Taos Earthships: What It’s Like to Visit — and Spend the Night Off the Grid 🛖

Off the Grid in the High Desert

Just west of Taos, where the mesas stretch wide and the sunsets feel exaggerated, you’ll find a collection of homes that look like they belong on another planet. They’re made of tires, bottles, earth, and sweat. Some rise up in domes, others hide behind berms, almost invisible from the road. These are Earthships — self-sustaining homes that operate entirely off the grid, and the heart of one of the most unique visitor experiences in New Mexico.

I’d driven past them before, half-curious, half-unsure what to make of them. But this time, I stopped to take the full tour at the Earthship Biotecture Visitor Center — and later, spent the night in one. Here’s what I discovered about the Taos Earthships.

Heads up: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, it helps support this site—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend stuff I genuinely use and trust.

What Exactly Is an Earthship?

In short: it’s a self-sustaining, off-grid house made largely from recycled materials like tires, cans, and glass bottles. They’re the brainchild of architect Michael Reynolds, who started building them here in Taos in the 1970s — long before “eco” was cool. His team at Earthship Biotecture has been fine-tuning the model ever since.

Earthships use:

• Thermal mass (thick earthen walls) for natural heating and cooling
• Rainwater catchment for all household water (drinking, bathing, laundry, etc.)
• Solar panels and batteries for electricity
• Indoor greenhouses for growing food and filtering water
• Graywater recycling for feeding indoor plants
• Blackwater reuse (from toilets) for flushing and landscape irrigation (after treatment in a septic system or botanical cell)

The result? A radically different kind of home — one that’s designed to work with the planet instead of against it. They’re surprisingly livable, too. That said, off-grid living asks more of you. You’ll need to pay attention — to the weather, to your water use, to how all the systems interact. Some Earthships feel rustic, others lean upscale, but they all share one thing in common: they invite you to live with more awareness. It’s not conventional — but for the right kind of person, it’s a kind of freedom.

---

Why Taos Attracts Earthships, Artists, and Off-Grid Dreamers

Taos has always attracted people looking to live a little differently.

With a population of around 6,500, it’s a small town with a big presence — equal parts high-desert crossroads, creative enclave, and rebel outpost. Set at 7,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos has long drawn artists, spiritual seekers, skiers, hikers, and people who just don’t quite fit the mold.

Long before Earthships dotted the mesa, this region was home to the Taos Pueblo — one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America, still thriving today over 1,000 years later. The Pueblo’s thick adobe walls, shaped from earth and water, are both timeless and functional — a living example of architecture in harmony with place.

In the 1600s came Spanish settlers. In the 1800s, fur trappers and traders. Then the artists — drawn by the desert light, open skies, and deep cultural layers. Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams, and D.H. Lawrence all passed through or stayed awhile. The counterculture crowd followed in the ’60s and ’70s, bringing with them dreams of self-sufficiency, back-to-the-land living, and experimental design.

Which is exactly when Michael Reynolds began building the first Earthship out here.

In a way, Earthships aren’t just a new idea — they’re part of a much older rhythm. From the Pueblo’s earthen dwellings to today’s bottle-brick walls and solar systems, this land has always inspired bold, creative experiments in how we live with the land — not just on it.

And Taos? It still draws artists, visionaries, off-gridders — and the occasional lovable oddball who thinks, “Sure, let’s build with tires.”

Touring the Earthship Visitor Center

If you want to see what Earthship living looks like without booking a stay, head to the Earthship Biotecture Visitor Center just northwest of Taos. The self-guided tour walks you through a real Earthship, room by room.

You’ve got two options: a self-guided tour or a guided one. I went with the guided version to get the full experience — and I’m glad I did. It gave me a chance to step inside multiple Earthships and hear directly from someone who actually lives in one.

Here are some of the core features you’ll find across the different Earthships on the tour.

• The Fig Tree. Inside the greenhouse, a fig tree grows tall and strong using nothing but recycled water. It’s a staple in many Earthship greenhouses and an early sign that you’re stepping into something different.

• Greywater Planter Cell. These indoor planters filter used water from showers and sinks and reuse it to flush toilets. It’s all rubber-lined and filled with layers of rock, gravel, sand, peat moss, and roots.

• Black Water System. Low-flush toilets drain into a traditional septic tank, then out to a botanical cell in the landscaping.

• Skylights. No HVAC here. Just gravity-operated skylights that release heat and let in fresh air. Ropes and pulleys replace thermostats and vents.

• The WOM (Water Organizing Module). Collected rainwater goes through filters and a UV system before reaching your taps. It’s stored in 1500-gallon cisterns and pressurized for use.

• The POM (Power Organizing Module). Solar panels feed a battery system that powers lights, outlets, water pumps, and Wi-Fi. Even on cloudy days, there’s enough energy stored to run the whole house.

---

Fun Facts I Didn’t Know Before Visiting

• Earthships date back to 1972, built by Michael Reynolds.
• There are over 100 Earthships in the Taos area, forming the Greater World Community.
• Each square foot of roof can collect about 990 gallons of rainwater per year. Our guide said a 7-inch rainfall can yield up to 10,000 gallons on some rooftops.
• Interior temps stay around 70°F year-round — no AC or furnace required.
• Earthships aren’t just a New Mexico thing. They’ve spread to all 50 U.S. states and over 40 countries — including Bolivia, India, Japan, and Scotland.

