Taliesin West

For many years, my husband Garth and I have traveled the western states in our little 24-foot motorhome, along with our golden retriever Chase (and occasionally our cat!). In this and subsequent RVCYOB posts, I’ll share with you our experiences, our opinions on the best campsites to reserve, clever camping gear and gizmos, tried-and-true hacks, secret hikes, camp recipes, camping with pets and kids, things to avoid, and things you won’t want to miss. I hope you’ll enjoy traveling with us. Be sure to check out my posts on many other campgrounds you’ll want to add to your favorites list! Just click on the tab: “RV Camping in Your Own Backyard.”

Our “Circle of the Southwest” RV trip included Stop #2, Taliesin West—architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal residence and studios in Scottsdale, Arizona.

I’m a complete Frank Lloyd Wright geek. I make no apologies. Not everyone is a fan, I know. And I’m aware of his abrasive personality quirks. But the way his buildings emerge from, and blend with, their natural surroundings in concert with Mother Nature—well, it takes my breath away.

I’ve visited many of his projects but two remained on my “must see” list: Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale. Our Southwest trip provided the opportunity to see Taliesin—a place worthy of a pilgrimage. Wright designed and built Taliesin as his winter home in the desert. I knew it would reflect pure Wright design, unencumbered by clients’ wishes. This was his design for himself, and I had to see it.

We stayed the previous night outside of Fort McDowell at Eagle View RV Resort run by the Yavapai Nation. An unanticipated experience awaited us. We drove a few miles into the desert, turned onto Beeline Road toward the RV park, and braked to a dead stop. We were surrounded by a herd of wild horses grazing both sides of the road and casually strolling in front of the motorhome. We turned off the motor and sat in awe. I rolled down the window to hear their snuffling, to smell their horsiness, and to look into their eyes as they passed so close that I could have touched them. They paid us no mind and finally moved on. Welcome to the untamed beauty of the Sonoran High Desert!

We found Eagle View RV Resort the perfect place to spend the night. For that “wide open spaces” experience and a 360-degree view of the desert and mountains, this RV resort is the spot—complete with full hookups, pool, spa, dog run, and javelinas! What the heck is a javelina? I certainly didn’t know and had to ask a local camper. Also called peccaries, javelinas look like small wild pigs but are only distantly related. (Sidebar: Zoo To You in Paso Robles has peccaries and many other unique creatures you can see and touch—a wonderful experience!)

The next morning, we drove to Taliesin for our nine o’clock tour. I got excited just driving into the parking lot! Jutting above the desert landscaping, I saw those magnificent, iconic roof forms identifying my beloved Wrightian architecture. Taliesin!

Just as our Stop #1 at Jumbo Rocks in Joshua National Park did not disappoint, this Stop #2 at Taliesin West proved to be everything I had hoped for and anticipated. We toured Wright’s office, the grounds, his private residence, the old and new theaters, and his studios where he worked with select groups of very lucky architecture students. Each building incorporated angular shapes mimicking the desert hills. Stone, gravel, wood and rust-colored steel blended the buildings into the desert scene. Ponds, agaves, yuccas, and bougainvillea created a natural desert oasis.

Wright masterfully integrating indoor/outdoor spaces. There was a purpose for every view window, every color, every shape and material—from the buildings themselves to the furniture he designed. Originally, Taliesin had canvas roofs and no windows—just open to the desert air.  Eventually, his wife insisted on glass roofs and windows, which he famously claimed as his idea!

We could have lingered longer at Taliesin, but we’d planned one more adventure before heading to Mt. Mingus for the night—a stop at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), a few miles north of Taliesin. It was much more fascinating than we expected. We spent two hours in its many rooms of unique musical instruments from around the world. At each exhibit, a monitor played an immersive music video from that area of the world. We highly recommend visiting MIM.

We headed northwest through lovely Prescott Valley to start our climb up the slopes of Mt. Mingus—our destination: Potato Patch Campground. We regretted the lack of time to visit the city of Prescott. Another time, another trip.

Potato Patch sits at 7200’ among aspens, and towering pines and firs. It’s charming, woodsy, and clean. The adjacent forest service roads are perfect for hiking or running a golden retriever who’s patiently spent the day in the motorhome. Chase gave Potato Patch two paws up as she settled for the night. Tomorrow would take us to Stop #3—Jerome, the historic copper mining town, my next posting.