The Bust'n B Ranch

A Sheriff's Residence Revisited

Established by the former county sheriff as his private family residence, this striking ranch house makes living in the desert wilds a luxuriously easygoing experience. Re-envisioned in 2023 by designer Sydney Ballesteros and Wedgar Properties, the Pioneertown-area residence offers an earthen adobe-look on the outside, with an elegantly spare, contemporary Western vibe indoors. The home’s tiles were handmade in Mexico.

A long saltwater lap pool stretches in the sand out back, with a striking boulder outcropping as backdrop, and there are dining, cooking, playing and lazing spaces all around the scenic lot.

Outdoor amenities include a western red cedar sauna and copper outdoor shower, a garage-enclosed game room with a ping pong table and gym, a gas fire pit under the stars, and a grill and wraparound porches.

Despite its seclusion on 25+ desert acres, there’s a dedicated workspace, smart technology and Starlink wifi.

Around

The house is located in Pioneertown, a quick trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Set on a 25+-acre ranch with a large horse arena, this Mojave Desert ranch takes in 360-degree views of the Sawtooth Mountains, Black Lava Butte, Sand to Snow Monument and the Big Bear Mountains. The land is textured with tall, top-heavy yucca and the strange silhouettes of spiky Joshua trees, and constructed in an area marked by swaying ocotillo spikes and low-lying opuntia paddles. The adobe-styled, sand-hued home melds with the rose-hued, boulder-strewn slice of desert it occupies, a picturesque retreat created for easy relaxation and modern comforts.

This area of the California desert is home to Joshua Tree National Park, retro glam Palm Springs and the new-age artistic playground of the Coachella Valley. Pioneertown itself is a historic Hollywood remnant, a Wild West movie set-turned-rugged desert community, home to gritty residents who find inspiration in the boulder- and cacti-studded landscape. It offers a handful of galleries and roadhouses, including the famous Pappy and Harriet’s Palace. Outdoor adventures are abundant in the area, including hiking, mountain biking and rock-climbing in and around Joshua Tree National Park and the Yucca Valley, and day trips to the cooler landscapes of the San Jacinto mountains, Indian Canyon or Palm Canyon.