Facilities
Located between the White and Inyo Mountain ranges in eastern California, Deep Springs Valley is home to our 155-acre campus. The College is the only habitation in the Valley, which is approximately the size of Manhattan. The nearest large town, Bishop, California, is 40 miles away. The physical isolation and natural beauty of our location are integral parts of the educational program. Students regularly make trips to the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley National Park, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and many other nearby wildernesses. In the summer, we experience hot, dry desert temperatures above 100℉ (38℃) and in the winter, extreme cold, at times below 20℉ (-6℃).
Campus facilities include a laboratory (click here for specifics), a museum, an observatory, two modest gyms (one for staff and faculty and one for students), and a music room. Some labor positions require use of the wood and metal shops on campus. Our library includes the contents of L.L. Nunn’s personal library as a portion of its nearly 30,000 volumes.
Cattle from the College’s ranch graze throughout the valley on private and leased lands. About 7 miles south of campus is Deep Springs Lake. The large, seasonal salt lake is notable for its active Dolomite formation. The freshwater springs that fill it are home to the Valley’s own endemic species, the Deep Spring Toad.
Deep Springs Valley has been inhabited for thousands of years. It was home to Paiute people until the early 20th century. Pictographs can be seen at sites around the valley. Signs of Basque sheepherding operations can also be seen. The original farm built at Deep Springs supplied food to miners in the White Mountains. L.L. Nunn bought the property in 1917, and the first classes of students assisted in the construction of many campus buildings.
The dormitory, Boarding House (our dining hall), Main Building (which houses offices, classrooms, and library) and faculty housing are clustered around the College’s Main Circle. Slightly farther afield, students can be found on the “Lower Ranch,” home to the garden, corrals, horse barn, and additional housing.
The most striking building on campus is the new Boarding House, pictured above while it was still being built in 2022 by Ken Carpenter Construction.
Support
A large and geographically-distributed network of consultants and volunteers supports the operation of the campus. To name just a few, Andrew Waser built the current version of the campus communications infrastructure and maintains it from his IT consulting company in Portal, Arizona. John Moriarty efficiently and professionally deploys and maintains our WordPress website, and Christy Peterson of Torrey Pines Advisors & Accountants does bookkeeping and manages payroll.