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All About Duck Creek Village

WHERE IS DUCK CREEK?

Duck Creek is in Kane County, Utah. It is on UT-14, about 30 miles up the canyon from Cedar City. Duck Creek itself stretches half a mile along this road, but the activities, sights-to-see, and nearby attractions are found in every direction for miles.

You can get to Duck Creek many ways. The best way to get to Duck Creek is:

From St. George: Drive north on I-15 to Cedar City, get off on Exit 59 and head east to Main Street, turn right on Main Street and left on Center Street, take UT-14 up the canyon for 29 miles (1 hr 30 min from St. George)

From Salt Lake City: Drive south on I-15 to Cedar City, get off on Exit 59 and head east to Main Street, turn right on Main Street and left on Center Street, take UT-14 up the canyon for 29 miles (4 hrs 14 min from Salt Lake City)
OR Drive south on I-15 to Parowan, get off on exit 78 and drive south until Center Street, turn left onto Center Street and continue onto UT-143, drive for 16 miles to UT-148, drive for 7.6 miles and turn left onto UT-14. Continue 12 miles to Duck Creek (4 hrs 11 min from Salt Lake City)

From Richfield: Drive south on US-89 until the UT-14 turnoff, turn right onto UT-14 and drive for 16 miles to Duck Creek (2 hrs from Richfield)

From Kanab: Drive north on US-89 until the UT-14 turnoff, turn left onto UT-14 and drive for 16 miles to Duck Creek (1 hr from Kanab)

HISTORY OF DUCK CREEK

While Duck Creek Village itself wasn’t established until the 1930s, there is plenty of evidence showing that the area surrounding Duck Creek has been used by humans for about 7,000 years. Small family groups used to camp around this area while hunting and collecting food. When groups began growing corn and other crops 2,000 years ago, they built permanent villages (“pueblos”) in this area.

Between A.D. 900-1200, there were two groups present in this area: the Virgin Branch of the Anasazi and the Parowan Fremont. By A.D. 1100, the Southern Paiute became the dominant group in the region, and it stayed that way until the mid-19th century when Euro-Americans began establishing settlements in Zion Canyon.

Duck Creek Village began as a gathering place for local sheepherders. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps helped develop Duck Creek with its Duck Creek Recreation Camp. This camp was used until the CCC was disbanded in the early 1940s. The only building still standing from this era is now the Duck Creek Forest Service Visitor Center.

Soon after the CCC left the area, the film and television industry moved in. Due to Duck Creek’s astonishing scenery and natural beauty, the area became a popular location for movie filming.

Some of the best-known movies filmed in Duck Creek include “Drums Along the Mohawk” (1939), “National Velvet” (1944), “My Friend Flicka” (1943), “Thunderhead, Son of Flicka” (1945), “The Green Grass of Wyoming” (1948), and “Smoky” (1950). Duck Creek was also featured on the television shows “How the West Was Won” and “Daniel Boone.”

Duck Creek soon became known as “Movie Ranch,” a name residents proudly still display today on street signs and buildings.

Since its movie days, Duck Creek has continued to grow. Duck Creek is a popular place for second home-owners looking for a nice, relaxing place in the mountains. Only 5-10 percent of homeowners live there full time, but Duck Creek attracts thousands of visitors every year looking for activities such as hiking, boating, fishing, camping, hunting, and ATV riding.

WHAT TO DO IN AND AROUND DUCK CREEK

There are lots of things to do in and around Duck Creek. Here are some of the most popular activities:

WHAT TO SEE IN AND AROUND DUCK CREEK

Not only is there plenty to do in and around Duck Creek, but there is also plenty to see.

There’s a lot of wildlife around Duck Creek. Some of the animals you may see include cougar, fox, bobcat, blue grouse, golden eagle, cottontail rabbit, wild turkey, antelope, and prairie dog. Always be respectful of wildlife and don’t disturb their habitats.

The landscape around Duck Creek is amazing. You can see deep canyons, red rock cliffs, rock spires, lava rock fields, mountain meadows, and rolling hills. There are aspen trees, as well as pine, spruce, and fir trees. During the spring and summer, the landscape will be full of wildflowers, and during the fall the brightly colored leaves will take your breath away. In the wintertime, white snow covers the ground and trees and gives any winter wonderland a run for its money.

There are also plenty of lookout spots along the highway so you can stop and enjoy the view.

You can see these things whether hiking, biking, riding ATVs or just driving around.

TOP ATTRACTIONS OF DUCK CREEK

To break down everything that has been mentioned above, here are some of the great places to visit in and around Duck Creek:

  • Mammoth Cave
  • Ice Cave
  • Bower Cave
  • Aspen Mirror lake
  • Navajo Lake
  • Duck Creek Pond
  • Cascade Falls
  • Castle Creek Reservoir
  • Panguitch lake
  • Virgin River Rim Trail
  • Strawberry Point
  • Deer Hollow Loop