Day 2 - (8-21-12) - Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells

Mike here
We left Sage Lake Sunday afternoon and drove over the Mackinaw Bridge to the Upper Peninsula and Sault Ste Marie.

Mackinaw Bridge

Watched a couple of ships go through the Locks and then went down to the Sugar Island Ferry where the ships pass so close you can hit them with a rock.

Freighter going thru the Soo Locks

Checked into the Kewadin Casino and Hotel and contributed to the Indians. The Trip is off! Just kidding. Left for Escanaba the next day. Decided to travel a backwoods route through the Eastern UP. Drove a 100 miles and saw 3 cars. Very relaxing driving. Drove down the Western Shore of Lake Michigan into Wisconsin and met MaryAnn and Jim at the Dells.

Jim, MaryAnn, Judy, Mike on the Dells Boat Trip

While on the boat trip, we found out that the rock formations in the Wisconsin Dells were formed during the last ice age approximately 15,000 years ago. Actually the rock itself is much older dating back some 510 million years ago. This was when the area that is known as Wisconsin was at the bottom of a shallow sea.

Lots of scenery like this.

About 19,000 years ago, the Dells were at the end of the continental glacier, but were never covered by the glacier - it was part of a large area that was missed by the ice. The melting of the glacier formed Glacial Lake, Wisconsin, and it was about the size of the Great Salt Lake in Utah and as deep as 150 feet. The lake was held back by an ice dam from the glacier. The ice dam burst and a horrible flood occured which dropped the lake's dept to 50 feet and in the process it cut narrow gorges and unusal rock formations which became known as the Wisconsin Dells.

That is the area we took the boat ride thru. Beautiful. The upper river boat ride was great with 2 stops for short hikes. One was up a very narrow gorge and the other up to table rock.

MaryAnn said this reminded them of Antelope Canyon in AZ but without the redish color.

The water was green in color

The dog would jump 5-1/2 feet to get to the other side.  Does this every time a boat stops there.

The ride on the lower river was different because the boats could not run due to the shallow water so we rode in Army Ducks which can go on land and water. Lots of fun.

Can you believe it!!! 

Judy lost our lunch.....