The Yurt of the Dunes offers a different experience and is only about 4 miles by vehicle from The Great Sand Dunes National Park. It is about 2 miles from Zapata Falls entrance. The yurt is surrounded by mountains and the valley sits below. The sky is mesmerizing, it is a certified dark sky area. There are many amenities. Enjoy The Great Sand Dunes, Zapata Falls, hiking trails, mountains and wide open spaces.
The space
Yurt (16'5") in a wooded mountain environment with amenities to keep you comfortable. Private site in a beautiful setting. Organic freshly ground coffee provided as well as organic sugar and organic whole milk for a nice cup of coffee in the morning (hot chocolate, mocha, and tea provided as well). Tea kettle and Malita (French press as well). Also, there is pancake mix/syrup/butter and organic oatmeal as well as olive oil/balsamic vinegar dispersers in case you want to bring a salad. Some condiments provided (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, dill relish, hot sauces). Several spices provided. Induction stove top. Weber shell shaped barbecue grill with an adjacent table. Heated mattress pads. The yurt has an 18,000 BTU Big Buddy Portable Indoor Propane Heater (revered by campers, hunters and outdoor enthusiast to keep their tents and cabins warm in the winter). Propane fire pit with 20lbs of propane provided per stay. Great walking/hiking/running area. A very nice site with beautiful trees. Wi-Fi with the ability to stream video. Power cords for all of your devices and several USB charging ports. Several gallons of water is provided from a pristine mountain aquifer from our well which it put through reverse osmosis. One high quality queen mattress (regular) and one high quality full sized mattress (air) with built in pump to easily adjust firmness. The full size mattress will be set up for parties of 3/4 or upon request (please note, the 3/4 person set up looks different as the full size mattress goes on the left side of the queen mattress). Comfortable bedding. Small refrigerator/freezer. Hammock. Flowers in the warmer months. If you need more cooling space, please request that we leave a medium sized cooler at the site. We are unable to provide ice. There is a 30 foot dog lead if you would like to use it. Nighttime small bulb lighting that brightens up the site. Sponge bath supplies provided. My cell service works well (T-Mobile and AT&T) most of the time. Occasionally, a call drops. There is a camper on the property that may have guests during your stay. The camper is about 150 feet from the yurt. The yurt and the camper are not only separated by distance but also by trees and other vegetation. The yurt is nestled in its own private wooded area. The large parking area is used by occupants of the yurt and by occupants of the camper. Sometimes a car or ATV passes by on a dirt road near the site. From time to time UPS delivers items to our house and drives down our long driveway and past the site. Our dog sometimes barks but is not a nusance barker. When he is outside, he is about 200 feet from the site. The site is beautiful and peaceful. Located in a safe sparsely populated mountain forest community.
The bathroom tent: Starting on May 1st and lasting through August 31st (dates may vary depending on the weather) the bathroom tent will utilize a flushable portable toilet, no need to mess with bags. During this time there will also be a separate hand washing tent with a foot pump sink. The bathroom tent is not heated. From 9/1-4/30, it utilizes an environmentally friendly biodegradable bag system. Use the bathroom, tie the bag off, and dispose of the bag in the adjacent garbage can. If you do not want to change the bag every time, there is the option to utilize cat litter and change the bag per your preference.
Other things to note
Very close to Zapata Falls (about 2 miles). The site borders a green belt (an area that is left to be undeveloped). Another side of the property borders BLM land. The Great Sand Dunes became certified as a International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association, meeting strict standards for sky darkness. The site is located in a remote area close to the dunes and the closest small grocery store is in Blanca which is about 18 miles away. Alamosa, which has a City Market and a Safeway, is about 30 miles away. G maps shows that the yurt is about 4 miles by vehicle from The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
Smoking is only allowed outdoors (by the fire pit ect.). Please let me know if you plan on smoking so I can leave a professional grade cigarette disposal unit at the site.