We spent Friday in Wisconsin Dells, they call themselves the Waterpark Capital of the World. They are the typical tourist town, with all the same activities you see in other tourist towns with the addition of all the indoor and outdoor waterparks. They have the the museums, mini golf courses, go cart tracks, golf courses, adventure parks, amusement parks and theaters for different shows. Of course all the shops for buying souvenirs. We did find a water park named Noah’s Ark, billed as the biggest waterpark in the US. We did not visit the water parks but spent our time taking a boat tour on the Wisconsin River. We took the tour on the upper part of the Dells which also included two shore excursions. The name Dells comes from French explorers and it refers to a rapids or narrows on a river. On the part of the river we toured it does get very narrow in some ares. The view of the river has changed through the year as they have added dams in some areas. Our tour went from the dam upriver and there is also a tour that goes from the dam downriver.
Tour Boat
Our guides gave us the history of the area and the individuals that helped develop the area. We eventually go to an area called the Witches Gulch where we disembarked to tour the narrow canyon. It was impressive but it would have been better if you could have hiked in the bottom of the canyon. They have build a boardwalk to guide you through the canyon and it dumps you out into a concession area. After a brief visit you then go back on the same boardwalk to the boat. Apparently years ago you could actually drive up to the canyon but now that access is controlled and the only way you can visit is on the boat tour. It is even closed to private boats.
Tour down Wisconsin River
Cliffs along river
Entrance to Witches Gluch
Boardwalk into Gulch
Board walk in Gulch
Between the rocks
Along the board walk
Along the board walk
Our second stop on the boat tour was at a point called Stand Rock, site of what they called a world-famous dog leap. The dog leap is their re-enactment of the leap done by Ashley Bennett, son of photographer H.H. Bennett using the instantaneous shutter he had developed in the 1880’s. He had his son jump back and forth between the rocks until he captured a picture of him in mid air. The boat tour used a German Shepard dog they have trained to jump between the rocks. If you look really close at the picture you will see they have put a net rope below the rocks to catch the dog.
Stand Rock with dog jumping
Stand Rock with Dog jumping
Stand Rock
Bruce and I discussed the possibly of one of us doing the jump but decided we would forget to stop when we landed on the other side and we would slide off the rock. The distance between the rocks does not look that large, the dog can almost stand with his hind legs on one side and his front legs on the other. I am sure we have nephews that might have been willing to jump the rock. After viewing the jump, they again walk you on a path that dumps you out in a concession area before you go back down another way to the boat.
On the way back out you pass more rock formations and they have one called Toadstool.
Toadstool
While in Wisconsin Dells we ate at the Paul Bunyan’s Cook Shanty. They have a unique approach on trying to get you to buy souvenirs and junk you don’t need. They actually have you go in through the gift shop to go in to the restaurant and you also have to go back through it to get back out. They also have a lumber jack show associated with the restaurant but we did not stick around to see the show. The food was pretty good but was wasted on us. It was what they called a family style all you could eat meal. You had your choice of either the brisket and chicken combo or the fish and chicken combo. We opted for the brisket and chicken. All the sides came in bowls where you served yourself. The chicken was probably the best fried chicken we have had on this trip, we sampled the brisket but sampling was all we did. The fresh bread was great, the mixed vegetables good and the potatoes good. The coleslaw was, how can I put it, unique. Not sure I have every had coleslaw with pickles in it before this meal. They also offered a piece of white cake for dessert but I was not interested in cake after the meal. We did not even finish our first servings so the all you can eat part was a waste for us.
We then drove back home with a pretty sunset on the way.
sunset
sunset
sunset
sunset
On the drive between Wisconsin Dells and our RV park they are building a new power transmission line. All you saw for miles and miles are temporary roads made with big chunks of wood. Looking at the miles of work they have laid out it will probably take them a couple of years to finish it.
New high line
New high line