Titan Ranch: Missile Silo You Can Stay In

A missile what?

Titan Ranch is a short term rental and event space like no other. It opened to the public in 2020 as an AirBnB and in January of 2022 we had the opportunity to stay. Where exactly did we stay? Underground! That’s right, underground in a Cold War ear missile silo launch control center. It was without a doubt one of the most unique places we’ve ever stayed and we still talk about the stories from GT (the owner) about the renovation process. This place will blow your mind, keep scrolling for photos of the renovations.

A brief history of the silo.

This silo, numbered 373-9, is located in Vilonia, Arkansas. It was part of a series of 18, Cold War era Titan II missile silos around Little Rock. The Titan II was an intercontinental ballistic missile that carried a nuclear warhead, amazingly it launched from underground in less than one minute. Essentially, the missile sat in a rocket ship that could go to the upper atmosphere and travel over 5000 miles. Built in 1961, the Titan II Missile Silo operated for almost twenty years before decommissioning in 1985.

Private buyer.

Fifteen years went by and the silo sat sealed underground. In 2005 GT (the owner) purchased the property. He documented the entire opening process on his YouTube channel, GT’s Titan Ranch. Grab a cup of coffee and buckle up, because it was a wild story. To get to the silo bunker required digging out over 20 feet of concrete. Additionally, they dealt with ground water issues, potentially toxic fumes, and what you’d expect for an abandoned underground bunker. This hefty task of renovation took ten years, funded entirely by the owner himself. In fact, it is still a work in progress.

Titan Ranch Opens.

The restored mission control center opened in 2019 as a multipurpose event space. On level 2, within the main meeting space they started holding conferences and various meetings. GT quickly saw the potential for a unique short term rental opportunity and eventually converted level 1 to a master bedroom and bathroom. Oddly enough, level one refers to the top level of the space, closest to topside. Level 2 is where you enter from on the walkway, and level 3 is the lowermost level. You can see a great interactive diagram on the Titan Missile Museum website.

Arriving and entering.

It might not feel like you’re heading to a missile silo as you turn down the gravel road in Vilonia. You might start to question if you’re even in the right place. You’ll drive past a cow pasture and enter the ranch, in true farm fashion. You’ll know you’re there when you see the shipping black shipping containers. Those containers cover the concrete silo leading down into the earth. Getting to the mission control center requires going down the five flights of stairs. The tours and staying at the silo overnight are not recommended for small children and unfortunately are not ADA accessible.

The threshold.

At the base of the stairs, before entering the structure we watched a video about the opening and restoring process. The enormous project is almost unfathomable. After the video and safety briefing, my kids opened the blast door. Well, attempted to. The massively thick steel door was designed to be impenetrable from the outside.

Level Two.

While isn’t quite logical, you enter the silo on level two. We passed the blast lock area and walked into the tunnel with the cableway. That tunnel connects the silo to the launch control center. To our left, the coolest led lit tunnel that felt straight out of a sci-fi movie. Next, to our right, a sealed off section of the cableway. That section isn’t restored and the missile silo concrete structure hasn’t been excavated yet. We followed our tour guide, a seasonal worker living on site for the winter, across the cableway. It opened up into the main meeting space which was set up for my kids with two queen size beds. Their favorite part: the giant white boards they could draw on. I’m pretty sure they left masterpieces for GT.

The control room.

The actual control room was on level two and we learned all used to be there. My favorite detail, although perhaps most bone chilling detail, was the fact that you can still see the marks on the steel floor where the launch button was. That launch button. The console where they put in the keys and pushed the button. That gave me a very eerie feeling the entire time we stayed, considering the gravity of the Cold War. An interesting tidbit about the design: all three levels are steel and suspended with giant springs inside of the concrete silo. It is named the birdcage because of how it moves by design. In theory, whatever blast occurred outside of the structure, the interior would remain undamaged.

Level 3.

Moving down the spiral staircase, we arrived at the multimedia room and the kitchen. Titan Ranch has a full kitchen so you can cook whatever your heart desires while underground. Additionally, level three is fully equipped with a projector, a rocking sound system, wi fi and streaming services. If you’re brave enough there’s the emergency exit tunnel to crawl down and look up towards the escape hatch. My kids thoroughly enjoyed watching multiple movies in a row on the giant screen.

Level 1.

The main bedroom is the entire first level. During operation this level contained the crew quarters, including sleeping bunks, a bathroom, eating area, and small kitchen. Four person crews worked 24 hour shifts. For structural integrity, the top of the concrete silo is actually domed, causing interesting acoustics in the center of the room. The weirdly muffled echo from the middle will unnerve you. The upper level main room is packed with luxurious details. A walk in, giant shower, a soaking tub, double vanity, and bathroom. For convenience, there’s a coffee maker up there too. You have to see the cantilevered bed too. Check out a full tour of the place on this Reel.

AirBNB OMG!

In 2022 Titan Ranch won one of the $100,000 awards from AirBnb for a new addition. The OMG Fund awarded 100 people from around the world. These finalists had some pretty impressive ideas and GT’s is no exception. They’re currently in the process of building a replica of a Titan II missile that you can stay in! Be sure to follow the Titan Ranch Youtube channel for updates.

How to book.

You can book tours and overnight stays directly from the Titan Ranch website. Options and pricing for special events are on the website as well. One thing to remember, you’re booking an iconic experience when you stay at Titan Ranch. A stay with an unmatched story. If you’re an adventure schooling family, this is an excellent immersive learning experience. Happy adventuring!