The Black Bear Lodge — Lodge, Arcades + Fire Pit + Near Zion/Bryce

The Black Bear Lodge sits in the pines of Duck Creek Village — nearly 2,500 square feet across two levels with five separate queen bedrooms and three bathrooms. Enough rooms that every adult, or every couple, gets a room to themselves. The lower floor has its own ground-level entrance. There's also a bar, a game room with classic arcade games, and an outdoor fire pit out in the trees.

🌲 Upper Level 🐻

Upstairs, the living room, kitchen, and dining area share one open space under vaulted pine ceilings. A stacked stone gas fireplace anchors one end of the living room, with windows looking out into the pines. The kitchen has stainless appliances, a drip coffee maker, and a granite center island with bar stool seating. The dining table seats six. A covered front deck opens off the living room, and an open deck sits off the back.

The upper-level master suite has a queen bed and a private en-suite bath with a jetted soaking tub and a separate glass-enclosed shower. A second queen bedroom is also on the upper level, with a full bath in the hallway just outside.

🌲 Lower Level 🐻

The lower floor has its own ground-level entrance — guests can step out of the car and walk straight in without using stairs. Three more queen bedrooms and a full bath are down here.

Downstairs is where the day winds down. A bar with stools, a mini fridge, and a Keurig handles both ends of the day — morning coffee on one shift, evening drinks on the other. A small seating area with a TV sits across the room, and four classic arcade cabinets round out the space: Golden Tee, Mortal Kombat, Galaga, and Street Fighter II. A washer and dryer are also on this level.

🦌 Outside 🐿️

The cabin is tucked into the pines on a wooded lot. The covered front deck has four Adirondack chairs and a propane grill — set up for morning coffee, slow afternoons, or sunset. The back deck is open to the sky — good for stepping out under the stars. Beyond the deck, an outdoor fire pit ringed by bench seating sits in the trees — set up for s'mores, stories, and the kind of dark mountain sky where the Milky Way comes out.

📍 Where you'll be

Duck Creek Village is a small, quaint mountain town that offers quick access to Southern Utah's best national parks. Although we're "in the mountains," we're not "off the grid" — there are neighbors nearby, so you'll see and hear others during the day. The cabin is close to The Village, where the gas station, hardware store, and restaurants are — a short drive or a nice walk away.

🌲 Duck Creek Village - 2 miles
🎣 Aspen Mirror Lake - 2 miles
🧊 Ice Cave - 5 miles
🥾 Mammoth Cave - 8 miles
🎣 Navajo Lake - 9 miles
🥾 Strawberry Point - 11 miles
🥾 Cedar Breaks - 19 miles
🎣 Panguitch Lake - 22 miles
🏂 Brian Head Resort - 25 miles
🥾 Kanarra Falls - 45 miles
🥾 Zion National Park (East) - 47 miles
🥾 Coral Pink Sand Dunes - 49 miles
🥾 Bryce Canyon National Park - 50 miles
🥾 Sand Hollow State Park - 84 miles
🥾 Capitol Reef National Park - 146 miles
🥾 Arches National Park - 287 miles
🥾 Canyonlands National Park - 301 miles

Hundreds of miles of ATV and hiking trails branch directly off the village.

🍂 Through the year

Summer brings ATV trails out the door, four lakes and several streams to fish, miles of hiking through the aspens, and cool mountain air while the desert below bakes. Fall brings cooler air, quiet trails, and aspens turning gold. Winter is for snowmobiling, with nearby skiing and long fireplace nights.

🚨 4WD is REQUIRED from October through April. No exceptions. 🚨 The road can be clear at check-in and snowed-in by morning. We're at 8,500 feet and weather rolls in fast — please come prepared.

Roads and driveways are plowed after 8 inches of snow accumulation or after a major storm.

Ample parking on-site. A trailer parking spot is available. RV camping outside is not permitted — guests stay inside the cabin only.

📝 A few practical notes

• 🛒 Stock up on groceries before driving up. Grocery options on the mountain are limited; the hardware store carries a small selection for forgotten odds and ends, but plan ahead.
• 🐶 Well-behaved house-trained dogs are welcome (two dogs totaling up to 75 lbs — exceptions considered on request). Dogs only — no cats, birds, fish, lizards, snakes, mini horses, or pigs, sorry!
• 👥 Maximum 10 guests, no exceptions. Please book honestly for the number actually staying.
• 🔑 Self check-in is by smart lock. Arrival instructions sent the afternoon of check-in.
• 🔥 We don't stock firewood for the outdoor fire pit. Propane is stocked for the grill.
• 📶 Wi-Fi is fast (350+ Mbps) — work-from-cabin ready, video calls and all.

Sound like your kind of weekend? Send a message — we'd love to host you.

— Duck Creek Retreats | Nick & Ciera