Upper Dells Boat Tours

drundel
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
3
Reviews
10
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Editor Pick

A Prehistoric Journey

  • November 1, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by MikeInTown from Norristown, Pennsylvania
A Prehistoric Journey

The Upper Dells Boat Tour is a 2-hour tour of the portion of the Wisconsin River above the dam. Long before the Wisconsin Dells contained waterparks and amusement parks, tourists were coming to the area as early as the 1850's to canoe the Wisconsin River and admire the sandstone rock formations. As we floated along, we were able to see the same odd rock formations that have been standing in this area for 500 million years. The Dells is one of the few places in the world where this type of exposed bedrock can be observed.

Our guide pointed out rock formations and told us their local names such as Chimney Rock, Alligator Rock, and Black Hawk's Profile. These were fun to spot but what I really enjoyed about the Upper Dells Boat Tour were the two shore landings.

The first was Witches Gulch. As we walked along the wooden walkway, I felt like we were walking through a dark enchanted forest full of sandstone rocks and trees. My wife and my mother were snapping pictures until I noticed we had started to lag far behind our tour group. Thinking we were missing narration from our guide, we hurried along the path to catch up. However, there was no narration - just a souvenir shop, a snack bar, and restrooms.

After about 20 minutes, everyone made their way back to our boat so that we could be transported across the river to our second landing. It was here that we were led to Stand Rock. These tall pedestal sandrock formations are where H. H. Bennett introduced the world to stop-action photography when he photographed his son leaping across the two rocks in 1886. We were given the chance to capture a similar photo by means of a German Shepherd trained to leap across the gap. Unfortunately, the dog jumped too fast for us to capture the shot.

We continued up a long ramp that ended with another souvenir shop, snack bar, and restroom facility. There was an area labeled "scenic overlook" so I headed there to take a look. I assumed I was missing something because the view of the river was not anything special in my eyes. Despite this, I had thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We headed down some steps to the boat which had moved to meet us at this new location and then headed back to port.

During our ride back to port, our guide sold copies of the Dells Boat Tour Official Guidebook for $4.00. The thin book has nice photographs and descriptions of what we saw so we bought a copy. There are several versions of the Dells Boat Tours so be sure to visit their website to find one that is right for you:

http://www.dellsboats.com/html/tourdetails.html.

From journal Wisconsin: The Farmers and the Dells

Editor Pick

Upper Dells Boat Tours

  • June 19, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by GrAmTr from Williston, North Dakota
Upper Dells Boat Tours

The Upper Dells boat tour, I feel, is another must. It's a two-hour-long trip leaving every 30-45 minutes, 9am to 6pm. During this tour, there are two stops, one at Witches Gulch and Stand Rock, exclusive only to the Dells tour. At Witches Gulch, we were allowed to get out and walk approximately two blocks through what they call a cool canyon, and yes, it was cool, but not cold. It felt good compared to the high humidity we were experiencing. The thought of Mr. Bennett crawling through here to find unique pictures runs through my mind. I don't think I could be so brave.

At the end of the gulch, there are restrooms, snack shops, and souvenir shops. It really is a "cool" sight to see. Back on the boat, we travel north up the river to see some of the tallest of the rock formations - Steamboat and Black Hawks profile. Our next shore landing is at Stand Rock. This is the area's trademark sandstone, which is indigenous with the Dells. It's where Mr. Bennett took the first stop-action photo using his son--now you get to see trained dogs jump the 5-foot chasm from cliff to rock ledge. They only do it once, so be ready with your camera -- I missed. Luckily, we got it on video. This stop also has a restroom, snacks, and very beautiful overlooks for photo opportunities. Again, we were offered the $4 brochure. It explains the old days in the Dells, legends, and tall tales. I do prefer the Upper to the Lower Dells, even though they are both unique.

From journal Wisconsin Dells - Playing Like a Child

Upper Dells Boat Tours

  • April 20, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by drundel from Vassar, Michigan
Upper Dells Boat Tours

This is a scenic tour of the upper dells. Passengers get to see most of the area from the comfort of a small ferry boat, with one or more guides talking about the history and geography of the area. Highlights on our tour were Witches Gulch and Stand Rock. The stop at Witches Gulch allowed passengers to walk around for about one-half hour, which was a nice change of pace. The stop at Stand Rock was a bit more strenuous, but also interesting.

From journal Summer vacation, 2000

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