(cover photo by the talented @photosbykaitelise)
Did you know you could experience up to 25 different winter yurts in Utah?
Find the most comprehensive list of winter backcountry yurts or huts in Utah! While many of these experiences are backcountry winter travel (xc ski, snowshoe, backcountry ski, snowmobile access), there are a few that are drive up friendly (#1 and #16). In addition, checkout what backcountry cabins (old guard stations) are available to rent in the winter as well as an awesome backcountry cabin located near Park City that has a HOT TUB!
(cover photo by the talented @photosbykaitelise)
1. The Roam Ranch Yurt:
The Roam Ranch Yurt is a really unique experience. It’s a drive-up yurt vs a backcountry yurt, so you don’t have to hike in. It’s perfect for families or those who just want an easy weekend away in solitude. This yurt is located in Milburn, Utah about 1.5 hours from Salt Lake City. This yurt is more of a glamping experience with all the amazing amenities. This yurt has an actual heater (vs a propane powered or wood burning stove). You have a fridge, microwave, power, electrical outlets, etc. You also have the nicest yurt bathroom I have ever used!
Some of my other favorite features are a beautiful propane fire pit with lighting and seating, seating area on the deck, a small terrain park in front of the yurt for skiers and snowboarders (for the larger terrain park DM the owner on Instagram), tons of sledding, gentle ski touring and even fat biking opportunities around the property. During summer months guests have access to a 9 hole disc golf course and a mountain bike trail.
Guests also receive a complimentary Roam Wallet. The Roam Ranch is owned by the popular Roam Products company.
You can book your stay on Airbnb.Currently I would rate this as one of the best winter yurt experiences in Utah. Great price, great availability, easy access / still provides solitude and a very unique experience with things like a winter terrain park!!
2. Haute Bonanza Haus:
In Utah, backcountry huts or cabins aren’t very common. You will primarily find backcountry yurt experiences. However, nestled conveniently between Deer Valley, Park City and Brighton, you will discover the Bonanza Haus - a hidden gem of a backcountry cabin.
Aftering hiking or skiing into this cabin you will be greeted with a heated cabin, beds, and a fully equipped kitchen - eletric oven, stove, microwave, and fridge. But the cherry on top? A rejuvenating hot tub, nearby skiing and incredible views. This is a backcountry experience you won’t find anywhere else in Utah!
Then not to mention how accessible this backcountry experience is in terms of its location and hiking distance. Only a couple miles depending where you start. The owner will give more details upon booking.
The A-frame cabin is 1,000 square feet and sleeps 5-6 people with 1 king, 1 queen and 1 single bed. There is a 3 night minimum stay, but that is a small price to pay for such an incredible experience.
For more information and bookings, visit the link provided here. You will contact the owner directly to book. His email is listed in the link provided.
When the word gets out on this cabin I am sure the demand will be high!
3. BRORA Yurts:
The BRORA Yurts make for some magical winter yurt trips. Their yurts are located just outside of Evanston, Wyoming in the Uintas. There are 6 different yurt options. 4 of the yurts are between a 1 - 3 mile hike or ski in on groomed trails. The Ridge Yurt is slightly farther at 4.5 miles. The Boundry Creek is 7 miles and has no groomed trail, navigation skills are required. The newest yurt the Beulah Vista (our personal favorite) is quite spacious and fits groups of 12. The rest accommodate 8 (the Boundry creek yurt accommodates 6).
This is a true backcountry yurt experience. You will be required to hike or ski in with all your necessary gear.
Reservations for the winter months are very competitive. It’s a first come first serve process online. Set your calendar for the last Monday in October at 8 AM when they start taking calls. Availability will be posted online later. You can look for random openings or cancellations. Learn more on their website about reservations.
4. TUNA Yurt:
The TUNA yurt is another yurt located in the Uintas, but located just outside of Kamas, Utah. The TUNA yurt is run by The Utah Nordic Alliance.
The TUNA yurt requires a 3.5 mile ski or hike in with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. This backcountry yurt sleeps 8 people.
Reservations are also competitive. You will be required to become a TUNA member before making your reservation as well as completing a yurt orientation session. Check their calendar for session dates and times.
Reservations for the upcoming winter season start at the end of September. If you have participated in a yurt work day you will receive priority before opening reservations to the public.
5. Grizzly Ridge Yurt:
The Grizzly Ridge Yurt is an incredibly scenic backcountry winter yurt. In fact, probably my favorite winter yurt to date in terms of views. It’s located in a small clearing at 9,200 feet and overlooks Red Fleet Reservoir.
In the winter the hike or ski in is around 3 miles one way. The trail is not regularly groomed. Expect to be breaking trail, especially during active storm cycles. Also be sure you have maps of the trail so you can navigate to the yurt. You may be the first out breaking trail after a recent storm without many trail markings. The trail and trail markings are much more obvious the final 2 miles. This trail would not accommodate ski trailers well, if you were hoping to haul in kiddos.
The Grizzly Ridge Yurt can accommodate 9 guests. Reservations are not quite as competitive, but weekends do tend to fill up. This yurt can be reserved on Recreation.gov.
The sister yurt to the Grizzly Ridge yurt is the Limber Flag Yurt and the Carter Military Yurt. These yurts can also be reserved on Recreation.gov.
I highly recommend 4x4 or AWD for the drive up and for the parking lot itself. It doesn’t get quite as much love as some other highly traveled areas.
6. Soldier Summit Yurt:
The Soldier Summit Yurt can be booked directly through their website. This yurt is a newer yurt and has better availability in the winter. The yurt is only about 1.5 hours from Salt Lake City, Utah. Making it really accessible.
The hike or ski in is around 1.5 miles. Owner gives very detailed information for parking, access, etc. It sleeps 8 people. There are several slopes nearby for snowshoeing, ski turns or sledding. It’s a very private and secluded area.
Pro Tip: Drop your party off at the gate closure (the road you will hike up). Then park a little ways down the road. It just cuts off some unnecessary mileage for your whole group, especially helpful if taking kids.
This is probably one of the most family friendly backcountry yurt trips in Utah. If you plan on using a ski trailer to haul kids into this yurt I would not recommend xc skiing in. If using a ski trailer I would recommend a backcountry ski set-up or snowshoeing. The route isn’t quite flat enough for xc skiing with a trailer + gear.
(Photo by @photosbykaitelise)
7. Monte Cristo Yurt:
The Monte Cristo Yurt is run by the owners of the Soldier Summit Yurt above. This backcountry yurt is VERY beautiful with an incredibly spacious interior and beautiful wrap around deck. This yurt is also booked through their website. It can sleep 10 people.
This yurt is 7 miles in. 6.5 of those miles are groomed, the last half mile is not. It is a mellow / flat trail with only 300 feet of elevation gain. The yurt owners rent out Thule Chariot ski trailers for families or will provide recommendations for off-site snowmobile rentals if you want the easy way in. It’s about a 15 minute snowmobile ride in and about a 3-4 hour hike in.
8. Talking Mountain Yurts:
The Talking Mountain Yurts are located just outside of Moab, Utah in the La Sal mountains. Their Geyser Pass and Gold Basin yurts are located at just about 10,000 feet which makes for a truly incredible winter backcountry experience. But it can also be a very harsh backcountry experience.
The Geyser Pass yurt is a 4 mile hike or ski in on a groomed trail (except for the last 1/4 mile). The Gold Basin yurt is a 2.2 mile hike or ski on a groomed trail. Their website says 1.5 miles, but then breaks down the mileage as .9 on the Geyser Pass Road and then at the turn off you have an additional 1.3 miles.
Both yurts accommodate 8 people.
The only tricky part of staying at these yurts is the road. It does get regularly plowed, but still is a mountain winter road at 10,000 ft. After recent storms it may be impassable. Be aware that this could add anywhere from 2 - 6 miles to your hike in if you can’t make the full length of the road. I would only recommend 4x4 with clearance and chains for your vehicle as back up.
The road will often close while being plowed or for any maintenance. This could also impact your yurt travel plans. You can read updates on the road and the grooming of the trails on the Utah Avalanche Center’s Website. Under the Moab avalanche report are listed special announcements where they will list the current road condition and grooming report.
You can book directly through their website. Their rates are a little pricey, but it does allow for the reservations to be less competitive.
9. Powder Ridge Yurts
Powder Ridge Ski Touring maintains 3 different yurts outside of Logan, Utah. The Steam Mill yurt and Bunchgrass Yurts are a true backcountry experience with no groomed or marked trails. Strong navigation and winter backcountry travel experience is recommended.
The Steam Mill yurt is a 3.3 mile ski or hike in. The Bunchgrass yurt is 3.7 miles in. Both yurts accommodate 8 people.
Their Green Canyon yurt is 3.5 miles in and a groomed ski trail is used to access this yurt. The Green Canyon yurt sleeps 12 people.
Reservations can be made on their website directly.
10. Ogden Nordic Winter Yurts
The Aspen, Elderberry and White Fir yurts are in a centrally located area. The yurts share a central gazebo, picnic table, fire pit and a heated bathroom facility with running water and flush toilets (that is a true luxury).
The yurts are accessed on 1 mile of groomed trails. Snowshoes, skis or fat bikes are required. A two night minimum is also required to stay.
You can book directly through their website.
11. YMCA Mill Hollow Yurt
The YMCA of Northern Utah has 3 Yurts that are a 6 mile hike or ski in. These yurts can also be accessed by snowmobiles. These yurts can accommodate 8 - 12 people. Each has a unique view of the Wasatch Mountain.
You can read a more in depth write-up on the Mill Hollow yurt specifically here. This trip is recommended for those with proper avalanche gear and skills.
You can reserve these yurts directly from their website.
12. Millcreek or Big Water Yurt:
The trailhead for the Big Water (or Millcreek) Yurt is conveniently located in Millcreek Canyon at the very end of the winter road. You will take the closed summer road up to the yurt. The route is regularly groomed. The hike or ski in itself is 4.5 miles long and has about 1,600 feet of elevation gain. While that mileage may seem like no big deal in the summer, this route can be a haul in the winter with gear to stay the night. But it will be a quick ski out when you leave!
This yurt is the bare bones. No cooking supplies, no lanterns, no pads on the bunks. It is basically a wood burning stove, bunks and table / benches. The yurt is also a bit drafty (you can see the snow beneath the floorboards). The yurt will take sometime to warm up, especially if competing with dropping evening temps.
Avalanches are infrequent on this route, but sometimes do occur in the Thousand Springs area halfway to the yurt.
This yurt is very competitive to reserve. It becomes available for winter reservations on Nov. 1st at 8:30 AM online.
13. Tushar Mountain Tour Yurts:
Tushar Mountain Tours provides backcountry guiding services. They also have two different yurts available for overnighters in the backcountry. The Puffer Lake Yurt a 2.5 mile ski or hike in and the Snorkeling Elk Yurt a 4.6 mile ski or hike in. A guide is required on your first visit of the yurts.
They also offer rentals for splitboards, backcountry skis and snowshoes. You can learn more on their website.
14. Inspired Summit Adventures - Castle Peak Yurt
Inspired Summit Adventures is another excellent guiding company located in Park City. They guide in the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. They own the Castle Peak Yurt. You can book a guided yurt trip to Castle Peak or reserve a self-guided trip to Castle Peak. With your first self-guided trip to Castle Peak you are required to attend a Yurt Orientation.
You can learn more on their website.
15. Backcountry Cabins (Old Guard Stations)
While this technically isn’t a yurt it still fits the description of a backcountry hut or backcountry cabin experience. Here are some Guard Stations to checkout:
-Blacksmith Fork Guard Station
Note that some Guard Stations in the winter recommend snowmoblie travel.
16. Utah Desert Yurts
These yurts are a great alternative to backcountry winter yurts and can still provide a winter getaway, but to the desert instead of high alpine terrain. These yurts are drive up and are heated so they can be enjoyed comfortably through the winter. Most prefer to stay at these yurts during peak season (spring / fall). I advocate the winter to be a great time as well, mainly because they are much easier to get a reservation in the off season of winter.
Check out the Goblin Valley Yurts (shown above) or Deadhorse Point Yurts.
