Rancho Santa Fe native creates a Joshua Tree retreat

Venturing into the hospitality space, Rancho Santa Fe real estate investor and entrepreneur Kylie McCarthy is building a portfolio of meaningful travel and event destinations.

Her newest property, Little Pipes Ranch in Joshua Tree, is a two-home desert sanctuary designed for a quiet getaway surrounded by the serenity of nature, ideal for couple’s retreats, girls’ trips or just a relaxing break from the everyday.

Along with the two homes on the ranch, charmingly called House of Wind and House of Flight, McCarthy is working on developing short-term rental properties in the Santa Barbara wine country and co-founded the company Voyj in April to do more projects in the hospitality space, “reimagining short-term stays as immersive, story-driven experiences.”  Along with her co-founders, McCarthy recently took on the nine-room 1880 Union Hotel in Los Alamos, which serves as a private and wedding venue.

McCarthy grew up in Rancho Santa Fe, attending R. Roger Rowe School and Torrey Pines High School where she was named Parade All-American for soccer.  She went on to play soccer at UCLA and after graduating in 2015, worked in finance for seven years with Brixton Capital in Solana Beach.

With big dreams for Little Pipes in mind, she bought the 20-acre parcel in Yucca Valley in 2020 with her co-owner/mom Stacy, starting the development process in 2022 when she went out on her own.

The land sits in Pipes Canyon, close to Joshua Tree National Park on the border of Pioneertown, which McCarthy calls the “Rancho Santa Fe of the High Desert,” due to its rural and historic character and cool architecture.

She started vacationing in the desert in 2019. “I fell in love with the area and people,” McCarthy said. “It’s an artistic and creative community and I found it just really peaceful.”

The desert became a great place to get away from the chaos of her job, have quiet time to herself to unwind, look at the stars in the dark night sky and explore all of the local restaurants and outdoor activities.

When she bought the property in 2020, it was just raw land, there was no water or electricity so she had to bring it all in. For the two homes, she used modular construction—the one bedroom is built from two recycled shipping containers and the main two-bedroom home was built sustainably, “treading lightly on the land,” made of steel framing and a combination of modular and finished construction on site.

“I always had the intention of sharing it with other people,” McCarthy said of the homes. “I’ve had this mission of creating places where people can gather and getaway and connect in an honest and beautiful way. I wanted to create those spaces for other people because that’s what the desert was for me—a place to share memories and connections when you take yourself out of your normal bubble.”

The two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom House of Wind features amenities such as a pool and hot tub made out of recycled shipping containers, hammocks, a bocce ball court and “Joshua Tree views from every window.”  The one-bedroom House of Flight sports a two-person swing set outside and an outdoor clawfoot tub to enjoy sunrises, sunsets and stargazing.

The Little Pipes Ranch logo, with a disco ball dangling from a Joshua tree, borrows from the giant vintage disco ball that hangs over the dining room table in the main house, just one example of the homes’ playful design touches like pink marble countertops in the bathroom and a fuzzy window perch.

McCarthy has stocked both homes with books for her guests.

“I’m a big reader, I love books and libraries so incorporating that into the homes was a big part of that,” she said. “I think one of my favorite things is discovering new books and reading on vacation.”

The library features BookTok favorites, everything from the latest romantasy to self-help books like one written by her father Tom.

Little Pipes Ranch has also partnered with other female entrepreneurs and artists, including Sangre de Fruta, who provides organic, high-quality botanical bath products for the home, and Bala, whose fitness equipment like balls, blocks and yoga mats, are part of the wellness kits provided in the homes. Stacy, a well-known yoga teacher, has filmed yoga classes that guests can take during their stay.

The unique mixed media artwork featured on the walls is available for purchase, created by Rancho Santa Fe artist Hannah Buechler, whom McCarthy has known since their days at R. Roger Rowe Elementary School.

Little Pipes Ranch opened up for rentals in mid-September and they have been booked out every weekend. Rentals are handled now through airbnb and soon through direct bookings and under the Voyj umbrella.

The reviews so far have been overwhelmingly positive, with guests gushing about the breathtaking views of the mountains and Joshua trees, the easy-to access yet far-away location and the accomodations: “The space itself feels utterly transportive, you step through the front door and realize it’s somehow even more beautiful in person,” read one review on airbnb. “We are already planning our return.”

“I think everyone has that fear of ‘What if no one comes?” said McCarthy in reflection of a successful first few months. “Any risk you take in your life you feel that sense of fear but also excitement. I’ve built this thing I’m really proud of…I’m excited to share it, I really believe in it and love it.”

To check out the properties, visit littlepipesranch.com