Duck Creek Village is in the middle of southern Utah’s mountains
Duck Creek Village offers rugged, mountainous Kane County living on the edge of Dixie National Forest. Rustic cabins and luxury second homes hide away in woodsy communities high up on Cedar Mountain, within minutes of hiking and snowmobile trails leading to high overlooks and gushing waterfalls. The people who live here, seasonally or year-round, likely visited a campground or cabin community once, before falling deeply in love with the village’s access to adventurous recreation and scenic mountain views. Hours from big cities, Duck Creek Village is a place where you can leave the noise behind and get lost in the natural beauty and resort-style recreation hubs that define southern Utah.
Cabins in all shapes, sizes and price ranges
Different communities of single-family homes have been built into the rural alpine forests of Duck Creek Village. You’ll find small, simple log cabins in places like Navajo Lake Estates. Some of the most elaborate new construction can be found in Duck Creek Pines. Prices range widely in the area. Tiny cabins can sell in the upper $100,000s, while large, modern cabins can sell for closer to $1 million. Duck Creek Village’s median single-family home price is in the lower $500,000s. “We have amenities in most areas. A handful are off-the-grid, but the majority of subdivisions have water, power, phone service and high-speed internet,” says Catherine Barsness, owner of Trophy Real Estate, who’s specialized in southern Utah for 20 years.
Surrounded by places to fish, swim, hike and snowmobile nearby
“Duck Creek Village is your gateway to being associated with nature,” Barsness says. “It’s trail-riding, fishing, cross-country skiing, bird watching, nature, photography – just going and getting out in the woods.” You might head out with your own gear or stop by one of several rental and guide businesses in the village. People love visiting:
- Aspen Mirror Lake and Duck Creek Pond, for trout fishing
- Navajo Lake, to spend time boating and swimming
- Virginia River Rim Trail, for more than 30 miles of paths to hike and bike on
- Duck Creek Trail, for access to Strawberry Point views in the Cedar Mountain Snowmobile Complex
National Parks and other nearby daytrip destinations
A little farther from home, you’ll find the stunning National Parks and National Monuments that southern Utah is known for. Within a couple of hours of home, you can hike at Bryce Canyon National Park or Zion National Park. Winter sports fanatics hit the slopes at Brian Head Resort, not far from Cedar Breaks National Monument. Mammoth Cave is a cool place to try out spelunking.
A haven for second homeowners seeking four seasons of fun
“I’d say the majority of people are buying second homes, coming from California, Nevada, Arizona and all the surrounding states,” Barsness says. “People come all year; we have people specifically looking for snowmobile trails and snowshoeing. The change of leaves is beautiful in the fall. People come from big cities that don’t necessarily have all four seasons.” Through freezing winters, when you’re not out enjoying the cold, you’ll want to make sure your car is outfitted for snowy road conditions or ride the snowmobile around instead.
Locally owned businesses along Movie Ranch Road
Duck Creek Village is isolated from larger shopping centers, but a small community of mom and pop restaurants and specialty businesses hides away in the mountains. Along Movie Ranch Road, you’ll find:
- Aunt Sue’s Chalet, a comfortable restaurant known for homestyle meals and a salad bar
- Hot Mama’s Pizza & Brew, a place to enjoy Italian specialties on an outdoor porch
- DC Pub & Grill, a popular spot for sandwiches and hearty lunches before hitting the trails
- Cedar Mountain True Value, a nostalgic country store stocking groceries and souvenirs
You’ll need to drive for upward of 40 minutes to reach larger grocery stores and big-box stores in places like Cedar City.
A long way to schools in the Kane County School District
If families with school-age children are staying year-round, they can send their students to schools in the highly rated Kane County School District. Valley Elementary School and Valley High School are nearly 30 miles away in Orderville.
Closest cities to this rural Utah enclave
Cedar City is more than 30 miles away, home to the nearest hospital. You can also access limited commercial flights from the Cedar City Regional Airport. Kanab, the seat of Kane County and home to many of its largest employers, is nearly an hour away. Las Vegas is closer to 3 hours away, and Salt Lake City is more than 4 hours away from home.
![Julia Szymanski]()
Written By
Julia Szymanski
