5-mile gorge on the Wisconsin River in south-central Wisconsin, is noted for its scenic beauty, in particular for its unique Cambrian sandstone rock formations and tributary canyons

How to Get There

Overview

The Dells of the Wisconsin River, also called the Wisconsin Dells (from French dalles, or slab-like rocks), is a 5-mile (8-km) gorge on the Wisconsin River in south-central Wisconsin. It is noted for its scenic beauty, in particular for its unique Cambrian sandstone rock formations and tributary canyons.

The cliffs, some over 100 feet (30 m) high, and side canyons are closed to the public to protect sensitive ecological features. The viewing of the rock formations by water is a popular tourist attraction in the area. The nearby city of Wisconsin Dells is the center of summer tourist activity, much of it in the form of the theme parks unrelated to the river features.

The Dells of the Wisconsin River is owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It was established as a State Natural Area in 1994.

Wisconsin Dells, WI

Wisconsin Dells is a city in south-central Wisconsin. The city takes its name from the Dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic, glacius formed gorge that features striking sandstone formations along the banks of the Wisconsin River. Together with the nearby village of Lake Delton, the city forms an area known as "The Dells", a popular Midwestern tourist destination.

Because of the scenery provided by the dells of the Wisconsin River, Kilbourn City quickly became a popular travel destination in the Midwest. In 1856, Leroy Gates began taking tourists on boat tours of the Wisconsin Dells. These tours were given using wooden rowboats until 1873 when the first steamboat, the Modocawanda, was used. In 1875, early landscape photographer H. H. Bennett established a studio in the city and took many photos of the sandstone formations in the dells, including stereoscopic views. Prints of these photographs were distributed across the United States, further enhancing the status of Kilbourn City as a destination for sightseers. Taking advantage of this, Bennett began offering to take souvenir pictures of visitors to the dells, becoming one of the first to capitalize on the area's burgeoning tourist trade. Today, the H. H. Bennett Studio is an historic site operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society.

The Dells area has many indoor and outdoor waterparks, proclaiming itself the "Waterpark Capital of the World". Other attractions include boat tours, ziplining, golf courses, mini golf, go-kart tracks, water sports, horseback riding, museums, amusement parks, and a casino. Most attractions are located on the Strip, otherwise known as the Wisconsin Dells Parkway. Accommodations range from economical motels to RV parks to chain hotels to themed resorts featuring indoor and outdoor waterparks and other amenities.

The Big 5 Dells resorts with large indoor waterparks are the Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park, Wilderness Territory, Kalahari Resort, Chula Vista Resort, and Great Wolf Lodge. Other smaller hotels with waterparks include the Atlantis Resort.

In 2005, Big Chief Karts and Coasters merged with the former Family Land Waterpark and Treasure Island Hotel to create a large theme park on the border of Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells, with a resort called Hotel Rome, an indoor waterpark, outdoor waterpark, theme park, and the area's first indoor theme park. The park, which has roller coasters, go-karts, and water slides, is called Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dells of the Wisconsin River", and "Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0