Which New Mexico site became Georgia O'Keeffe's most famous desert retreat?

Ghost Ranch became Georgia O'Keeffe's most famous desert retreat. Located near Abiquiú in northern New Mexico, the ranch provided the cliffs, mesas, arroyos, and wide skies that appear throughout her work.

O'Keeffe first visited the area in 1934 and began spending part of each year there. She rented a house at Ghost Ranch and later owned a home in nearby Abiquiú. The landscape's exposed geological forms became recurring subjects, including the red hills and a distinctive formation she called the Black Place.

Ghost Ranch had a history before O'Keeffe arrived: it was associated with cattle ranching, folklore, and the landscape of northern New Mexico. O'Keeffe's paintings helped make the site internationally recognizable, but Ghost Ranch is not the same institution as the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. The ranch remains a cultural and educational center as well as a destination connected with her artistic legacy.