'Glamping' comes to the Flathead

A 17-acre site in the Canyon will be home to a new tourist camping experience this year.

The Under Canvas Group, which owns a luxury campground near Yellowstone National Park, will open a similar operation in Coram starting June 19.

Interest in glamorous camping, or “glamping,” has been growing around the world. Guests can expect some of the same luxuries and amenities found in hotels while enjoying the rustic ambiance of sleeping in a canvas tent under the forest canopy.

Rates at Glacier Under Canvas will range from $95 per night to $425. The site is capable of handling 200 guests, but the company expects to serve about 100 this year, according to spokeswoman Pam Yang.

Co-founders and owners Jacob and Sarah Dusek started their Yellowstone Under Canvas site, which accommodates 100 to 150 guests, about two years ago as an “experiment.” Located near the Park’s west entrance, it doubled in size the next year and continues to grow, Yang said. Recognizing a good thing, the Duseks purchased the Coram property last year and have plans for a third glamping business at Moab, Utah, which will accommodate up to 150 guests.

“We have been personally enjoying Glacier for many years and love the area,” Sarah Dusek said. “We are delighted to be bringing our luxury camp to the area and can’t wait to open our gates later this year.”

The Duseks got into the camping business about five years ago. A native of Havre, Jacob met Sarah while in Taiwan. They traveled extensively in Asia and Africa and thought the African safari lifestyle might work well in the U.S.

The couple established Sage Safaris near the Dusek family’s 10,000-acre ranch on the Hi-Line and advertised bird hunting in out-of-state and foreign markets. Guide services were not provided, but guests were allowed to hunt on 1,250 acres of the Dusek ranch.

Sage Safaris never intended to provide high-end luxury accommodations — but close. Glacier Under Canvas will operate under the same philosophy.

There will be 24-hour service but no personal valets, Yang said. The better camp sites will have private bathrooms with a toilet and shower. A bathroom trailer will serve less expensive sites. Staff will help guests get their wood stoves started, and guests can also enjoy a large communal fire pit and relaxing by a nearby lake.

In addition to taking steps to guard against adverse human-bear impacts, the Under Canvas Group is a partner with the Leave No Trace nonprofit group that promotes conservation ethics in the outdoors. Everything is removed at the end of the camping season and there’s no permanent infrastructure, such as public water and sewer systems. The glamping site vanishes from the landscape, Yang explained.

For more information, visit their Web site online at www.glacierundercanvas.com.