What started as a niche trend almost twenty years ago has transformed the travel industry in Texas. Although the Hill Country is the state’s glamping capital, you’ll find high-end domes, yurts, tree houses—and even caves—across the state.

Live Oak Lake

Waco

Just about ten minutes from downtown Waco, seven lakeside A-frame cabins with glass facades are nestled among the trees. Created by Isaac French, who moved to Waco in 2020 and has become known as a microresort influencer, Live Oak Lake’s tiny homes were designed in the Scandinavian style. Each comes with a firepit, hammock, and hot tub. Rates range from $658 to $735.*

Missing Hotel

Marble Falls

Globe-trotters Sam and Stephen Hopkins opened this property on a one-hundred acre farm in 2021. The domes and villas were inspired by their travels in Japan and minimal design. Thoughtful touches include whimsical games, slow-pour coffeemakers, and the “Mystical Forest”—an ideal place for watching the stars. Look for MJ, the friendly resort cat, and two Scottish Highland cattle named Elvis and Presley. Rates range from $425 to $695.

Onera

Fredericksburg

Conveniently located close to downtown, this property, founded three years ago by New Yorker turned Austinite Ben Wolff, offers a glamping sampler platter of bungalows, domes, safari-style tents, and tree houses. Available amenities include in-room massages, an on-site pool and sauna, and meals prepared by a private chef. Rates range from $399 to $1,199.

Palo Duro Glamping

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Since 2020, visitors to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, about thirty miles southeast of Amarillo, have had the option of renting one of the yurtlike cabins operated by Dusty Harris, who owns the park’s Trading Post. Not only do they offer views of the country’s second largest canyon (behind the Grand one), but the cabins feature comfy accommodations for families, a full-size fridge, a s’mores kit to use over the fire pit, complimentary ice cream, and hammocks. Rates are $299.

Savannah’s Meadow

Celeste

This picturesque farm with two tree houses, about fifty miles northeast of Plano, gives off fairy-tale vibes. A live limb runs through the Majestic Oak Treehouse, which is spacious enough to sleep seven. Take the on-site bikes (including one built for two) for a ride, go fishing or canoeing in the pond, and say hello to the friendly animals, including Simon, the donkey. Rates are $355.

The Summit at Big Bend

Between Terlingua and Lajitas

Six months after Brent Pickette and Ian Vollers, outdoors enthusiasts who met working in Houston, purchased more than a thousand acres near Big Bend National Park, they turned it into a glamping site, which they’ve refined ever since. It includes geodesic domes, a casita, and a ranch house, but the real stars are the two luxury cave suites, which were constructed into the side of Tres Cuevas Mountain, once a mining site for cinnabar. They feature a king-size bed, mini fridge, a two-person rain shower, a Nespresso machine, and a firepit area from which to enjoy that West Texas night sky. Rates from $285 to $899.

Walden Retreats

Johnson City

Fifteen luxury safari tents—seven suites and eight studios—sit near the Pedernales River on this 96-acre Hill Country property, which is within driving distance to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and the region’s many wineries and craft breweries. The tents are equipped with claw-foot tubs, outdoor showers, refrigerators, and smart ovens. Rates range from $335 to $595.

Willow House

Terlingua

These chic modernist casitas, near Big Bend National Park, offer sweeping views of the desert. The design fuses Terlingua’s hippie spirit with the taste of a hedge fund manager. The twelve private concrete structures feature large windows and private patios. At the main house, guests can use the communal kitchen and enjoy an area with books, games, and a television. Rates range from $335 to $485.

The Yurtopian

Dripping Springs and Wimberley

Intricately hand-painted Mongolian yurts at two locations are inspired by the married owners’ global travels. The tents, which are each set on a two-story deck with a hot tub/plunge pool and firepit, are close to civilization, yes, but about three hundred feet of woods separate each from the others. Rates are $389.

*All rates in this story are based on weekend availability in May 2024.

This article originally appeared in the April 2024 issue of Texas Monthly with the headline “Yurts So Good!.” Subscribe today.