Splitting the difference between beachside camping and chic hotels, Twin Cedars Vacation Rentals offers a Stargazer bell tent rental that sleeps four just a step from Lake Pend Oreille’s rocky shore.

Replacing their popular tipi rentals, the bell tent (and its two-person twin just across the road) is fully furnished and fully waterproof—perfect for fall, when longer nights and later mornings require a little more stretching-out room than your pup tent.

If autumn is the grand finale to bike season, fall colors are the fireworks show. With a beachside basecamp on Hawkins Point on the north end of the lake, the birch forests of Mineral Point and Gold Hill are within easy reach, as are the huckleberry shrubs of the High Point Trail and the orange foliage of Upper and Lower Flo.

You can also put your spring and summer conditioning to work on long backcountry days on the Beetop-Roundtop or Clifty-Katka trails. The bedside coffee maker and outdoor shower with on-demand hot water take care of warming up pre- and post-ride.

The water is just as welcoming as the dirt this time of year too, made all the better by the dramatic dip in boat traffic.

It’s fairly common to have temps in the 60s and 70s well into October, and while the water temperature may not be conducive to all-day swims, it’s warm enough for a post-ride dip off the end of the dock. That’s even easier when you have a fire pit or space heater to huddle around.

Originally published as “Head to Lake Pend Oreille for Glamping and Fall Singletrack” in the September-October 2021 issue.

The post Biking & Glamping At Lake Pend Oreille In Sandpoint appeared first on Out There Venture.

Wall Tents

Two of the most well-known wall tent glamps in Idaho are Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast in Clark Fork and River Dance Lodge in Syringa (Riverdancelodge.com). Situated just off the banks of the Clearwater River, River Dance is an adventure resort that has partnered with ROW Adventures to make “dreams come true and memories last forever.” In addition to hand-crafted log cabins, whitewater rafting, biking, fly fishing, and hiking, the resort has three glamping tents that sleep two people each. They are next to the creek and are decked out with a king-sized bed, back porch, claw foot tub heated by a propane burner, chairs, table, and wood stove. Charcoal grills, picnic tables, a self-composting toilet, a shared bathhouse (with flushing toilet and shower), and the resort’s restaurant are within easy access.

Both Huckleberry and River Dance are comparable in price to a hotel room. Go a little lighter on your wallet with the Lilly Pad at Blue Lake RV Resort just south of Bonners Ferry, a prospector’s pole tent with tin roof, electricity, and Wi-Fi. On the more lavish side, Under Canvas Glacier in Coram, Mont., offers deluxe tents, safari tents, tent suites, and a canvas-walled treehouse. Private luxury bathrooms with hot running water, showers, sinks, and toilets are included with several set ups.

Tipis

Under Canvas also has several tipis, structures with a rich cultural history that have been adapted for modern-world recreation. These tipis can be reserved individually or added to an adjacent tent for a family.

Smokiam Resort on the shores of Soap Lake, Wash., features 10 guest tipis (16 and 26 foot), six privately placed by the lake and four grouped together in the main park. The lakeside tipis are dry camping, but the park ones have electricity, and each includes a fire pit, BBQ, picnic table, clean linens, Adirondack chairs, dock access, and multiple sleeping arrangements. Twin Cedars Camping + Vacation Rentals in Sandpoint, Idaho, only has one tipi, but it comes glamped out with a private beach and dock on the edge of Lake Pend Oreille, an outdoor shower and sink, and an outdoor hot tub.

Yurts

Yurts are the third form of tent glamping. While southern Idaho has seven 20-foot backcountry yurts, North Idaho’s yurts are a little more bewitching. The Yurtle in Athol has a kitchen, separated sleeping area, and immaculate bathhouse. Yurtville, just north of Sandpoint, is comprised of three yurts, each with their own bathroom in the main building, which also has a kitchen, dining area, and art studio. The Guest Yurt in the Woods, also north of Sandpoint, is cozy and private, located just down a wooded path from the owners’ own two-storied yurt home.

Whether looking for a low-stress family camping experience or getting away with your partner, glamping gives you conveniences of modern life with just enough inconvenience to make you feel at home in nature. //

[Feature photo “River Dance Lodge tents” by Chad Case.]

The post Glamping: Glamorous Camping for the Modern Outdoor Enthusiast appeared first on Out There Venture.