Come And Relax At Our YurtRanch
Enjoy your vacation taking advantage of being just minutes from all the best activities and attractions western Wyoming and Yellowstone have to offer.
With an abundance of clean air, pure water, wildlife, and woods, YurtRanch’s proximity to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks makes it a gateway to the great outdoors to the Rocky Mountains.
Activities for the entire family are limited only by your imagination, some of which include hiking, photography, backpacking, or just relaxing around the evening campfire.
Less than 10 minutes away is Freedom WY, the most powerful handgun--the .454 Casull--is manufactured here.
Less than 15 minutes away is Thayne WY which is the site of the first winter cutter races ever held and Star Valley continues as the home of the All American Cutter Races every winter. World famous Star Valley cheese and the Pitts aerobatics aircraft are produced in Thayne and Afton respectively.
Less than 30 miles away is the only cold fresh water intermittent spring in North America which is also the largest of only three known fluctuating springs in the world is located in Star Valley. Just outside Alpine is the Wyoming Elk Winter Refuge where around 1000 elk spend the winter.
If you need activity with more people don't forget Jackson Hole is only 55 miles away. Rodeos, western plays, art galleries, shopping the town square and white-water float trips are a few of the activities our guests enjoy in Jackson.
Or you can take a day and enjoy Teton and Yellowstone National Parks with Caribou National Forest a few steps away. All of this is within reach for an exceptional resort experience.
Even though we are 30 miles from the closest electric and phone lines, we offer satellite phone service, bathroom and kitchenette facilities in each Yurt fueled by propane gas and Solar generated electricity.
Star Valley, Alpine and Thayne Wyoming Activities
Thayne Wyoming is between Afton and Alpine, Wyoming; a great western all-American town.
Although Star Valley is only 50 miles long and about 14 miles wide, the recreation opportunities are incredible. With Caribou National Forest close by, and the Bridger-Teton and Targhee National Parks surrounding, you will have some adventures in these wild lands, along with fabulous beauty. Greys River offers fishing and Palisades Reservoir will provide the perfect place for boating and swimming. Alpine is a wonderful and friendly town to visit or settle. Drive through the valley and see peaceful scenes with grazing cows and thriving farms. It's a place to come to rid yourself of the workaday world and find true relaxation.
Located southwest of Jackson, Wyoming, Thayne is located at 5945 feet in elevation. It sits in the northern portion of Star Valley, close to the Salt River. It is surrounded by green grassland and ranches, with forested mountains at the valley's edge. YurtRanch is nestled against the Caribou National Forest.
Three major Wyoming rivers: the Snake, Grey's, and Salt, meet in Alpine to form the Palisades Reservoir, and three national forests: The Bridger-Teton, Targhee, and Caribou National Forest, come together around the town limits of Alpine, just minutes away.
Summer Activities
With summer comes a multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities. A wide variety of fishing experiences await eager anglers on the streams, rivers, and small mountain lakes, as well as on the beautiful Palisades Reservoir. Native cutthroat trout, German Browns, Brooks, Mackinaw, rainbow trout, and occasionally Kokanee salmon are caught in the Palisades watershed system. The reservoir also affords ample space for boating, water skiing, and jet skiing.
White water rafting on the Snake River above Alpine is a major attraction. Kayakers and rafters also share in the excitement on the Snake and Grey's Rivers. Hiking, horseback riding, camping, golfing and back road sightseeing are enjoyed by both visitors and locals. In June, Alpine's Annual Mountain Days on Father's Day weekend is Alpine's biggest festival. It kicks the summer season into high gear.
Fall Activities
Autumn is the season of big game hunting for mule deer, elk, moose and bear. Photo opportunities are limitless as the mountain maples turn a brilliant red and the aspens turn orange or yellow, while the evergreens and early snows provide a beautiful contrast. In spring, summer, and fall, the bird refuge overlook 1½ miles south of Alpine is a perfect place to view trumpeter swans, ospreys, and an occasional bald eagle.
Winter Activities
Snowmobiling, cross country skiing, ice fishing, snow shoeing – take your pick of winter recreation. The Alpine area has hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails, with easy access to the Grey's River Road and McCoy Creek Road into Idaho.
Another local winter attraction is the elk refuge, located one mile south of Alpine. The Wyoming Game & Fish Department manage and feed 500-600 tons of hay to approximately 1,000 head of elk each season.
Winter carnivals also provide challenges and entertainment with unusual competitions like Snow-Golf and blindfold races.
Spring Activities
Spring heralds the return of many species of birds, including ospreys, western tanagers, and four species of rambunctious hummingbirds. They all provide daily entertainment for both the casual and avid birdwatcher.
Star Valley - The Nation's Beautiful Treasure
Star Valley is one of the nation's most beautiful treasures. It features the legendary Intermittent Spring, considered one of the only three known fluctuating springs in the world – and this one is the largest. Local legends suggest that American Indians traveled great distances to cure their ills by bathing in "the spring that breathes."
Star Valley Wyoming is located in north Lincoln County, and includes the community of Alpine. Various accounts attribute the origin of the name Star Valley differently. Although a long time joke infers that the name comes from Starvation (Starve) Valley, due to the bitter winters of the late 1880s, it is more likely either from the original Mormon pioneers who christened it the "Star of All Valleys" noting its natural beauty, or taken from Moses Thatcher who said, "When God made the world he reserved the finest part and hid it among these mountains. This is Star Valley for it is truly the star of all Valleys."