Idaho Parks and Recreation manages seven yurts north of Idaho City, and while these yurts have a 60 percent occupancy in the summer, they get rented out 90 percent of the time in the winter.
These yurts are booked solid through the winter, but I was able to snag a last-minute cancellation at the most remote yurt in the system. Join us as we make the trek to the Elkhorn Yurt to spend a magical night in the winter wilderness.
Check out the video to see our adventure, the yurt, and the conditions this winter.
The adventure begins with getting a Park-N-Ski Pass and heading to one of the designated trailheads to access the yurt in question.
I went to Banner Summit, and we embarked on the Elkhorn Loop. I've done this trek before, and it's 3.3 miles uphill to the yurt.
Along the way, I ran into a pair of workers from Idaho Parks and Rec on snowmobiles. They go up to the yurts to make sure they are stocked.
For them, it's been a challenging winter. They told me they've had to remove around 100 fallen trees from the trail system.
The crew normally grooms these non-motorized trails, but there hasn't been enough snow this winter. I found the conditions to be very challenging, as going up in the afternoon meant sun-baked snow that stuck to my skis, making it a slow trek.
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However, I did make it to the yurt, which is stocked full of firewood and a wood stove. The yurts also include a two-stove burner, cooking supplies, and games. People do need to bring their own bedding, water, and propane for the stove.
After I got the fire going and cooked burgers for dinner, I enjoyed the view and the last light of the day in the solitude and solace of winter. The warm weather also made it relaxing to soak up the sun on the wooden deck.
In the morning, I did all the chores to make sure the yurt would be ready for the next guest. Those included doing the dishes, wiping down surfaces, restocking the wood, and sweeping out the yurt.
The crew from Idaho Parks and Rec gets up to the yurts often, but it is really important for people staying in the yurt to do their part, and that includes packing out trash back to the car.
The yurts make for a classic Idaho winter adventure, and Idaho Parks and Recreation has a lot of info on the yurts and how to reserve one.
