Cultivating connection.
A commitment to community
and sustainability.
When we got here, it was a blank wooded canvas.
Nearly 50 acres of woods. No path. No yurts.
We had a vision.
We just didn’t know what it would take to make it real.
Mother Nature had her own ideas. The land taught us things we couldn’t have known from a plan. The weather tested us. We made mistakes.
But every time something didn’t work, we forged ahead.
We started building our community.
Friends and family. Then friends of friends.
People came for a four-day weekend to help raise our first yurt.
We started having these Dugnads (DOOG-nahds)—our annual work gatherings. People brought whatever they knew how to do. Building. Cooking. Planting. Fixing things.
Somehow, everybody found a way to contribute.
And that’s when it started to feel less like a place we were building and more like something we were building together.
Can we build something that sustains itself?
That’s what we’re trying to figure out.
Less infrastructure.
Less consumption.
Less about profit.
More about people.
The Perpetual Planet
We’re trying to build something that sustains itself.
We think the planet deserves the same.
Each month, we’ll choose an organization from the 1% for the Planet network doing good work for the planet, and give a little.
If you have the means, give a little too.
$5. $10. Whatever you can.
This month: Nepal Red Cross Society
DonateSee the organizations we supportWe’re not finished.
And we never will be.
There will always be something to build, something to learn, and new ways to contribute.
Connection. Community. Sustainability.
Connect with our communityA few things you might wonder.
So what exactly is the Dacks Yurt Collective?
48 acres of wild Adirondack land with yurts on it — and a whole lot of heart. An off-grid, finance-free retreat rooted in community, sustainability, and the belief that time in nature genuinely changes people. Not a place to consume. A place to be.
Is it open to the public?
Not quite. The Dacks Yurt Collective is private — access is through personal connection. We're a circle of friends, chosen family, and aligned organizations whose paths have crossed ours. If you're not sure whether you're in the loop, reach out. We love making new friends.
What does “finance-free” mean?
It means this project isn't backed by investors or developers with a financial stake in turning it commercial. It's community-funded and community-driven. That's what keeps the integrity of the space intact — and keeps it ours.
What does off-grid actually mean?
We're off-grid — not connected to the municipal power grid or water supply. We run on renewable energy and handle resources sustainably. Come with a spirit of adventure. It's part of the deal, and honestly part of the magic.
What's a Dugnad?
A Scandinavian tradition of communal voluntary work — everyone pitches in, shares skills, and gets fed well in return. Our annual Dugnads are how a lot of this place has actually gotten built: wood sheds, tree transplanting, yurt raisings, stargazing sessions. People come from as far as Oregon to be part of it.
What's “Dave Lane”?
The path that runs through the property. Named in tribute to Dave Holeck, our yurt guru — a beloved figure in the building of this place. Walking up Dave Lane is how you arrive.
