Winter is on its way, but that doesn’t mean the camping trips have to end. It just means it might be time to switch from a tent to a yurt.
A yurt is a circular tent-like structure with a wood frame, a durable fabric cover that won’t collapse under snow, and a door.
There are yurts aplenty for rent, and you can use the Internet to plan your outing.
If you’re new to the idea, a good place to get some background information is Pacific Yurts, an Oregon yurt-making company. Pacific Yurts doesn’t offer yurt camping trips, but it has a good overview of yurt history and construction. Once you’re on the homepage, click on “How are Yurts used?” and then click on “Yurt Vacations” for a huge list of state and private parks – including some in Mexico and points south – that offer yurt rentals. Another good place for background information is the Colorado Yurt Company.
Once you’ve learned about yurts, check out the Web site for Idaho State University’s outdoor adventure center. Click on ”rentals” to get to the rental center page, and then click on “yurt &cabin rental” in the listing on the left side. The site lists yurt locations and carries some useful safety tips for campers who are heading into the mountains in winter.
www.earthfoot.org/places/usvt02.htm
There are yurts to be found in the eastern United States. The Ocoee Yurt Company in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee has yurts for rent with all the modern conveniences, including air conditioning. There also are yurts for rent at a farm in Huntington, Vt., accessible by hiking, skiing or snowmobiling.
But most of the big yurt country is west of the Mississippi. Washington and Idaho have yurts for rent at several state parks – some with electricity and heat. Go to the Washington parks site and click on “rental places” to get to the yurt listings. On the Idaho State Parks Web site, click on “lodging” and then “park yurts” or “backcountry yurts.” The backcountry yurts are on the Idaho City Area trail system, about an hour away from Boise. Those yurts require a mile or two of hiking, but come with cooking facilities and utensils.
Anne Wallace Allen, for the Associated Press
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