By:
Submission
The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA) has operated a yurt in the Uintah National Forest for over twenty years under a permit issued by the Kamas Ranger District. TUNA was the original permitee in this national forest. The Forest Service has allows TUNA to keep the yurt up, all year round and on a permanent platform. Thus the yurt can be used year-round for such activities as hiking, camping, mountain biking, horse packing, skiing, etc.
The original TUNA yurt was located in the North Fork. In 1999 the yurt was moved to its current location along the Norway Flats road, approximately 11 miles north out of Kamas on the Mirror Lake Highway. The yurt overlooks a spectacular view of Boulder Creek with its beaver ponds, summer trails and excellent ski slopes (slopes range in the 30-35 degree range). A wonderful place to spend time ski touring, turning, adventuring and enjoying the backcountry.
The TUNA Yurt is located in Norway Flats, in the Western Uinta Mountains. The Norway Flats trailhead is 10.5 miles up the Mirror Lake Highway from Kamas; approximately 30 minutes from Park City or 1 hour from Salt Lake. The ski in to the Yurt is approximately 3.5 miles, with an elevation gain of 1000 vertical feet. The trip can usually be made in about 2-3 hours, although factors such as deep snow and heavy loads may require more time. The yurt is regularly used by families with children.
This excursion was my favorite evening of our spring break trip this year. We had never been snowshoeing before, and this was a great way to give it a try. The snowshoeing to the Yurt was a fun adventure - not too difficult, but gave us a mini-workout before we set down to the delicious 4-course dinner. The staff (extra special shout out to Claire!) were amazing - friendly and informative. They gave us a great run down of the dinner courses which were all sourced from local businesses. We had plenty of time between courses to hang outside on the deck by the fire pits, talk with our friends and enjoy the gorgeous views of the Heber Valley. I highly recommend this excursion to anyone that loves to get out in nature, try something new and enjoy fantastic food and atmosphere!
My husband and I had a great time hiking to the yurt and enjoying a delicious four course meal. Unfortunately there was not enough snow to snowshoe, but we still had a great time. We were able to see the moon rise from the yurt and it was truly magical. All of the employees were extremely friendly and welcoming. They made you feel like you were good friends. The yurt was comfortable and decorated thoughtfully. We sat at a table just the two of us, so we could have some privacy, which was nice (as opposed to family style). I would highly recommend this experience!
We did this dinner as a surprise for my daughter’s 30th birthday- it was fabulous!! The snowshoeing was so much fun- the staff was INCREDIBLE and the food was DELICIOUS!! It is an incredible experience!! the best part was it started snowing as we finished dinner - so it was a magical walk back!
Me and my boyfriend recently visited after Christmas. Overall we were very happy with the experience, the biggest highlight was the incredible service provided by Claire and Hailey. We weren’t able to snowshoe to the yurt because well, Utah hasn’t received enough snowpack. The hike up was enjoyable and the guides shared some fun information about the Wasatch Back. The food was delicious, we enjoyed all the courses. The timing between courses was a little slow. I will say we felt the portion sizes were a little small and were left a little hungry after the meal. Maybe we didn’t fill up enough in smores? The yurt was a wonderful experience and ambiance. I would recommend to friends.
The Nordic Yurt experience was a perfect way to celebrate the festive period in Midway.
We were visiting from England and managed to secure a table as a family. We weren’t disappointed by what the yurt had to offer.
The food was incredible and the location in the mountains really added to the occasion.
Thanks to Bryan and the team for their hospitality. Definitely one to check out if you’re ever in the area!
