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New Jersey state parks' quirky yurts are going away

State officials said the large cylindrical canvas tents with skylights and plenty of standing room were simply too hard to maintain

The New Jersey State Park Service is getting rid of the quirky yurts it used to rent at five different campgrounds, spanning north to south, as well as in the Pinelands.
The New Jersey State Park Service is getting rid of the quirky yurts it used to rent at five different campgrounds, spanning north to south, as well as in the Pinelands.Read moreFRANK KUMMER / Staff

One of the more quirky camping experiences in New Jersey has been renting a yurt at one of five state parks, from the Shore region, to the Pinelands, to the northwest corner of the state.

No more.

New Jersey had yurts since at least 2000, although Hajna was not sure when they were first erected.

Yurts were most notably used by nomads in Central Asia, especially Mongolia.

The Jersey yurts had odd charm that sparked write-ups in publications including the Washington Post and New Jersey Monthly magazine.

New Jersey's yurts were placed on wood frames and featured wood floors, a deck and plexiglass skylight — leading some to declare that they were a glamorous form of camping, or "glamping."  Each yurt had a lockable wood door, window screens and flaps.

Inside, they contained two double bunks, and could sleep up to four.

The yurts aren't the only change at Jersey's campgrounds. State officials say they are moving away from the privately run ReserveAmerica online reservation system for its campgrounds, in favor of another contractor.

A notice posted on the state parks and forests website says the new system will go live Dec. 1 "or sooner" and will have "reduced transaction fees."