Wisconsin Dells: A Great Vacation

Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin is a popular destination for a weekend or vacation. The scenic city is a few hours drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul in Minnesota and the Quad Cities in Iowa/Illinois. Located northwest of Madison Wisconsin, the scenic destination is a pleasant drive away for Wisconsinites and people in surrounding states.

Wisconsin Dells is one of the earliest sites to appear on maps of the Western Great Lakes region. French explorers in the 1700'[s identified it as a convenient reference point, designating it as "Dalles". The "Dalle's" were on the Wisconsin River. After French explorers left Wisconsin the name was changed to "Dells"

Native American Indians were a large part of the history of The Dells. Native American legend has it that the rock formations along the river were formed by a great serpent wriggling down from the north that formed the bed of the Wisconsin River. The serpent's huge body wore a large groove in the land and the waters of the rive rushed in behind him.

When he came to the sandstone ridge of the Dells, he thrust his head into a crevice and pushed the rocks aside to form a winding passage. Lesser serpents fled and formed the canyons off the main channel. The great serpent formed the Wisconsin River and the less serpents formed Coldwater Canyon and Witches' Gulch.

The spectacular scenery in the Dells drew tourists to the area, making it one of the oldest resort areas in the state. as far back as the 1800's. People came to see the bluffs and unique rock formations along the Wisconsin River. After World War II, Army surplus land and water vehicles, called Ducks were brought into Lake Delton. The Ducks were used to give passengers a fun ride through the woods, up and down hills and into the the Lower Dells.

The Dells grew as a popular vacation destination. The natural scenery is stunning and there are many attractions to keep the family occupied and busy for days. Some of the attractions and activities in the Dells include: