I'm subletting my 5-acre High Desert homestead compound I lovingly call "The Writers' Cabin." I lived in this cabin for close to a year but left in November to take a job in Syracuse, New York. I plan to be back next November. I'm looking for a subletter(s) who will enjoy the cabin until I get back.

Utilities are included. (Water, septic, internet, trash.) Dog-friendly.

The neighborhood – Wonder Valley – is a community filled with artists, writers and musicians looking for quiet desert magic. The cabin is 15 minutes from the east entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, and 10 mins from the coolest high desert town: Twentynine Palms.

Please be aware that while most find it the cabin comfortable, it's not for everyone. It's quirky – as are most places in the Mojave Desert – and needs someone who can appreciate that as part of it's charm. It's available for a SINGLE renter. There are two beds (a queen and a single) so feel free to entertain the occasional guest, but trust me when I say that due to logistics and resources on the property it's not at all ideal for two people living full time.

The compound has three separate buildings: The main, original 400 sqft homestead cabin. I built another 120 sqft barn that is now a bedroom with a queen bed. The third "building" is a vintage trailer I use as a closet and the bathroom.

The property has an outside clawfoot tub. Both the cabin and barn have heat & A/C. Other amenities: Desk with an ergonomic chair. Cute little electric stove. Bigger-than-mini fridge. Clothes washer (but no dryer). TV if you want to stream.

It's stocked with pots, pans, dishes, utensils, linens – pretty much everything you'd need to live.

The property is very quiet with zero light pollution. It's surrounded on three sides by government land. There's a beautiful wash to go walking in that’s BLM land just behind the property.

If you want a break from isolation, there are cool bars and restaurants in Twentynine Palms, about 15 mins away. You are 30 mins from the town of Joshua Tree and 40 mins to Pioneertown and Pappy and Harriets.

Well behaved dogs are welcome but please be mindful that this is a wild area with rattlesnakes and coyotes. Only ONE dog, please. No cats or other animals.

The wi-fi lands between 50 - 70 mbps. It’s not like the city but it's fast enough to stream and do remote meetings.

It's private but I have neighbors a few acres away. I have two security cameras on the property.

Quirks: Homesteads like this come with some maintenance. This is a plus or minus depending on your sense of adventure. 1. There is no sewer. This means you need to drain the trailer tanks every week – meaning you pull couple levers. (There is no mess. It is hard plumbed into a septic tank.) 2. There is no city water. This means you have to monitor the cistern and let me know when you need more water. 3. It's a work in progress and has personal things in it. It's not a perfect vacation rental.

About This Lister

I am a filmmaker and TV director currently working at Syracuse University.