Woodland Retreat Cabins

11/29/2025

Shop one of our local businesses for these adorable, unique bracelets!

11/25/2025

What to expect for Weekend 1:

🎄🦙 Christmas with the Alpacas 🦙🎄
📅 Nov 29 & 30 (Weekend 1)
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

✨ FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING
🚗 FIELD Parking mostly with some gravel and closer handicap spots available
🚫 No reservation needed
🚻 Portable restrooms on site (including handicap accessible) and hand washing station

🦙 Meet the Alpacas!
🐾 Pasture gate open to our female herd
📸 Walk with them, pet them & take pictures (respectfully)

🚫NO pets allowed in alpaca areas🚫

🎅 Santa’s Here!
🛷 Free photos in our antique sleigh
📍 Inside, at the back of our store in the Alpacalets workshop
🕚 Santa available both days from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

🛍️ Barn Boutique Open
Shop all kinds of alpaca products & gifts

🧶 Black Sheep Fiber Guild
🎨 Live fiber arts demonstrations (some upstairs in our knitting loft)

➰️ Heartland Ropemakers Guild here demoing antique rope making

💵 Paid Activities:
🎨 Chrissie Paints – $ Face painting
🍔 Melissa's Place – $ Food truck
🎄 Alpaca Ornament Craft – $5
🥕 Alpaca Feed Cups – $1

❤️ Enjoy Christmas on the ranch with the Alpacas!
Walk among them, experience their gentle nature, and create unforgettable memories — for FREE!

📸 Bring your camera!
🎁 Bring your holiday spirit!

🦙✨ We can’t wait to celebrate with you! ✨🦙

This event runs for 3 weekends and is RAIN OR SHINE

05/26/2025

12/25/2024

We wish you a merry and blessed Christmas!

07/30/2024

August 8 update: Please be aware if you decide to hike in from a trail to Garden of the Gods, amenities at Garden of the Gods will be limited while construction is in progress. There will be one open bathroom at the Observation Trail until road work is complete.

REMINDER - Garden of the Gods roads and parking lots are closed for resurfacing. Trails will remain open and can be accessed from Hitching Post Trailhead from the west and Golden Circle from the east. But consider checking out some other trails nearby. Wanting an overlook and short looping trails? Try High K**b Lookout, former site of a CCC fire tower. Want to hike along rocky bluffs and creeks? Head to Rim Rock National Recreation Trail. Both trails are just down the road from Garden of the Gods, off of Karbers Ridge Road. For these and other hiking locations, visit our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shawnee/recreation/hiking/?recid=10669&actid=50

05/11/2024

What a beautiful display of God’s creation last night. Amazing to see the northern lights here in Southern Illinois. Credit photos to Roslyn Smith.

04/09/2023

Happy Easter!

01/31/2023

Our website is currently down. We are working to fix the issue. Please be patient. You can reach us at 618-833-3004.