Tenting Upgraded

Sun., Aug. 16, 1998

Staff

Idaho State Parks

Tent camping is easier than ever at Winchester Lake State Park near Lewiston.

Circular tents called yurts have been installed to appeal to campers looking for something more than a tent and something less than a cabin.

The Idaho yurts are 18 feet in diameter and tall enough for any NBA player to stand erect. Waterproof canvas, complete with an insulating layer, is stretched over a sturdy and handsome wooden frame, complete with a window and wooden door. The yurts are furnished with a bunk bed, futon and table. Electric wall heaters will be installed this fall.

“We’re offering this as an alternative form of camping,” said Mitch Silvers, manager at Winchester. “Sometimes you just want to grab your suitcase and go. That’s one of the fastest growing areas of outdoor tourism.”

Rentals run $30 a night for the first four occupants, plus a $6 reservation fee. Another two people can find floor space in the yurts for an additional $4 a head.

The department’s first yurts were erected two years ago in the backcountry near Idaho City, mostly for cross country skiers. Idaho State Parks also has yurts at Ponderosa State Park near McCall.

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