Think outside the tent: yurts, cabins in parks

Is your Therm-a-Rest thinner or are your bones just more tender? Is the tent bigger or is your trunk so full of baby gear that you can't fit in the spare tire? Is it summer yet?

These are just a few of the questions plaguing Washingtonians who love to camp. Then there are those who have discovered the yurts and cabins popping up like mushrooms in parks across the state.

"The way the yurts are set up is beautiful," said Kim Evans of Arlington, who spent a February weekend with her husband in a yurt at Grayland Beach State Park on the Washington coast. "You're as close to the ocean as you can get at the park — it's just beyond the dunes. Yurts have high ceilings so you don't feel like you're in a cave, lots of natural light from the dome skylight and they heat up quickly. We're big fans of yurts in general and would plan a trip going from yurt-to-yurt if we could, rather than staying in hotels." Evans may soon have her wish as Washington State Parks and others construct more accommodations for campers who want an outdoor experience with the comfort of an all-weather structure, or simply prefer to camp off-season when tents are not practical.

Equipped with heaters, lights, beds and, in some cases, kitchenettes, yurts and cabins are meeting this need. Yurts are circular, domed tents made of heavy, durable canvas — their design based on the homes of Central Asian nomads. The wooden cabins have hardwood floors, log furnishings and covered porches. Fire rings with barbecue grills and picnic tables make up the open-air kitchens.

"You can still have a campfire and a picnic and act like you're camping," said Scott Haley of Olympia, a devoted tent camper who, with the birth of his son, has become — at least temporarily — a fan of yurt and cabin camping. "With a young one it's a big advantage. It's comfortable and convenient — like a hotel room, more or less."

Haley also likes the fact that he can persuade friends who will no longer pitch a tent to spend a weekend in a cushy alternative.

Ease for all

State parks currently rent 38 yurts and 35 cabins in 11 parks across the state, with the most recent additions being yurts at Seaquest State Park, near Mount St. Helens, and cabins at Kitsap Memorial State Park on Hood Canal. State parks slated for new or additional units over the next two years include Ike Kinswa, Grayland Beach, Paradise Point, Deception Pass, Fort Flagler, Wallace Falls, Kanaskat-Palmer and Lincoln Rock.

Other parks are following this trend, including Snohomish County Parks with 15 yurts and cabins at two sites, Kayak Point Park and Flowing Lake Park, and an additional six yurts being built in River Meadows Park this summer. At 10 campgrounds around Washington, KOA Campgrounds rent their cozy camping equivalent: one- and two-room "kamping kabins" in locations such as Skagit County, Ilwaco and Leavenworth.

These camping options also encourage intergenerational outings, according to Ed Johanson, assistant manager at Kitsap Memorial State Park, where four new cabins were christened last May. "Some people rent a cabin for grandma and grandpa to stay in, then set up a tent or plug in an RV across from them," he said. "With the cabins we're able to offer experiences for different kinds of tastes so nobody's excluded."

Johanson calls it "convenience camping." Cabin visitors benefit from the mid-sized refrigerator and microwave, but enjoy traditional campfire cooking outside on the fire-ring grill. Others bring along crock pots, hibachis or propane stoves and, despite the romance of cowboy coffee, most appreciate electricity when it comes to their morning cup of joe. The yurts and cabins have individual picnic tables and fire rings.

"You're in the middle of nature in considerable comfort. And in the wintertime a lot of people like to enjoy the parks when they are very quiet," said Susan Mayer, marketing manager for Washington State Parks, who vacations in park rentals when she can. "With camping you have to take a lot of stuff with you and you're open to the elements. In the yurts and cabins you're part of nature in a very easy and very inexpensive way."

Low-cost getaway

Washington State Parks yurt and cabin rentals begin at $45 per night (slightly more with a kitchenette) and sleep up to six people. The relatively low cost is attractive to Frank Monkman and his wife, who regularly camp with their four children and like the opportunity to stay in parks during the colder months.

"In essence, instead of having to own your own cabin somewhere, you actually have access to a variety of cabins all over the state," said Monkman, of Lake Stevens, who stayed in a cabin at Camano Island State Park in February. "We had given some thought to the idea of buying a vacation cabin getaway, but this way you won't have to pay taxes on it and feel obligated to go to that particular spot. You're not locked in, so you can say, 'Hey, let's go to the ocean!' or, 'Let's go to the mountains!' "

Instead of worrying about camping gear this spring, check out these park offerings, reserve a spot and simply go.

Freelance writer Kathryn True of Vashon Island is a regular contributor to Northwest Weekend. Contact her through her Web site: www.kathryntrue.com