Duck Creek Village is one of my favorite places to visit especially with it only being about a 3-3.5 hour drive from Las Vegas! We have been visiting almost annually since I was a child and now, my husband and I get to take our family up there to create even more memories.
If you’ve never heard of Duck Creek Village or maybe you have but have no clue how to plan for your trip or what there is to do, I’m bringing you the ultimate guide to planning a trip to Duck Creek Village in Utah with kids.
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How to Plan a Trip to Duck Creek Village in Utah
First things, first – when will you be visiting Duck Creek Village in Utah? Depending on the time of year, there may be different vehicle requirements (especially if there is snow!).
From November through April, 4WD or AWD is required for cars because of the mountains, snow, and safety of course. NO exceptions!
At an elevation of 8,500+ feet and being on the top of a mountain, you’ve got to be prepared because while it might be clear one day, a storm could roll in overnight.
While we have friends that have traveled there in the winter months, we typically always visit during the spring or summer (May – August) due to more flexibility in our schedules. We typically visit for 4-5 days / 5-6 nights.
How To Get There
Driving there is easy, it’s almost a straight shot from Las Vegas to Duck Creek Village in Utah. From Las Vegas, you take the I-15 straight up past St. George and through Cedar City and once you hit Cedar City, you head up the mountain another 45 minutes or so.
There are so many places to stay once you get to Duck Creek Village in Utah, but you’ll want to plan your stay ahead of time as cabins book quickly!
We typically stop in St. George and Cedar City on the way up and St. George on the way back. There is a children’s museum, splash pad we rave about, and yummy food and market’s in St. George that are worth the stop.
For the Car Ride
While the drive isn’t that long, we always make sure to have some fun gadgets since we don’t do much screen time if any while driving. Here are some things we love to have in the car for mama and kids.
Where to Stay
The last two years we have stayed at Duck Creek Retreats cabin and have had a great time. They are a local Vegas family who now live in Duck Creek almost full-time managing a bunch of properties and they are always so kind and accommodating.
Plus, I love that they have a little kiddo too because they always include some fun things for kids as well as kid items like a pack’n’play and high chair – depending on the cabin you stay in. Things to check when it comes to booking a cabin is to look for amenities included like:
- Pack ‘n’ Play
- High Chair
- Games / Game Room
- Extra Blankets (although, we like to bring our own)
- Kitchen Necessities
- Washer / Dryer
When you book directly from their website, you will also save money instead of going through a third-party like AirBNB or VRBO (although you can look at other cabins on third-party sites).
Book Duck Creek Retreats Direct & Save $$$
Here are our top-three cabins in Duck Creek Village in Utah through Duck Creek Retreats. We have stayed at Lazy Bear Lodge the last two years!
- Lazy Bear Lodge (where we stayed the last two years!)
Discover the ultimate mountain luxury at The Lazy Bear Lodge! This extraordinary cabin boasts over 3,100 square feet of space and is adorned with four master suites, each thoughtfully crafted to fulfill your every desire. This cabin provides an unrivaled gateway to the great outdoors, enveloped by awe-inspiring landscapes and nearby Bryce and Zion National Parks! - Bear Tracks Lodge
Nestled in the midst of an aspen grove, this cabin offers over 2,500 square feet of space for your enjoyment. Immerse yourself in picturesque mountain views from your selection of two covered decks. Situated at the heart of it all, The Bear Tracks Lodge is your gateway to southern Utah’s top national attractions including the iconic Zion, Bryce and more! - Wolves Den Lodge
Discover The Wolves Den Lodge, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Duck Creek Village. This cabin is a true masterpiece, a living work of art that belongs in the pages of a magazine. Every detail has been meticulously crafted, sparing no expense in creating this exquisite mountain chalet. Explore the majestic beauty of Zion National Park, the otherworldly landscapes of Bryce Canyon, and countless more wonders of nature, all within a short drive from your mountain haven at The Wolves Den Lodge.
You can follow Duck Creek Retreats on Instagram for their latest listings and sneak peeks of their cabins.
More Options On Where to Stay
If you are looking for additional lodging options, you can check out the Duck Creek Village website, but we personally have not used any of those lodging options!
Have an RV? Here are some campgrounds to check out as well:
Where To Eat
Think of Duck Creek as being in a home away from home versus being at a hotel or some place where you are constantly going out to eat. Instead, you’ll enjoy cooking your own meals from the comfort of your cabin.
We usually make an entire meal list for our family and split the cost amongst everyone or everyone picks up a few items and we freeze and drive up in coolers. Anything that we cannot freeze or won’t last, we stop at the grocery store in Cedar City before we head up the mountain.
We keep meals delicious, yet simple and our whole trip is typically way more affordable in comparison to traveling to Laguna or Santa Cruz, because we aren’t eating out for every meal.
And if there is anything you forget, they have a gas station and small True Value store in the village for more common convenience items (like ice cream, medicine, bread, etc).
