The Periphery

Architectural Audacity in the Ancient Desert

Located on seven undulating acres at the end of a gravel road at an altitude of 6,300 feet in the last part of the continental US to be mapped, this western desert hideaway stands adjacent to millions of acres of national parkland in what might arguably be known as the remotest town in the United States Lower 48.

This home was created by an architectural and lighting designer and a conceptual artist, who collaborated with a dedicated team of local craftsmen to bring it to life. The couple have experience in cinematography, installation, photography and immersive art, and their combined expertise reveals itself at this starkly beautiful property, a gallery-like masterpiece where much of the art on display is their creation (and some is available for purchase).

The desert sanctuary is a study in strong wood, concrete, glass and metal, floating over slickrock and flowing water, with floor-to-ceiling windows blurring the lines between a cozy haven and the wildly dramatic sagebrush, stone and juniper landscape it occupies.

Two bedroom suites stand as if isolated in the wild, their oversized glass walls operable and screened. The primary bedroom offers a king bed and double-headed shower plus an African mahogany steam room. The second is outfitted with a queen bed and private bath. A woodburning stove keeps the otherwise boldly contemporary house homey, and there’s a sheltered courtyard with a wooden hot tub for two. The home also has a library, fully equipped home office, and an extensive vinyl collection and projection theater.

The outdoor deck, cantilevered over the land is covered and set with an alfresco dining area, loungers and a grill. That's all immediately adjacent to the home’s natural (filtered) swimming pond, which is alive with warblers, swallows, doves and hummingbirds.

Around

Located two miles from the town of Boulder, Utah, the home is best reached by car, four hours from Salt Lake City, six from Las Vegas, Nevada, and about four hours from Grand Junction, Colorado. This is the desert “wild west” of legend, the ancestral land of the Paiute, located only 100 feet from the largest protected national monument in America. Set atop slickrock and surrounded by sagebrush, juniper, pinon and desert scrub, the property occupies seven acres down a private gravel road, with unobstructed views of the mesas. A private footbridge on the land leads directly to the trails and slickrock bowls of the striking, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The area is a designated International Dark Sky Community, meaning epic stargazing and awe-inspiring nightscapes. A seasonal creek and wetlands area cross the land, and there are isolated spring-fed canyon streams and cascades for exploring.

Boulder was first home to the Anasazi, Fremont peoples, ancestral Puebloans and Paiute before being settled as a remote agricultural community and gold prospecting site in the late 1800s. Despite its remote location—the first road was completed in 1939 and mail was delivered by mule train until the 20th century—the town has developed a cult following from outdoor enthusiasts and food lovers who enjoy its surprisingly creative farm-to-table food scene at restaurants like the renowned Hell’s Backbone Grill. The community is today mostly populated by artists, farmers, and dedicated stewards of the land who choose its remote location to live surrounded by spectacular wilderness.

It's a mecca for hikers too, with shorter treks like Lower Calf Creek Falls and Spooky and Peek-a-boo Slot Canyons as favorites, not to mention the 1.8 million acres with trails in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the thousands more in Capitol Reef National Park, plus dozens of nearby "local" trails like those in Long Canyon (20 minutes). If wheels are your preferred means of adventure, take the Highway 12 Scenic Byway (about 10 minutes from the property) along the famous Hogback Section. Fly fisherfolk can cast their lines on Boulder Mountain, one of the highest plateaus in North America, with elevations exceeding 11,000 feet. Guides are available for canyoneering, hiking and primitive skills, and the possibilities for getting out in wild nature are endless here.

Location

Boulder, Utah, US. Nearest airport: Salt Lake City (4 hours)

Best time to visit

April to October, with many local businesses closed during the winter season