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        • The Earthship Visitor Center

          2 Earthship Way, Tres Piedras, NM 87577

          Self-Guided Tours available daily – visitors are welcome to arrive anytime from 9am – 4pm.

          $9 per person for the self-guided tour of our Visitor Center

          • Free for Taos locals and Earthship alumni
          • Free for ages 12 and under

          UPDATED WINTER HOURS:

          Guided Tours available Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 4:30pm
          (please arrive a few minutes before)

          $22 per person • Tickets available at the front desk or: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/872008-guided-tour

          NEW! Extended Self-Guided Tour 
          $15 per person • Tickets available at the front desk or:
          https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/876139-earthship-movie-time

          Private Tours available when scheduled ahead of time More Info

        • Earthship Nightly Rentals:

          Earthships allow people to experience a luxurious off grid life. Being self-sufficient does not mean reducing one’s quality of life.

          Our Earthship rental homes are equipped with all amenities that conventional housing provides

          We are 20 minutes northwest of town of Taos, New Mexico. We are very happy to show you how you can live comfortably without harming nature …

          CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT AVAILABLE NIGHTLY RENTAL EARTHSHIPS.

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        • What is an Earthship?

          An Earthship is a type of house built with natural and recycled materials, with energy conservation in mind. It is designed to produce energy, water and food for its own use.

        • An Earthship is a type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and upcycled materials. Several models exist, and can be built in any part of the world, in any climate and provide electricity, potable water, contained sewage treatment and sustainable food production. Choose your favorite model.

           

          View Earthships currently for sale or buy some land in the Earthship Community

          Building cost could be significantly reduced if you decide to host an Academy or a Field Study.

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INTERN PROGRAM

WORK

Interns work on Earthship construction sites where it is necessary to assist the crew.  The exact content of the work varies from session to session. Work hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. This work is labor intensive, but we are happy to work around any physical issues you may have. No prior building experience is necessary, but interns must be able to lift 50lbs. We encourage people of all backgrounds to participate.

Please note this Internship is not a course on how to build an Earthship: If that is your interest, then you should attend the Earthship Academy.  

 

COST: The fee for internship in 2024 is $ 300 USD + taxes.

ACCOMMODATIONS

We offer very basic, dormitory-style housing to interns and students. The accommodations include early Earthship attempts, Earthship-inspired buildings, and our latest Simple Survival models. These spaces are rustic and experimental, and you must be prepared for camping-like conditions. There are no laundry facilities on these sites. 

We have set the prices of these accommodations to be lower than equivalent transient around the Taos, New Mexico area.

We recommend the Earthship accommodations as your stay in these “primitive Earthship” units is considered to be part of your education in understanding the Earthship concept.  They are not meant to impress you in terms of comforts, rather they are meant to educate you on what must be learned in order to build and  live in Earthships

Some of the water and power systems of these buildings are designed for minimal use only, not for ideal comfort.  

A $100-$200 cleaning deposit is required for check-in to any Intern housing.  This money must be in the form of cash or check and will be collected at Orientation.  This money will be returned to you upon your departure pending the cleanliness of your space. If you need to leave before the scheduled check-out, your deposit will be returned to you via US mail or PayPal.

We are unable to accommodate early check-ins or late check-outs.

ABOUT THE AREA

Taos, New Mexico is a high desert with an extreme climate. Temperatures can vary from 100 plus degrees in the summer to 30 degrees below zero in the winter. The elevation is 6,950 feet above sea level which can cause temperature variations of 40 degrees in a matter of minutes.

Taos is seated at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and is famous for its fine art, great food and majestic beauty. Taos Ski Valley is known as one of the best in the country and the Taos Pueblo contains the oldest stand alone dwelling in the United States. During the summer, Taos offers a multitude of outdoor activities including river rafting, mountain climbing and hiking. Natural hot springs dot the Rio Grande river and are not far from the Earthship community.

 

 

TRANSPORTATION & LOCAL LODGING

There is no public transportation, Uber or Taxi service in Taos. Please take this into consideration when making your travel arrangements. The Earthship compounds, job sites and the town of Taos (food shopping, laundry facilities, gas, etc.) are spread out and driving is a must. If you choose to participate without a vehicle, you will be dependent upon your fellow Interns for rides.  

The closest airport is in Santa Fe, NM (1.5 hour drive). The closest International Airport is in Albuquerque, NM (3 hour drive to Taos). There are two airport shuttle services that can bring you to Taos, the Taos Ski Valley Shuttle:  http://www.skitaos.com/discover-taos/airport-shuttle/ or Mario: 575-779-4424. Reservations must be made in advance.

One month prior to each session, Interns receive a list of fellow participants and their email addresses so that they may coordinate ride sharing, etc.

Orientation and check-in to the housing begins at 10:00 am on the first morning of each Intern session.  This means you will most likely need to be in Taos the night before. We are unable to accept early check-ins and therefore recommend the Abominable Snow Mansion Hostel in Arroyo Seco:  www.snowmansion.com as an inexpensive option.

Check-out is at 2:00 pm on the last day of each Intern session. If you need to leave early, your cleaning deposit will be mailed to you upon the cleanliness of your space.

 

 

 

 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BRING

Bedding and pillow

Towel(s)

1 gallon water bottle

rain gear (for the job site)

closed toe shoes

clothes you do not mind ruining

a good flashlight or headlamp

a good sun hat

25‘ tape measure

utility knife with blades

grout sponges

cement hawk

pool trowel (10”, 12”, or 14”)

tin snips

linesman’s pliers

carpenter’s pencils

sharpie marker

heavy duty rubber gloves

leather gloves

tool belt

small speed square

 

 2024 SESSION DATES:

      • Session 1: January 8th – 26th

      • Session 2: February 5th-23rd

      • Session 3: March 4th – 22nd

      • Session 4: September 9th – 27th

HOW TO REGISTER
Make sure you have read and understand the above information.

If you still have questions, you can email us at outreach@earthship.com.

If you are ready, you can apply here:

Registering for the internship

Date of Birth(Required)
Address
Will you have a car during your stay?(Required)

We will send you a PayPal invoice or you can send us a check or money order for your payment. Your spot will not be reserved until we have received your payment. Once registered, you will receive PDF packet with more detailed information about the session and Taos.

PLEASE NOTE THIS PAYMENT IS NON-REFUNDABLE. Your credit will be honored for two years..