Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne and Teresa Nielson.
Hi Wayne and Teresa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We live in a beautiful rural area that is often overlooked because of the distance from major highways. Within minutes, there is access to stunning views on the desert (aka the San Rafael Swell), the mountains (aka the Manti-La Sal), and Huntington Reservoir.
We love this area and are grateful and proud to call it home.
For many years, we owned and operated a local construction business that grew from a single dump truck to become the largest locally-owned employer in the area. When it was time for a change of ownership, we desired to invest our retirement in the local community.
Our goal was to provide a state-of-the-art lodging and recreational facility for residents and tourists to promote economic development in the area. There were very limited lodging options, and prior visitors had to choose between a few AirBnbs or the dated Village Inn. It took a large investment of resources to provide accommodations to meet a variety of different interests and personalities.
Some of the amenities we chose to provide are batting cages (we are located adjacent to a large ball complex), 2 pickleball courts, 2 Dog runs, a playground, corn hole, outdoor ping pong and foosball, horseshoes (we are across the street from the local rodeo grounds), a mini-golf course, and pavilions with outdoor grills. Each accommodation (Tipi, Cabin, tent site, or RV site) has its own picnic table and fire pit, with ample space for parking. There is also a card/coin-operated laundry facility located in our bathhouse that our guests have enjoyed.
The community has been a huge support, with Huntington City using a grant to establish a paved bike trail to the reservoir, as well as a Frisbee Golf course adjacent to the park. We had our grand opening just last June 2021.
Over the summer, we hosted many family reunions, softball and baseball families, rodeo and 4th of July attendees (the fireworks were set off across the street!), scout and girls camps, funeral attendees, and workers from out of state (who otherwise would have had to commute 30+ miles to the job site). We look forward to the upcoming year and hope to accommodate many more happy campers!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Soon after breaking ground for the park, we were asked to leave for a religious service mission in Missouri until October 2022.
We left before all the cabins had arrived, and had to rely heavily on our 2 sons who live in the area as well as the on-site managers we hired shortly before leaving. We are very blessed to have such loyalty and support from them, and we definitely couldn’t have come this far without them.
We are still overcoming obstacles that nature has presented, as last year we had the worst drought our area has experienced in many years. Our soil quality is very low, so we have had to carefully monitor the tender plants, shrubs, and trees that are just taking root.
We’ve been impressed with Buckhorn RV Park and Resort, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Buckhorn RV Park & Resort is located in Huntington, Utah, between the Manti-La Sal Mountain range and the San Rafael Swell. We offer spacious pull-through RV spots, luxury cabins, and Tipis (Teepees), as well as tent sites and a group area for rent. There are bathrooms, showers, and a laundry facility on site.
Other amenities include WiFi, cable TV, propane, batting cages, pickleball courts, table tennis, horseshoe pits, cornhole sets, foosball, mini-golf (coming soon), and a playground. Nearby recreation includes boating, hunting, fishing, bouldering, biking, horse-riding, and much more.
If you read our reviews (Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook, Airbnb, RVlife, and recommendations from RVshare, FindGlocal, RVtravel) there are 2 common themes; first the remarkable quality of the park and amenities, and second being the friendly management/hosts/staff that go above and beyond for each guest, as if they were family.
This is truly our goal in providing exceptional service for all who visit.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
We began work on the grounds just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
We were grateful we had access to the construction equipment we needed, as we were able to personally do most of the ground prep work during times of uncertainty. Due to the astonishing prices of building materials, we found and decided to purchase our cabins and lodge through Zook Cabins, which sell Amish-built cabins from the back East. These, along with our authentic hand-made Sioux-style tipis from Nomatics Tipi Makers have been our most popular accommodations.
We learned in our first year of operation that due to COVID, many people enjoy the open outdoors in times of crisis. We have a lounge area in our lodge with a huge flat-screen TV, but the only times it was used was for arrivals who had to wait for their accommodations to be made ready.
Pricing:
- Tipi (Teepee): $98/night
- Amish-built cabin: $140/night
- 85ft Pull-through RV site: $69/night
- Batting Cages: $5 for 60 pitches
- 100ft Back-in RV site: $59/night
Contact Info:
- Email: buckhornrvresort@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.buckhornrv.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckhornrvresort/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buckhornrv
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuLNjJg6LI
- Other: https://app.fireflyreservations.com/reserve/property/BuckhornRV
Image Credits
The SWELL Utah and Laryssa Revelli
