Desert Living at No Pants Ranch & the Sonora Shack

You won’t find cows or horses at OUR ranch, just abundant, native Sonoran Desert wildlife amid stunning mountain views. The out-of-the way, private setting down our short dirt driveway invites a leisurely attitude towards such modern worries as pants. An ideal choice for an adventurous family, reunions, retreats, or several couples who like privacy while sharing the overall space.

Our main house is a locally storied and funky, two-story octagon filled with color, tropical plants, original artwork, heaps of books, and curiosities in every corner. You’ll also find all the comforts of home inside with our gourmet kitchen, washer and dryer (plus a clothes-saving, outdoor line), two and a half baths in the main octagon house (one with a jacuzzi tub), four bedrooms (one king and three double beds), a fold-out couch that sleeps two more, internet (50-100 Mbps in both buildings), central heating and A/C, wood fireplace, rustic pine floors under a cathedral ceiling with skylights. And it’s all encircled by a covered wrap-around porch so you can lounge in the shade or the sun anytime. For check-in security, there is a security camera outside to monitor for unauthorized guests and pets, so please be sure to disclose both before checking in. Over 10 guests there will be an additional $20 fee per guest/day for up to 16 guests max. Any unauthorized guests/pets will be charged $50 per addition.

The separate, repurposed metal building, our Sonora Shack, has a full bathroom with shower and kitchenette with convection/air fryer and small fridge/freezer. downstairs. It's an ideal meeting space with big windows, chalkboards, office chairs and conference table. You’ll also find exercise equipment, a workbench, and 2 double-bed futons. Up the spiral staircase, four can sleep with a double bed and a 2 twin (trundled) day beds with a sunset view and a telescope which can be used from the loft balcony!

Pets are welcome! Up to 2 dogs are allowed per booking and must be disclosed prior to your stay. There is an additional pet fee of $40 per stay for up to 2 dogs. Pets MUST be leashed outside, we have loads of wildlife and cacti that call our backyard home, so for the safety of your pups and the resident wildlife, please keep them leashed outside! A water bowl and a pooper scooper is available to clean up any doggy doos.

As biologists and artists, we are super excited to share our beloved solar-energy home adjacent to Saguaro National Park West with folks who crave a truly natural and one-of-a-kind experience. We hope you enjoy our home while we are away doing citizen-science work aboard our sailboat, Triplefin (look it up!), in Mexico. We might even tell you how No Pants Ranch got its name!

Your Interaction with Guests
Our bubbly and reliable friend and neighbor, Nancy Grosvenor, is available to meet you at the gate and help you with any questions or issues during your stay. She’s just a phone call away. Our nearest neighbor, Dennis, is our trusty handyman and ready to help with small fixes in a jiffy.

Checking In & Security Cameras
Check-in is anytime between 4-10PM, please let us know if you are planning on checking in later so that the lights can be left on for you! For check-in security, there are security cameras outdoors to monitor for unauthorized events, guests and pets, so PLEASE be sure to disclose your FULL guest count and any pets as well as any planned event for pre-approval before checking in. There will be an extra $50 charge per every unauthorized addition (guest or pet) or $300+ charge for an unauthorized event. Weddings are welcome at No Pants Ranch which include an extra event fee, please contact us if you would like to plan your wedding here!

Neighborhood
Outside, our five acres is a naturalist’s paradise just begging to be carefully explored. We have fifty-three (yes, we’ve counted!) saguaro cactus ranging from pin-cushion size, five-year-old babies to their giant grandparents well over 100 years old! You’ll also discover many other native cactus and agave, wildflowers, ancient desert trees, various lizards, birds, snakes, and interesting insects. You can cool yourself in the outdoor clawfoot tub or hang on the hammock and view our colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats as they emerge from their bat houses at sunset. After dark you might spy javelinas, coyotes, and bobcats who come to drink from our watering hole. Be sure to say “howdy” if you run into our eclectic friends and neighbors, from cactus-hugging hippies to die-hard cowboys out for an evening walk. They’ll love to give you local suggestions like hidden petroglyphs, nearby dive bars, neighborhood food trucks, and farmer’s markets. On moonless nights be sure to enjoy the dark, starry sky from the porch swing and spy planets and nebulas through the telescope. There’s also a patio with dining table and kiva fireplace to enjoy. You can play desert croquet, badminton, or even nighttime volleyball on our sand court.

Getting Around
Located on the edge of Saguaro National Park West and close to Tucson Mountain Park, your driving time to many hiking trails is just about zero. You can reach Park headquarters in just minutes, the famed Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in ten minutes, grocery stores and restaurants in under fifteen, while downtown Tucson is still only a thirty-minute, scenic drive away. Go just forty minutes to search for bighorn sheep in Ironwood National Monument and expect a forty-five-minute drive from the Tucson International airport or a ninety-minute trip from Phoenix’s Sky Harbor. Shuttles are available from both airports.