Clear Lake, Iowa | A Yurt Experience!

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Clear Lake, Iowa | A Yurt Experience

You all know I love a fun and unique experience! Sleeping in a yurt has been on my bucket list and we finally crossed it off a few weeks ago with a visit to Clear Lake, Iowa. We have traveled to Clear Lake, Iowa a couple of times but it has been offseason. I had been waiting for the opportunity to enjoy a long summer weekend in this gem. It is easy to forget that you are still in Iowa when you spend the days outdoors swimming and on the water in Clear Lake.

The yurts in Clear Lake, Iowa are located at McIntosh Woods State Park. This area is secluded and provides beautiful views while camping!

What is a Yurt?

The most common question I have received since staying in our yurt is “What is a yurt?!” I like to describe it as a step up from a tent, but not so much glamping. If you search yurts, there are all types of yurts. Some include a fireplace, stove, heat, air conditioning, etc. They can get pretty fancy and feel like glamping, but the Clear Lake, Iowa yurts are definitely not that. If you are wanting to experience true camping without pitching a tent, these are for you!

The Clear Lake, Iowa yurts consist of a futon bed, bunk bed, table, chairs, fan and that is about it. We had five people sleeping so we brought a small air mattress to lay in the middle of the bunk beds and futon. We were not in our yurt at all unless we were sleeping or changing. At night we were able to unzip the windows and with the fan going, there was a nice breeze.

There are two yurts in the area that share a bathroom and shower. Both are actually pretty nice! There is also a dock that you can fish off of and little hiking trail behind the yurts that leads you to a different area of McIntosh Woods State Park. We had two picnic tables, a fire ring, and grill. Overall it was the perfect setup for the five of us and we had a blast!

Note: When you are camping in a yurt you will want to make sure to bring sheets, pillows, blankets, towels for showering, eating utensils, etc. None of these things are provided, so make sure you are packing accordingly!

Take a look at a live tour of the Clear Lake Yurts below.

Things to Do

McIntosh Woods State Park offers lots of hiking trails, fishing and beautiful views, but Clear Lake, Iowa offers tons of summer fun too! We definitely made sure to take advantage of the fun while we were there.

Clear Lake State Park

We spent one-morning swimming and playing in the sand at Clear Lake State Park Beach. This was a great beach and not overly crowded. It also had bathrooms and large trees.

PM Park

We have been to PM Park a couple of times and is our favorite place to eat when we visit Clear Lake. PM Park is located right on the lake and offers a fun restaurant and a tiki bar. They also have a fun boat the kids like to play on while we wait for food and the adults enjoy their beverages.

South Shore Sweet Spot

South Shore Sweet Spot is located just down the road from PM Park and offers some of the yummiest ice cream in Clear Lake! No stop to Clear Lake is complete without grabbing a sweet treat from here.

Clear Lake City Beach

Clear Lake City Beach is located in downtown Clear Lake. This is a much busier beach but is close to food, shopping, and boat docks. They also have just built a fun sprayground right off the beach where kids can splash and play!

Movement Solutions

If you are going to make a visit to Clear Lake during the Summer, then you really should experience the lake while on a boat! I went back and forth on renting a boat for the day and I am so glad that we did it. Movement Solutions was amazing to work with! We booked our boat for a half-day, went to sign the paperwork, and met them at the dock. They gave us some tips on how to drive the boat and the lake, then we were off. The boat also had a tube for tubing and we also found an area to do a little fishing.

Movement Solutions offers all types of boats, paddle boats, bikes, and more. I highly recommend checking them out!

Have you been camping in a yurt? What are your tips and tricks?

Clear Lake, Iowa, McIntosh Woods State Park, yurts, yurt camping, camping, fishing, boating
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Erin Huiatt

Erin is a reliable resource and stepping stone for women and families to find support and make connections within our community. She wants families to feel confident to reach out and ask for help and advice to get pointed in the right direction. She enjoys traveling and exploring with her two children in tow!

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