Tipi Basics

Beautify the Symmetry of Wood & Fabric

The structural integrity of a tipi is based on a beautiful symmetry of wood and fabric, working with the natural elements of the landscape and the prevailing wind to create a safe, unique shelter.

Featuring a beautiful tilted cone with a crown of lodge poles, a Lakota-style tipi is one of the world’s most ingenious and functional shelters. For over 45 years, Earthworks Tipis has been a leader in quality-built lodges, adding the strength and durability of modern fabrics to the original Lakota design, several of which are currently pitched on Indigenous lands in various locations in North America.

For hunters of the Great Plains that followed the bison herds, it was important that they had shelters that were easy to transport, set-up and use. They also made the design innovations distinctive to “modern” tipis, tilting the cone into the prevailing winds, making it slightly asymmetrical and nearly vertical in back. This made the tipi stand strong against the weather while increasing the headroom and usable living space. Second, they moved the smoke hole down the more gently sloping front of the tipi, then added flaps (supported and adjusted with poles from the outside) to control the draw for the fire. These flaps give the tipi its elegant winged appearance.

Earthworks Tipis can be used for a multitude of events and activities:

• Homes
• Rentals
• Classrooms
• Wedding venues
• Ski area huts
• Summer camps

Anyone who needs shelter on their desired patch of planet Earth can benefit from the beautiful, safe, reliable solution of a tipi. Create lasting memories in a shelter that fosters a strong sense of place.