An off-grid, Navajo-owned ranch stay near Page, featuring traditional earth hooghans, vintage sheep wagons, and dark canyon skies.
Shash Diné Eco-Retreat, pronounced shush dih-nay, is an off-grid glamping bed-and-breakfast located twelve miles south of Page, Arizona, just off Highway 89. Established on ancestral grazing land stewarded by co-owner Baya Meehan's family for eighteen generations, the working ranch offers a rare window into traditional Diné culture and sustainable hospitality. Baya's grandmother, Thelma-Clara, lived here as a traditional shepherd, moving her herds seasonally between the high cedar country and the Colorado River. Baya and her husband, Paul Meehan, founded the retreat in 2014, starting with just two canvas tents. Over the years, they expanded the property to include restored sheepherder wagons, a modern architect-designed suite called The Kyoob, and authentic earth-and-log Navajo hogans, locally known as hooghans. The property remains a working ranch where Navajo Churro sheep, goats, horses, and protective Maremma and Great Pyrenees guardian dogs roam the sagebrush-studded landscape.
The accommodations at Shash Diné provide varying levels of rustic comfort, with the traditional hooghans serving as the cultural heart of the property. Built by master craftsmen using juniper logs and packed earth, these octagonal structures feature dirt floors, simple wooden furnishings, and wood-burning stoves to ward off the high-desert chill. For those seeking a different style of lodging, the vintage sheepherder wagons and canvas bell tents offer cozy queen beds draped in high-quality linens. The Kyoob, introduced in 2020, stands in sharp contrast as a minimalist, geometric shelter with large glass windows framing views of the Vermilion Cliffs. Regardless of the chosen structure, the entire retreat operates completely off the grid. Guests will find no Wi-Fi, no running water in the rooms, and no electricity. Instead, the property relies on solar-powered USB charging stations, candle lanterns, shared composting toilets, and solar-heated outdoor showers to minimize its footprint on the fragile desert ecosystem.
Morning at the retreat begins with a traditional breakfast prepared by Baya, which typically includes warm blue corn porridge, fresh seasonal fruit, ranch coffee, and Navajo tea brewed from wild greenthread harvested directly from the ranch. Guests are encouraged to spend their days exploring the ranch grounds, where they might spot pieces of antique glass along old wagon trails or catch views of Lake Powell in the distance. Evenings are centered around the shared outdoor fire pit, where hosts and visitors gather under exceptionally dark skies. Because of the lack of light pollution, the Milky Way is clearly visible, earning the retreat its reputation as a five-billion-star hotel. As a Native-owned enterprise, Shash Diné focuses heavily on cultural preservation, offering visitors an authentic, respectful introduction to modern Navajo life and ancestral traditions.
Book one of the traditional earth-and-log hooghans for the most authentic experience, and do not miss Baya's morning blue corn porridge and wild-harvested Navajo tea.
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