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The Yurt is by far the most secluded of the four huts within the Mount Tahoma Trail System. A cozy studio in the wilderness surrounded by trees with easy access for a day hike to Griffin Mountain, you'll have to really hoof it through the snow to get there.
The lower parking lot has a pit toilet facility for use before starting on your trek. From the lower parking lot, hike uphill for two miles, and arrive at a junction where the groomed road veers off to the right and a trail in the woods heads left. To the left is the Lower Yurt Trail. Take a left and head into the dense forest, across a footbridge and through the quiet forest.
After 1.64 miles on the Lower Yurt Trail, stay right and continue for another 1.51 miles. Here you will come to the junction that provides access back up the hill to Snow Bowl and High Hut. Stay to the left and continue on the forest road for 0.82 miles. Here you will come to the trail for Griffin Mountain.
Take the road to the right for another 0.27 miles to the Yurt. Keep an eye out to the west and you will see Snow Bowl Hut in the distance.
The Yurt can also be accessed by taking the forest roads up towards Snow Bowl. From the top saddle on the way to Snow Bowl, take the road to the left, and stay to the right for 2.42 miles to access the Yurt.
There is a day hike possible from the Yurt to Griffin Mountain, which is 3.8 miles round trip from the Yurt and provides excellent views of Mount Rainier! All huts have a wood stove, oven, stovetop, bunk beds/mattresses, outdoor pit toilet, and cooking utensils.
Reservations must be obtained to stay overnight. Obtain a map for a $10 donation, or at Whittaker's Outfitters in Ashford and ask questions Saturdays and Sundays 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. during the winter season. Most weekend reservations for the winter season are filled during the REI Gala in November.
From Elbe, drive east on SR 706 to just a mile before Ashford (about 8 miles). Look for a Baptist Church on the right side of the road, and turn onto the road just before it. This is DNR Road 1.
Road 1 leads straight to the Sno-Parks for the south district of Mount Tahoma Trails Association. Proceed six miles from 706 following the Sno-Park signs to the Upper Sno-Park.
Get a Sno-Parks Permit: https://www.wta.org/go-outside/passes/passes-and-permit-info
