Winter Yurt Adventure

Beautiful winter view from the yurt

Christmas sunrise!

Along with backpacks, we used a pulk sled to carry our food and gear to the yurt 

Snowshoes on the porch - can't beat the view

Rocky Ridge yurt is perched on a ridgeline with scenic mountain views in the Idaho backcountry

Winter wonderland

 For many people, this past holiday season was unusual: trying to limit gatherings and social interactions is the opposite of many holiday traditions of family meals, travel, and Christmas parties. I was lucky enough to have my parents come to Idaho, and we embarked on a Christmas adventure that was one for the books: we reserved an Idaho City backcountry yurt, and spent two nights in a winter wonderland.

There are six different yurts in the Idaho City, all accessible at different Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Park n' Ski areas. Last winter, I stayed at the Skyline Yurt with a few friends and had a wonderful time. All of these yurts are located in the Boise National Forest, and the yurts are all several miles from parking lots, so we packed in our food and gear with backpacks, a pulk sled, and snowshoes. Over Christmas, we stayed at Rocky Ridge Yurt and enjoyed exploring the surrounding trails and taking in the splendid sunrise mountain views. 

Spending time at the yurt allowed us to stay in the beautiful Idaho backcountry and spend more time exploring than driving back and forth from Boise. And we weren't exactly roughing it - the yurt is appointed with lots of pots and pans to cook gourmet meals, a woodstove and firewood that makes the cold evenings downright toasty, and board games to keep everyone entertained. This adventure - which seemed halfway between car camping and backpacking -was the perfect challenge for my family, and a trip we will remember for years to come! 

Be sure to check out Idaho City Backcountry Yurts and remember to plan and reserve your yurt adventure early - the yurts get booked far ahead of time!