Love the Outdoors? Try a Camping Yurt!
Yurts were invented thousands of years ago by nomadic Mongols, but the circular homes are seeing a modern resurgence with campers. You can now live like a Mongol and stay in a yurt at private and state parks throughout the country.
What is a Yurt?
Camping yurts are a new variation on a traditional structure
Merriam-Webster describes yurts as, "a circular domed tent of skins or felt stretched over a collapsible lattice framework and used by pastoral peoples of inner Asia; also : a structure that resembles a yurt usually in size and design."Traditional yurts are homes built by nomadic herders of Mongolia. They have a lattice-wall framework with a covering of felted wool.
The modern canvas yurt is an adaptation of the traditional structure that incorporates nontraditional elements, but keeps the traditional flavor.
Rent a Yurt!
You don't have to visit the steppes of Mongolia to sleep in a yurt.
Yurts are becoming popular as alternative camping structures. Here are a few places you can spend a night in a yurt:
Oregon State Parks
Washington State Parks
Delaware State Parks
Idaho State Parks
Kachemak Bay State Park in Alaska
Ocoee Yurt Company - Tennessee
Idaho State University
Oregon State Parks
Washington State Parks
Delaware State Parks
Idaho State Parks
Kachemak Bay State Park in Alaska
Ocoee Yurt Company - Tennessee
Idaho State University
Books About Yurts
If you're thinking about buying a yurt for a vacation home or regular home, here are some books that can help you decide whether the circular life is for you.
Yurts: Living in the Round
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 11/23/2009) 
The Complete Yurt Handbook
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 11/23/2009)
Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/23/2009)
Simple Shelters: Tents, Tipis, Yurts, Domes and Other Ancient Homes (Wooden Books)
Amazon Price: $8.64 (as of 11/23/2009)
For Love of Yurts Building an Ultra Simple Yurt Home for Under $1,000
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 11/23/2009)
Yurt Videos
Learn more about yurts with these videos
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Sites About Yurts
More Unusual Hotel Options
If a yurt isn't quite exotic enough for your sleeping pleasure, you might want to consider one of these places.
Out 'n About Treehouses in Oregon will let you spend the night in one of several (pretty fancy) treehouses.
At Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida, you can sleep in an underwater hotel - if you're a certified scuba diver who can dive 21 feet underwater to reach it.
In Idaho, you can bed down in a beagle. Yes, a beagle. Dog Bark Park Inn is a hotel shaped and painted to look like a giant beagle. Just don't tell your cat where you spent the night.
Out 'n About Treehouses in Oregon will let you spend the night in one of several (pretty fancy) treehouses.
At Jules Undersea Lodge in Florida, you can sleep in an underwater hotel - if you're a certified scuba diver who can dive 21 feet underwater to reach it.
In Idaho, you can bed down in a beagle. Yes, a beagle. Dog Bark Park Inn is a hotel shaped and painted to look like a giant beagle. Just don't tell your cat where you spent the night.
Yurt Photos
Don't know what a yurt looks like and whether you'd really want to sleep in one? Check out these photos for some yurt pics that'll show you what to expect.
In the Ger
Airag Party!
Yurt Camping
Shoemaker's yurt
Blue Wolf Ger Camp
Satellite Ger
Tapping Local Knowle...
inside a yurt
Yurt, inside
Yurt, outside
Sunshine Coast Kayak...
Sunshine Coast Kayak...
Παμίρ
παμίρ
Παμίρ
Παμίρ
Judy receives smicha
Listening to everyon...
End of the processio...
And we're processing...
automatically generated by Flickr
Have You Stayed in a Yurt?
If you're a yurt fan, please sign the guestbook!
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Reply
- blue22d blue22d Mar 3, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
- Well, seen them and did not know they were called a Yurt. Learn something new. Five stars and a favor.
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Reply
- GypsyPirate GypsyPirate Jan 11, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
- I hadn't heard of them before. But, I got to tell you that now I would really like to stay in a yurt just to say I did. Thanks for a great read.
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Reply
- Ramkitten Ramkitten Dec 11, 2008 @ 7:36 pm
- My husband really wants a yurt to use as an art studio. So this is a great resource to stumble upon as we search for the right yurt and a good price. Thank you for the information!
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- ngio64 ngio64 Sep 25, 2008 @ 8:43 pm
- I have loved the idea of a Yurt for years. Good lens. I will check out your links!
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- Tiddledeewinks Tiddledeewinks Sep 23, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
- As Eelkat mentioned, our town won't allow us to have them, but we were forced to live in the back of a pick-up once when Eelkat was just two years old!
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by lisadh
Hi, I'm Lisa, a Giant Squid with two kids, two dogs, four cats, and a Squidoo addiction. You can learn more on my lensography.
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