Poised atop a high plateau at the northern edge of the prairie, a southern thrust of the boreal forest – white spruce, jack pine, and balsam fir – cloaks the higher potions of this park. The lower potions feature aspen, birch, and willow, species typical of the park’s prairie lands. Mostly undeveloped , the park is a scenic sanctuary for wildlife such as black bear, red fox, coyote, bald eagle, wood duck, wolf, white-tailed deer and moose.

Duck Mountain does not have a visitor centre, but local information is available at several lakes where recreational development has clustered. You can explore Duck Mountain via a couple of easy canoe routes or three roads that cut through the park, but the best way is to hike some of the many trails.

The 4,5-kilometre Shell River Valley Trail, close to Childs Lake, loops through mixed forest, a meadow, past the Shell River, and through a calcium bog. Hikers are rewarded with a spectacular panorama of the river valley once they reach the viewpoint.