipis have a mesh “critter guard” all along the bottom and screened zippered doors to help protect from any uninvited critters getting into the tipi, however, we are in the Chihuahuan Desert, which we share with snakes, scorpions, crickets, moths, and a variety of other critters. Please be aware of your surroundings, where you step or put your hands. That being said, they are NOT on every street corner and we have never had an issue with snakes anywhere on the property — but it is always best to be alert and prepared. Carry a flashlight or headlamp and if possible wear boots when walking around the property after dark. Pro Tip: Leaving the lights off in your tipi at night while you are away will actually reduce the chance of seeing any moths or other light loving flying critters during your stay.
WEATHER:
Please keep in mind that the desert is a harsh climate. The weather can change quickly and dramatically at any time. Temperatures over 100 are common in the summer months and extreme wind can accompany heavy rains in the monsoon season of Fall/Spring.
It is possible during heavy rain and wind that some may drip into the tipi or down the poles. There is a tarp under the bed of each tipi to cover your valuables or bedding in the case of heavy rain. If there is any rain in the forecast and you plan on being away, we recommend that you cover your bed and anything thing you may be concerned about getting wet. If there is any chance of rain in the forecast we will have the tarp over your bed when you arrive.
Although we provide all the comforts of home it’s easy to forget you are essentially in a canvas tent. There are times that it can get quite cold in the desert — the coldest being the months of December and January. We provide small space heaters, two electric blankets, and several wool blankets in each tipi along with a down comforter on the queen bed. These can help to keep you quite cozy but if you are planning on staying during the colder months and are concerned you may want to consider bringing extra warm clothes and blankets.
Along with one large fan in each tipi we also have a 14,000 BTU portable air conditioner. Please note that since tipis are not sealed or insulated, we have found our portable A/C units will not blow cold air if the temperatures outside reach over 95 degrees. Higher temps, unfortunately, result in the unit blowing warm air instead of cold. For this reason, we ask that in these circumstances you please leave the A/C off during the day and only turn it on in the late afternoon/evening when the temperature begins to drop and turn it back off again in the morning when you leave the tipi.
Although the A/C won’t completely cool the entire tipi we have found that they do help dramatically overnight in the hot summer months!
FIRE PITS + COOKING:
Each tipi has its own fire pit with cooking grate. Firewood can be purchased at Cottonwood Grocery Store (6-7 miles away) or occasionally we have bundles for sale on the property for $20 each, cash only. Please do not gather twigs, dead ocotillos, etc. from around your tipi to burn in your fire pit.
We have a small communal Coleman stove located next to the outdoor sink. Please remember to bring your own small bottle of propane as there may not be any left from the previous guests. We do not provide cooking utensils.
SHOWERS + BATHROOM:
We have two sparkling clean showers that are a shared space with other guests. We provide one towel per guest along with shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in both showers. Please do not leave personal items or your towel in the bathhouse and make sure to turn off the lights when you leave if you are showering in the outdoor shower at night (which we highly recommend!). There is a flush toilet and sink next to the shower house.
ELECTRIC + WIFI:
We have high speed fiber wifi throughout the property but please remember that we are in a very rural area and unfortunately internet outages and county-wide power outages are quite common.
Other than the appliances, portable A/C, space heaters, and electric blankets in the tipis, please do not use additional items such as hairdryers, etc. at the same time as as these may result in a flipped breaker. In the event of a flipped breaker, the breaker box is located on the wall next to the shower door. Each tipi is labeled inside the box.
If you have further questions or concerns regarding staying in one of our tipis please don’t hesitate to contact us!
