The Glenbrook Yurt

The kids are on spring break this week, and since their first choice, a trip to Florida (where everyone else in Michigan went), was not an option, we decided to do a local camping trip. To make the trip a little more interesting, rather than pitching our tent, we reserved couple of nights in a yurt. We hadn't previously been in a yurt, but I'd seen this one in the Pinckney State Recreation Area last year and thought it would be fun to try it sometime. It was fun, and with the return of winter in the form of about eight inches of snow, we were glad to have the space and heat afforded by the yurt.

The Glenbrook Yurt is located on a little dead-end gravel road that follows the stream that flows from Half-Moon Lake. The yurt is on a little hill with a nice view of the lake. The yurt is round, perhaps 20 feet in diameter, with single door on the north, and double doors that open to the balcony with a lake-view to the south. There is a window on either side. A large plastic dome on top can be raised with a crank from the inside. The dome provides a tremendous amount of natural light. We didn't test its effectiveness at ventilating. The yurt has neither electricity nor indoor plumbing, although there is an LED floodlight and one or two outside that are powered by a solar panel mounted outside on a pole. There's also a solar-powered, trash-compacting, bear-proof, garbage bin outside. A hand pump on a well with potable water is not far away.



Inside the yurt is a propane heater, futon, a bunkbed, and a small drop-leaf table with five chairs. The yurt will sleep five people, but it would be rather crowded if all five were adults. It was close-quarters for our little group. The pads on the bed and futon are a brown vinyl for easy cleaning, although they look a bit like leather. Rather than sheets and blankets, we brought our sleeping bags.




We arrived on a cloudy and cool Sunday afternoon, fearing that a winter storm was on the way. We loaded our gear into the yurt and quickly set off for a lengthy walk in the woods, taking advantage of the dry trails while we could. A few long trails crawl through the forested hills, valleys, and wetlands of the park. Wooden bridges regularly cross small streams or arms of little lakes. Although the buds on the trees and bushes suggested spring was on the way, the leaves covering the forest floor and trail reminded us of fall.




Back at the yurt, we heated Mexican rice and beans on our propane stove in the outdoor kitchen beside the yurt. It made for a delicious burrito dinner, but we were disappointed that we left the salsa in the fridge at home. I think that the salsa was the only thing we forgot on this trip. We even remember the snow shovel.



That night, as the kids slept, Cindy and I lay awake listening to the soft sound of heavy snowflakes falling on the yurt, and the occasional hissing sound of large slabs of snow sliding from the roof down to the deck, landing with a gentle whump. We awoke in another world. The snow was deeper than we'd expected, and tremendously wet and dense. I got the show shovel out of the van and cleared the path between the yurt and the outhouse while we boiled water for coffee and hot chocolate.





After breakfast we geared up for our morning hike, although unsure about how successful we'd be in finding or traveling on the trail. It was wonderful and beautiful, surreal and magical. Even the thinnest of twigs were caked with inches of snow. Trees were leaning down across the trail. Some were broken, but most would spring up quickly with a little shake, a tap, or a gentle kick. We walked about a mile, reaching a bench and having a cold snack where two major trails intersect.





Once back in the warmth and shelter of the yurt, we had lunch and spent some time lounging about, reading Harry Potter, napping, and playing games. In the afternoon we went outside again. The kids build a snowman, we took a short walk, built a couple of snow forts, and had a rather viscious snow battle that ended with all of us sliding on our backs down a steep slope along the road. Surprisingly, nobody was seriously injured, but the ribs on my left side are still bruised.




This picture is pretty funny. Too many burritos?



After a simple meal of cheddar-broccoli rice, and crackers and cheese, we played Yahtzee in the soft LED light at the table in the yurt, read more Harry Potter, and finally went to sleep.

We'll have to stay in the yurt again sometime when the air is warmer. With easy access to the water and a chain of little lakes and streams, it would be a great spot for some paddling. The yurt would also make a great base camp for a few days of some of Michigan's best mountain biking. If a person had a mountain bike, anyway.