Yurtin’ It on the Oregon Coast

February 21, 2008


By Linea Carlson

I’ve always loved camping, but cold temperatures and the task of setting up camp have made me a bit reticent to plan a trip. That is, until the sun poked through the Oregon clouds and my boyfriend and I scored a yurt reservation at Cape Lookout State Park on the Oregon Coast.

We started our adventure by gathering our minimal camping gear, including our much-needed sunglasses. We didn’t require a lot since the yurt we were staying in had heat and electricity; just some hiking boots, bedding, and gourmet accoutrements (of course we wanted to round out our glorious weekend the way so many campers in this state do—enjoying Oregon’s bountiful culinary delights under its star-encrusted canopy).


This was my first time staying in a yurt and it was amazing! We stayed in an exceedingly clean, 16’ yurt so close to the ocean that the tide rocked us to sleep…literally. Cape Lookout’s beach is covered in the most remarkable rocks—including agate! As the ocean ebbed and flowed, the rocks gently rolled over themselves and serenaded us to sleep.

The effortlessness of the ocean in lulling us to sleep was exponentially increased due to our hike to the edge of the country—we were worn out, not to mention full from our delicious camp-fire-cooked meal. We had taken the Cape Lookout Trail, which is 4.8 miles roundtrip. It leads trekkers through forests and mountain terrain with breathtaking glimpses of the sparkling ocean far below. Just make sure and bring suitable shoes; it can be muddy in spots. The park has three options for trail-blazers: the Cape Lookout trail we took; the South trail which winds 1.8 miles south to the beach below the trail head and the North Trail which leads 2.3 miles north to the day use area. Trail guides are available at the registration booth or from a park host.


Every aspect of this trip was perfect. Yurts? The best way to camp! Cape Lookout? Gorgeous. Oregon? Sunny and scenic.

For more information on hiking or places to stay near our sunny beaches, please visit our Oregon Coast section.

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Comments (4)

Cindy Gagliano:

Very nice Linea. What did you eat.

Posted by Cindy Gagliano | March 1, 2008 2:14 PM

christina galas:

Sounds like a great weekend trip... my boyfriend and I have been wanting to stay in a yurt for a while now.... thanks for the info.. One thing can you cook inside the yurt or only sleep?

Posted by christina galas | April 8, 2008 4:32 PM

Melanie:

This was awesome...thanks so much for sharing Linea! I have been obsessed with yurts for a few years now, and it has been dream to camp and stay in one:0) My sister and I are planning a trip to Washington and Oregon this summer, so I will definitely check this place out! Thanks for the info!

Posted by Melanie | April 9, 2008 9:49 PM

Linea Carlson:

In response to Christina's question: No, you can't cook in the yurt, but they have a great fire ring right outside. My boyfriend is uber-prepared for camping and has a handy Coleman stove we used outside. The yurt does have electricity, so you can read, play games, etc...just no cooking. I highly recommend going! It's an amazing weekend getaway!

Posted by Linea Carlson | April 25, 2008 10:53 AM

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