Doug and Lily are outstanding hosts! The location is awesomely remote and quiet. The Domes are huge and definitely set up for large groups. The deck has amazing views of the mountains and non-stop hummingbirds in the summer. There had been ample rainfall when we visited so we were able to enjoy an evening outdoor fire with wood and kindling provided. The road in is a National Forest road so expectation management is required. The 11.5 mile drive easily takes 45 min - 1 hour depending on your comfort level on a high altitude mountain road. There is a pull-off on the way in that has an excellent picture opportunity with a spectacular view of the Tularosa Basin including Alamogordo and White Sands National Monument.

The kitchen was stocked with plenty of equipment and staples. I would recommend that one meal plans and brings plenty of groceries for the stay as it is not a quick trip to the store from this location. There is plenty of space inside the Domes and it is very comfortable. It is recommended that in the summer, open the windows in the evening to cool the space overnight and close them before the sun crests the eastern peak to optimize temperature comfort.

They have two very friendly Great Pyrenees dogs that got along with our three dogs just fine.

There is a 4 wheeler (quad) trail leading from the property into the Nat. Forest that follows the pipe for their spring fed water supply. It is quite a steep trail and I recommend that you be in moderate to good health to tackle it. We took it as far as we felt comfortable but did not make it to the top of the ridge as it would have required breaking brush.

Lily and Doug live on site and are very attentive. They even brought us some squash from their garden and assisted us in finding our old Bassett Hound who had wondered behind their dome.

The Domes also serves as an active art gallery for Lily’s works (which are extremely affordable) . Purchases can be made during your stay so keep that in mind to bring some extra cash with you.

This location is kid friendly and dog friendly.

Highlights: afternoon thunderstorms (August), beautiful sunsets, proximity to several national forest trails, stargazing opportunities (they are nearly parallel to the Sunspot Observatory), countless hummingbirds, a stack of New Mexico magazines from the 1960’s and 70’s (this New Mexican native loved them), day trip possibilities to White Sands, Sunspot, and Cloudcroft, cherry picking in High Rolls ( usually June depending on the season), and so much more!

We enjoyed every minute we were here and I highly recommend this spot to take a break from society and technology and get a feel for the wonderful southern mountains of New Mexico!