Camping Yurts is a small company located in Summer Lake, Oregon. They are about a 3-hour drive from where I live and I hope soon to go visit them in person.

Camping yurts are lightweight, portable shelters, ideal for family camping, vacations, temporary accommodation, special events, or even weddings. They are very spacious with lots of headroom, yet pack-down small and can be easily loaded on a car roof.

Converting the Camping Yurt to Full-Time Living

Andrew from Ridgefield, Washington converted his 20-foot Camping Yurt to be lived in full time while they renovated their home on their property.

He built an 18″ stub wall around the deck and placed the lattice wall on top of it.

This raised the wall height, so that he could put in a couple of exterior doors, and have enough room inside to have a small loft for a bedroom. Very creative!

Once the house was renovated they moved back in and now this yurt is available on Airbnb for others to enjoy.

Advertised as: Upgraded camping at its finest! Relax and enjoy some time in the country in this comfortable yurt in beautiful Ridgefield, Washington. Get a feel of the outdoors while camping in style and still close to small-town amenities. U-pick farms, wineries, equestrian facilities, and birding/wildlife viewing are plentiful. The yurt is situated at the property entrance so you have your own private area.

Check it out here.

The loft sleeping area right underneath the central skylight.Ladder to the loft. Kitchen to the right, bunkroom to the left.Bunk beds in the bunkroom.Living room/kitchen area.Kitchen area.Couch that pulls out into a double bed.The composting toilet.Inside the composting toilet. See, it’s not so bad! There’s light and heat and, when used correctly, it doesn’t smell.Looking east from the yurt’s deck. The host’s ranch house is shown (in the middle left of the photo). When the weather is clear, Mt. St. Helens can be seen in the distance through the trees right above the house.Outdoor seating area.Far away view. Lots of grasses and wildflowers and spectacular trees!

Talyce’s Full-Time Living Yurt

Another lovely live-in yurt! The owner of this one, Talyce, made a few modifications similar to Andrew in the yurt featured above. (Sorry poor picture quality but the best I could get)

Talyce also raised the perimeter wall, so that she could use an exterior house door (instead of the canvas door).

Both Talyce and Andrew put a vinyl cover over the canvas roof, to make it resistant to the elements. She also uses a wood stove to heat up her 16ft yurt (Andrew’s is a 20ft yurt, in comparison).

Talyce and her 16′ yurtKitchen areaLiving and raised sleeping loftTalyce’s yurt in the snow

Yurts as Tiny Homes

Though a yurt is much like a canvas tent but in the round. If you enjoy being close to nature and hearing the outdoor sounds the yurt can work well as a temporary home and even a full-time home.

If living full time a simple camping yurt does need adapting. Such as a real door, insulation and heat are usually added, and sometimes as in both of these cases added height.