The Plains Indians of North America frequently used tipis instead of tents for camping. The tipi is a circular area made with poles and animal hides. Today's tipis are generally made with a canvas cloth. Small tipis are portable and can be moved from place to place which suited the plains Indians who often followed the buffalo herds as they migrated across the country. When disassembled, the poles made great sleds of a sort to carry the accouterments of the tipi. Tipis are fairly easy to assemble, easy to heat and make great shelter. The poles are very sturdy when placed in a tripod arrangement. The cloth surrounds the tipi and keeps out the cold and wind. The opening in the top allows smoke from the cooking fires to exit. A cap can be placed over the top to keep out rain. Tipis are roomy on the inside. The surrounding cloth is great for painting symbols and decorations on. People even put tipis on their decks, as seen in the video. A Basic Tepee / Tipi / WigWam / TeepeeTipi Assembly InstructionsFor a 30 foot diameter tipi:
Buying a Ready Made TipiBuilding a high fashion tipi can be a real chore. Fortunately, if your heart is set on having a backyard tipi or having one for a home away from home, then you are in luck. Several companies will pre-make or even build a custom made teepee for you. Small tipis and backyard tipi kits can be found on eBay or Amazon. For bigger and more professional style tipis, there are companies that sell ready made or custom made teepees. An online list of Tipis Tepees Teepees makers is available at apachetents.com. Try before you buySome of the following tipi hotels have great websites! Unfortunately, the links change frequently, so you will have to look them up individually in Google or other search engine. But you will find tipi motels and camprgrounds all over the country, so it is worth it to try them out.
How to Find a Great Camping and Hiking Spot to set up your portable tipiSearching for sites near Austin, Texas returned 32 choices for camping within a 50 mile radius. This will make some excellent overnight fun for a casual or luxury camper. |