---

Where to See Earthships in Taos

Earthship Visitor Center

2 Earthship Way, Taos, NM
Open daily (check website for hours). $8–10 self-guided. Guided tours are also available and recommended.
Website: earthshipglobal.com

Greater World Community Drive-By

Just north of the Visitor Center, you’ll find the Greater World Community — the world’s largest off-grid subdivision. Originally purchased by Michael Reynolds in 1992, this 630-acre property includes over 100 Earthships, many of them built by residents themselves. The community spans two miles down the highway and is a living example of what an off-grid neighborhood can look like.

About half of the land is set aside as permanent green space, meaning it will never be developed. The rest is dotted with homes that range from simple starter models to ambitious multi-level experiments.

You can view the neighborhood by driving along the main road (Servilleta Road and Earthship Way), but please respect resident privacy — these are real homes, not a theme park. If you’d like to explore deeper, you can book a stay in one of the rental Earthships or take a guided tour from the Visitor Center.

Pro tip: There are designated pull-off spots on the highway just north of the Visitor Center if you’d like to take photos. Avoid driving the dirt roads into the community unless specifically invited. Please respect privacy — these are people’s homes.

---

Off-Grid but Not Off-Comfort (My Overnight Stay)

Later that day, I checked into my very own Earthship for the night.

The Earthship I stayed in sat just off the mesa, not far from the Río Grande Gorge Bridge. From a distance, it blended into the high desert landscape. Inside, it was cool, quiet, and more spacious than I expected. Sunlight filtered through the angled greenhouse windows, and the thick, curved walls helped keep the temperature steady. The kitchen and bathroom were relatively modern and functional, and the living area offered a comfortable spot to relax.

Here are a few photos to give you a sense of what it’s like to stay in one of the more modern Earthships.

How Much Do Earthships Cost?

• Basic 2BR models: ~$400K (or $300/sq ft)
• High-end custom builds: $750K+
• DIY options: quite a bit cheaper, but a lot of work

But keep in mind: no water bills, no electric bills. The house takes care of itself. And some of them are available for nightly rentals via Airbnb or earthshipglobal.com.

---

Additional Reading: Sustainable Living & Off-Grid Design

Curious to go deeper after your Earthship adventure? Here are a few excellent reads to explore passive solar, off-grid building, and sustainable architecture:

Earthship Volume I: How to Build Your Own, by Michael Reynolds
The original guide (1990) from the Earthship founder himself — part how-to, part philosophy, and packed with real-world (but dated) detail.

The Barefoot Architect, by Johan van Lengen
Another classic (2007), providing practical guidance for low-cost, low-tech, and sustainable building, especially useful for remote or developing areas.

Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook (14th Ed.) — Still the authoritative guide to renewable energy and sustainable off-grid living. Fully revised in 2023 with updates on passive solar, permaculture, greywater systems, and more.

Bonus Stop: Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership

After a full day of passive solar design and gravity-powered skylights, I made one last stop just a few minutes down the road: Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership. Set on the open mesa with panoramic views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it’s part brewery, part music venue, and part local gathering spot.

The architecture nods to the Earthship aesthetic — thick walls, recycled materials, and a distinctive, dome-like amphitheater that blends into the high desert backdrop. While not an actual Earthship, it carries a similar offbeat, eco-inspired energy.

I caught Vieux Farka Touré playing a live set under the stars — an unforgettable way to wrap up an off-grid day in Taos.

Location: 20 ABC Mesa Rd, El Prado, NM
Website: taosmesabrewing.com

Final Thoughts

Earthships aren’t just quirky homes in the desert — they’re part of a bigger experiment in how we live on this planet. Whether you’re into architecture, sustainability, or just want a night under the stars with some off-grid flair, a Taos Earthship is worth the stop.

And once you’ve stayed in a house that makes its own water and power, regular buildings might start to look… well, kind of boring.

👉 Curious about staying in one yourself? Visit earthshipglobal.com or check Airbnb listings around Taos. You may never look at a beer bottle the same way again. Particularly, if you’re sitting in the pyramid.

---

---

Thought for the Week

For this week’s edition of the “Thought for the Week,” I pulled a quote from someone who knows a thing or two about extremes—Robert Swan. He’s the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles and has spent decades raising awareness about environmental issues. But this quote isn’t just about the environment. It’s about agency—and the quiet danger of assuming someone else will take care of the hard stuff.

Whether we’re talking about conservation, community, or just being a decent human in a noisy world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of waiting. Someone else will speak up. Someone else will fix it. Someone else will care enough to act.

That’s one reason my Earthship stay stuck with me. When you’re off-grid, there is no “someone else.” You become fully aware of your own impact—every drop of water, every watt of power, every choice that keeps things running. It’s not abstract. It’s daily, physical, and real. And in a way, it’s freeing. You stop waiting for someone else to make it better.

This week’s quote is a nudge for all of us—whatever it is you’re hoping someone else will take on… maybe that someone is you.

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
— Robert Swan

---

---

Thanks for reading and happy travels!

Mark (The New Mexico Travel Guy)

Mark Aspelin, The New Mexico Travel Guy (www.newmexicotravelguy.com), is a travel writer, conservation biologist, project manager, and author of two books. He’s visited over 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states—just enough to land in the Travelers’ Century Club and make choosing a favorite place nearly impossible. He’s currently on a questionable mission to visit every town in New Mexico (there are over 500) and write a story about each one, with plans to wrap it up sometime before his early to mid-100s. Mark balances his writing with conservation and project work from his home base in the East Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico.