Yurt Camping at the State Parks

My family and I recently spent a weekend in a yurt at High Falls State Park.  

“What’s a yurt”, you ask?  

Nomads have used yurts of felt or skins on a collapsible framework for thousands of years.  Modern yurts are round canvas/tent like structures that sit on a wooden deck, and provide comfortable furniture inside.  They are a quickly growing national phenomenon and are considered glamorous camping, or “glamping”, that allow folks to explore the outdoors with somewhat luxurious accommodations.

Personally, I loved using the yurt.  The wood flooring and furniture reminded me of a log cabin, except the sides were made of cloth.  There were, however, no bathroom facilities so we still had to use the park’s facilities.  The yurt has a deck where we sat in the evening and admired the beautiful lake view.  The yurt sleeps five-six people comfortably on the futon sofa that converted to a double bed and the double-sized bunk bed.


Having gone tent camping in the past, the yurt was a few steps up from what I was used to!  Here are some of the advantages of using a yurt over a tent:

-It’s already set up.

-It has comfortable wood furniture.

-You don’t have to stoop when you walk in.

-It has locking doors.

-The yurt is equipped with electricity, heat and lights.

-It’s larger than most tents.

However, you still need to remember to bring your food, bedding and toothbrush.

Overall, we had a wonderful time and plan to do some more glamping soon.  If you’d like to get outdoors this spring and summer, but are unsure of the tent experience, I’d recommend that you consider renting a yurt at a state park.  

State Parks with Yurts: