Staying in a yurt is a unique experience. At Virginia State Parks, we offer them as an alternative to camping, to immerse yourself into nature while enjoying a few comforts of a cabin – some call this glamping.  

Yurt #1 at Machicomoco State Park in October. Photo by Haley Rodgers.

First used in Central Asia thousands of years ago, yurts (or gers in Mongolian) are still used by many nomadic people as their home. You can learn about their history and cultural significance here.  

Although I typically go tent camping, I stayed in a yurt so I can provide all the information you need to have a great experience. This is the perfect option if you don’t have a tent, or you like a little more shelter from the elements. 

Where to stay? 

14 Virginia State Parks with yurts

1. Chippokes 
2. Claytor Lake 
3. Fairy Stone 
4. First Landing  
5. Grayson Highlands 
6. Hungry Mother  
7. Kiptopeke  
8. Lake Anna 
9. Machicomoco  
10. Natural Tunnel  
11. Occoneechee 
12. Pocahontas  
13. Powhatan 
14. Shenandoah River 

Yurt at Pocahontas State Park in the spring.

Seasonality

Reservations are required and can be made as early as 11 months in advance for prime season bookings (Memorial Day to Labor Day).  

Most of the yurts are available to book from the first Friday in March to the first Sunday of December, including yurts at Chippokes, Fairy Stone, First Landing, Hungry Mother’s Camp Burson yurts, Kiptopeke’s standard yurts, Lake Anna, Machicomoco, Occoneechee, Pocahontas and Powhatan. 

See below for yurt rental season at other parks. 

• Claytor Lake: April 1 to October 31 
• Grayson Highlands: May 1 to the first Sunday of November 
• Hungry Mother: Yurts in Royal Oak campground are available from April 1 to October 31.   
• Kiptopeke: The deluxe yurt 1 is available from the first Friday in March to Labor Day. 
• Natural Tunnel: The first Friday in March to the first Sunday of November  

Yurts at Natural Tunnel State Park at the end of the season, in November.

Amenities

If you’ve never stayed in a yurt, let us give you a peek into what it’s like.  

Outside: Each yurt has a large wooden deck (some with rocking chairs), a picnic table and a fire ring with a cooking grate (some also come with a pedestal charcoal grill). If you would like specifics on the yurt you're looking to book and cannot find it on the website, call the park directly or our customer service center at 1-800-933-PARK (7275). 

Inside: Each yurt has a couch, sitting chair, coffee table, dining table with three chairs, a queen-sized bed, a twin-sized trundle pull-out and two nightstands. Exception: Kiptopeke offers a deluxe yurt, see info in capacity section below. 

A look inside Machicomoco’s yurt 1, with blankets brought from home on the bed. Photo by Haley Rodgers. 

If you'd like to let some fresh air inside, you have the option of opening the top clear dome. Find a tool that helps you reach and twist it open/closed inside the yurt. Ask a ranger if you need help using it! I personally loved being able to see the sky above through the dome as I laid on the bed. 

You can also either roll up a canvas window covering to let airflow or some of the yurts have screened windows you can open. During the day, I enjoyed having the breeze and view of the trees surrounding the yurt.   

Water and electricity (or lack thereof)

Similar to camping, most of the yurts have no electricity or water, but there are water spigots or water bottle filling stations at each park and some parks have electric pedestals for charging, in various locations.  

See exceptions and details below. 

• Chippokes: There's a common-use water spigot and electric pedestal for battery charging between yurts 1 and 2, and there's a pedestal near yurt 3, too. 
• Hungry Mother: An electrical pedestal and water hydrant are next to the Camp Burson yurts. The Royal Oak yurt has no water or electricity available at the site.   
• Kiptopeke: The deluxe yurt 1 has heat and air conditioning, a water spigot and a refrigerator. No electricity, heat or air conditioning at the rest of Kiptopeke’s standard yurts, but they do offer a water spigot and other basic amenities listed above. 
• Occoneechee: Yurts 1 and 2 have electricity, but no heat or air conditioning. Guests may bring cooling and heating devices. 
• Pocahontas: There is an electric pedestal for battery charging near the parking area by yurts 3 and 4. 
• Powhatan: Each yurt has a water spigot, but no electricity. 

Check-in/out times 

Check-in is 4 p.m. and check-out is 10 a.m.

Catching sunset at Machicomoco after getting my yurt set up. Photo by Haley Rodgers. 

Pro-tip: Check in before sunset and get all settled in the daylight – when it’s easier to see with the natural light inside the yurt (since there’s no electricity). Then go enjoy the sunset at the park’s best viewpoint. Come back to your yurt for dinner around the campfire. In the morning, pack everything up once you wake up and go for a morning hike before leaving the park. Or check out and pack up the car right away but stay to explore the park all afternoon before heading out.  

What to bring 

Linens: Guests must bring sleeping bags or linens, including sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels and cloths. 

Pro-tip: It’s smart to bring layers like a sleeping bag and blankets, especially if it’s spring or fall, so you can make sure you’re comfortable if it’s chilly.  

A lantern and flashlights: You’ll want a lantern to light up the inside of your yurt after the sun goes down. 

A book I enjoyed during my yurt stay. Photo by Haley Rodgers.

A good book for after dark: Either at your fireplace or in the yurt with your lantern light, reading a good book is very cozy in a yurt.  

Toiletries: You can utilize the bathhouse to wash up and stay fresh.  

Food and supplies: Note that you'll need to bring a cooler for any food that needs to be kept cool. Non-perishable items are good to bring. You can utilize the campfire for cooking or bring a propane cooktop (as long as you don't use it inside the yurt, use the picnic table outside). Remember any cooking and eating utensils you'll need! There won't be any provided at the yurt.

S’mores supplies: With a campfire pit outside each yurt, take the opportunity to roast a mallow!  

What NOT to bring 

Firewood: Collect firewood at the park or buy it from the campground’s stock. Transporting firewood from your home or elsewhere runs the risk of introducing invasive insects to the park and in turn damaging their forests and harming wildlife. Learn more here.  

Pets: Besides service animals, we do not allow pets to stay at the yurts. We are working to make our yurts more pet-proof, but in the meantime please leave fido at home.  

Grill: Do not bring a full size grill with you to the yurt site. If you aren't comfortable using the campfire cooking grate or pedestal charcoal grill provided by the park, please consider some meals that don't need to be grilled. 

Other things NOT allowed inside the yurt: Smoking or cooking.  

Who to bring (capacity) 

I have personally stayed solo in a yurt before and had a very peaceful experience. In case you want to bring friends and/or family along though, here are the capacity details.  

Standard yurts (all but the deluxe yurt at Kiptopeke): 4, sleeps three comfortably  

Deluxe yurt 1 at Kiptopeke: Sleeps 6, with one queen-sized with a trundle pull-out, one twin over double bed in a bunk configuration. 

Pro-tip: If you have a group of more than one yurt, book a few yurts next to each other months ahead. This would make for a great family reunion or big friend-group trip! 

The three yurts at Machicomoco. Photo by Haley Rodgers.

Accessibility

If you are looking for accessible lodging, book the following yurts. Click here to find accessible trails and links to each Virginia State Park's accessible amenities page.  

ADA accessible: 

• Yurt 2 at Chippokes
• Yurt 3 at Fairy Stone
• Yurt 4 at Grayson Highlands
• Yurt 3 at Kiptopeke
• Yurt 1 at Lake Anna (find more info on accessibility at Lake Anna in this blog)
• Yurt 3 at Machicomoco
• Yurts 3 and 4 at Natural Tunnel
• Yurt 3 at Pocahontas
• Yurt A at Powhatan

Yurt 1 (ADA-accessible) at Lake Anna State Park with ramp. Find more info on accessibility at Lake Anna in this blog.

Universally accessible: 

• Yurt 1 at Claytor Lake  
• Yurt 2 in Camp Burson at Hungry Mother  
• Yurt 3 at Shenandoah River 

If you have any further questions about accessible park amenities not answered on the Virginia State Parks website, be sure to call the park directly or the customer service center if it involves a reservation for a cabin, lodge, yurt, camping cabin, campsite or facility at 1-800-933-PARK (7275).

Bathhouses  

Each park’s yurt area is near a campground bathhouse that is shared by all guests.  

Bathhouse at Machicomoco’s campground. A short walk from the yurts.

If you are concerned about accessibility, please call the park you are interested in staying at to verify if their bathhouse has ADA accessible stalls. We are working to make all new or renovated ones accessible, but the older bathhouses may not be as accessible. 

Parking

Parking for two vehicles is allowed for each yurt. Those with additional vehicles must pay the daily parking fee and park in an overflow lot (location varies per park).  

Yurts 3 and 4 at Fairy Stone State Park with parking spaces.

See exceptions below. 

• Fairy Stone: Parking for two vehicles is allowed for yurts 3 and 4. There's no dedicated parking for yurts 1 and 2.  Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis in the group campground and shelter 2 parking lot. Guests to those yurts must carry belongings uphill 85 yards to yurt 1 and 55 yards to yurt 2. Those with additional vehicles must pay a daily parking fee and park in the shelter 2 parking lot. 
• Shenandoah River: Parking for two vehicles is available at yurt 3; yurts 1 and 2 share parking with the River Right campground. Parking for those yurts is about 100 yards away. Wagons are available to move supplies to the yurts. Parking is first come, first served in River Right campground. More parking is available at Massanutten Shelter, which is several hundred yards away. 

Price, rental minimums and cancellations  

Price: $75/night for Virginia residents, $88/night for non-Virginia residents

• Exception: Kiptopeke's deluxe yurt 1 is $101/night for Virginia residents, $120/night for non-Virginia residents

Friday and Saturday nights: Two-night minimum. 

One-night minimum on other days of the week. 

Kiptopeke deluxe yurt 1: Weekly rentals start on Sunday and are required from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. This requirement is reduced to a four-night stay three months out and dropped to two nights in the last month before arrival. A two-night minimum stay is required the rest of the year.   

Transfers: No charge to transfer a reservation to a different time up to 4 days in advance of reservation. 

Cancellation policy: The cancellation fee is $30 up until 30 days prior to arrival. Afterward, guests are charged $30 per night dropped from the reservation period. Can be cancelled up to one day prior to arrival. 

Now you’re ready to have the best yurt getaway!  

Looking out the window inside yurt 1 at Machicomoco. Photo by Haley Rodgers. 

All that’s left to do is book your yurt and invite your friends/family to join you on a fun adventure at Virginia State Parks. Information on how to make reservations outlined here.