Cynthia's Basecamp

Cynthia’s basecamp is in Tecopa Heights. In the mid-20^th century, the Federal Government opened this land to homesteading for miners and their families. Today our “neighborhood” has about 15 desert dwellings; some are inhabited, some long abandoned. You will find no neighborhood shops or gas stations in Tecopa Heights, but the volunteer fire department is headquartered just down the street. Desert folk are a gentle bunch. There is no crime, just the occasional village tiff that is quickly forgotten. Be a desert dweller at Cynthia’s Basecamp in one of our repurposed mobile homes. They have been repurposed to meet our guests’ lodging needs with a variety of guest rooms interwoven to be adjoined or to stand alone.

We serve prefix homecooked meals with a meat, chicken, fish, or plant-based entre, side dishes and dessert. Menus are designed with guest dietary restrictions in mind, such as allergies and medical conditions. Meals can be tailored to meat-eaters, vegetarians, or vegans. There are no cooking facilities, however, we provide a frig in the guest common room. We encourage guests to bring their favorite snacks and beverages. Cynthia is familiar with all local restaurants and will make recommendations based on guest preferences. We have potable well water.

Rooms are a combination of king, queen, double, twin, and bunk beds. Cynthia configures rooms according to group size and preferences. Rooms have private bathrooms with hot water. All bed linens, blankets, towels, bathrobes are provided. Each room has its own heating and cooling unit that complies with ASHRAE recommendations for air quality. Rooms are designed to support your experience in the natural world. Limited WIFI is available. There is no cell phone reception within a 40-mile radius. We do not provide TVs. Guest room décor is designed to be simple and functional featuring Spanish Colonial, Native American, and Mexican artwork along with historic photographs of Tecopa.

• Connecting Rooms
• Private Bathroom
• Wireless Internet Connection
• Bedside Phone Chargers and Power Plugs
• Common Room W/Frig, Coffee, Tea, Board Games
• 24 Hr. Access to Guest Common Room
• Air Conditioning/Heating Individually Controlled
• Hairdryer
• Bathrobe And Extra Towels for Hot Springs
• Extra Pillows and Blankets if requested
• Down/Feather Pillows
• Bathtub/Shower Combination or Shower
• Plenty Of Bedside Reading Lamps
• Fire Alarm
• Room Art Themed to Local History
• Outdoor Sitting Area and Parking Near Room Entry
• Mountain Views With Dark Night Skies
• Outdoor Space with Firepits

• Reduced our grid power consumption by one third since 2020.
• Installed new guest room heating/cooling units with 25 SEER rating.
• Installed one large refrigerator now shared by all guests located in the common area.
• We do not use plastic items in our room décor and limit plastic in our kitchen facility.
• Landscaped with drought resistant trees and vegetation.
• Repurposed existing mobile homes into guest accommodations to keep them out of a landfill.
• Guest room furnishings are artfully repurposed, reused, or reclaimed.
• Transitioning to solar, with completion date of 2027.

Emotional Support Dogs and other pets are NOT allowed at Cynthia’s.

Cynthia’s is a smoke-free facility according to California law. There are designated smoking areas outside the buildings.

You will be coming deep into the Mojave Desert. Occasionally we have weather-related power outages, high winds, and dust storms. Once you have checked into our facility and these conditions occur, they will not result in a refund of your safari.  Instead, we all hunker down and weather it together and go on with tours.

Flash flooding is unlikely, but if it occurs during your stay and highways are closed for public safety, your travel plans can be delayed briefly. If this occurs and you need to extend your stay, you will be charged a reasonable per diem rate.

Firearms of any kind are strictly prohibited at Cynthia’s basecamp.  This includes open carry, concealed carry, or stored in your car.