If you’d like to eat at a spot in town, there are a few options:
- Hot Mama’s Pizza; they are only open on Thursdays – Sunday, so we usually do this on the last night for easy clean up. They also have a soft serve ice cream/shake spot attached if you’ve got a sweet tooth.
- DC Pub and Grill; if you are looking for a sandwich, fried food, etc. you can stop here!
- Aunt Sue’s Chalet; serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes we stop there for breakfast on our way out of town.
Free Meal Prep Plan
Here’s our family’s meal plan we used the past couple of years. It can be modified to your own family’s liking. This doesn’t include water or snacks for the crew for the drive up and during their stay. These are also some of our favorite food & snack swaps great for the drive!
Things to Do
If you enjoy the outdoors, you now get to do that 24/7. Open windows at night, fresh air and sunlight all day long (minus the winters!). There are so many things to do with kids (or without) in Duck Creek Village in Utah.
Go Fishing (and rent a boat!)
There are so many spots to fish at, you just want to make sure you purchase a fishing license. Kids 12 and under fish for free, but for the adults, we usually opt for the 3-day licenses. It is three days in a row, so we skip the first day and do the three days in the middle of our visit.
All of the places we have listed are family-friendly, but we wouldn’t recommend strollers at any of them, only babywearing.
Here are places we enjoy fishing at:
- Duck Creek Pond; this is the easiest spot to go to and kid friendly
- Aspen Mirror Lake; beautiful views, but a slight walk from the car through a semi-rocky path and small bridge to get to the lake
- Navajo Lake; great views, but last year there were tons of flies, so it might be hit or miss. You can also rent kayaks here.
- Panguitch Lake (renting a boat, in advance)
Go on a Hike
Step outside your cabin and enjoy a walk around the neighborhood! The views are beautiful everywhere. Just remember you are at 8,500+ feet in elevation, so be prepared, stay hydrated (here’s the electrolytes we love!).
We like to use the All Trails app to find trails in the area and we have done a handful of them. I will say I do not recommend a good chunk of them as baby or toddler friendly as they can be steep or near a ledge. But there are some nice walks around the area.
If you are willing to go a little outside of Duck Creek, we have heard great things about Mossy Cave Trail and how great it is for toddlers and kids!
Rent an ATV
There are lots of spots to rent ATV’s for 2-24 hours. We have used Duck Creek Adventures before which offers UTV, RZR, and snowmobile rentals in hourly packages.
Highly recommend at least 3-4 hours so you aren’t rushed. We like to go up to Strawberry Point or any overlook to check out the views.
Visit the Duck Creek Ice Cave
If you have older kiddos, you’ll definitely want to check out the ice cave! Our 1.5 year old is a little too young, but we did this several years back before he was born and it is so fun and much cooler in the cave.
There is some climbing involved in this one, so keep that in mind and there are some tight spaces to get through, before having to climb out through another hole. If you have adventurous kiddos or family members, highly recommend.
More Things To Do in and near Duck Creek Village in Utah
- Have a s’mores night with a campfire (but be sure to check the fire warnings, first)
- Visit Cascade Falls and depending on the time of year, you might see the waterfall flowing!
- Check out the farmer’s market if you are in town and it’s being held. Usually on Saturdays. You can find info here.
- Visit Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks Monument, or Zion National Park while you’re there, on your way up or down, or during your stay. You can learn about fee free days or passes for the National Parks here.
- Bring games to play – Duck Creek Retreats does have games in their cabins, but we always like to bring a deck of cards, poker chips, UNO, or similar games to play late at night or during the day outside on the porch!
- Go horseback riding!
Insider Tips For Your Visit
- Stay for at least 4 days, you won’t want to leave!
- Book in advance, especially during holiday weekends and summer months, they book quickly months in advance.
- While there is wifi in most cabins, skip the tech and enjoy nature!
- Wake up early and enjoy a morning out on your porch.
- Bring sweatshirts for cool temp mornings and evenings.
- Have a meal plan and pack ahead of time.
- Book boats and ATVs prior to your visit or on the first day as they usually get booked quickly.
- Don’t be afraid to explore off the beaten path, but stay safe doing so!
- Walk the village at least once or twice during your stay!
Duck Creek Village in Utah is a MUST
Duck Creek holds a near and dear place to my heart and I could probably share even more information for you, but I’ll leave it at this. Take the time to slow down and enjoy your loved ones, don’t let the small things get to you, stay up late and play games, eat the s’more, and love hard.
You’ll remember and cherish all of these memories as I have from my own childhood that I now get to share with my own child.
Let me know what your favorite things to do in Duck Creek are below and if you have any tips you think we should add!
Thank you to Duck Creek Retreats for hosting us at your cabin this year. As always, all opinions are honest and our own and we would never recommend anything we wouldn’t spend our own hard earned money on.
