Credit: Ontario Parks

Yurt camping is increasing in popularity all around Canada — especially in winter.

Yurts are a great choice for those who need a bit more comfort and warmth than what is offered in a cramped dome tent. Many yurt campsites are so popular because they are right next to some of their guests' favourite wintertime activities — often you can ski or snowshoe right from the front door.

Killarney Provincial Park, ON

Killarney Provincial Park recently opened itself up to winter camping to cater to increasing demand. Campers wanted to experience Killarney in the winter to enjoy its true tranquility. Killarney’s yurts are modern, aluminum-framed and insulated, measuring five metres in diameter. They sit on a large wooden deck and are equipped with lights, electric heat and outlets. These yurts are located just off the main parking lot, right by the trailheads. However, be sure to bring a toboggan to transport your gear (or yourself) down to the yurt area. Guests can wake up in their cozy yurt and be about five meters away from 33 km of groomed trails for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the park’s beautiful backcountry.

Mont-Tremblant, QC

Parc national du Mont-Tremblant’s yurt facilities are open year-round. In the summer, the park is a canoeist’s paradise, with yurts right on the beach. However, when the chilly winds of winter roll around the yurts stay but serve as home to the hordes of cross-country skiers that come to ski both the groomed trails and the expansive backcountry. Mont-Tremblant’s yurts are also perfectly located for ice fishers on Lac Cypres and Lac Provos, as they are right on the shoreline. For cross-country skiers who don't like the shoreline yurt placement, in the wintertime Mont-Tremblant offers optional yurt setup elsewhere, closer to the cross-country trails, for an extra fee.

Mactaquac Provincial Park, NB

Just a short drive from Fredericton is Mactaquac Provincial Park, right on the St. John River. In the winter, visitors and locals alike flock to Mactaquac Provincial Park to enjoy cross country skiing, snowshoeing and ice-skating. While the campground hosts spaces for regular tents and RVs and has warm and welcoming lodges, guests can also enjoy insulated and luxurious yurts all year-round. They have a variety of yurts placed in some of the most scenic spots around the park. From on the cliffs overlooking the river or right on the water to the middle of the wilderness, these yurts are sure to please any weary adventurer.

Whistler, BC

Whistler’s Riverside Resort now offers yurt camping! Nestled in the forest, guests can step outside of their yurts at Riverside and gaze upon the peaks they will ski that day, or see the snowshoe and cross-country ski trails extending right from the campsite area. For those looking for more natural accommodation opposed to mega-resorts, this is definitely the way to go in Whistler.