For the most current outdoor recreational & community information please visit The Skillet Creek Journal at www.skilletcreekjournal.com.   We also have a pretty darn active Twitter @ http://www.twitter.com/skilletcreek and Facebook page as well.  So while we won’t be blogging here at WisDells.net any longer, it’s simply because we’ve got stuff going on all over the place!!   Did I mention the Devil’s Lake State Park Blog?

According to an article in the Wisconsin Dells Events newspaper, Nick Laskaris, Owner of Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park,  asked at a recent village board meeting why the area hides its natural beauty from Wisconsin Dells visitors.  Good question Nick!  It’s the same question I asked over 10 years ago now when working with a now defunct Wisconsin Dells Commerce association on their website.  The answer at the time was clear and went something like, “We don’t want people at parks where they won’t spend money”.  I’m paraphrasing the quote that most stood out to me at the time.

Of course all over the country other communities have realized that their natural attractions are a major part of their overall draw.  You don’t always have to “build it”, and they will still come.  You simply have to share it.  Market it.  Show pride in it.  People who visit parks & natural areas also eat, stay in hotels, shop and yes, visit theme parks and other attractions in the area as well.  It’s not an either/or proposition. 

I certainly hope Mr. Laskaris pushes this issue.  As owner of Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park he is in a unique position to be listened to.  Here at Skillet Creek we obviously support a new energized focus on outdoor recreation and tourism in our area.  It’s what we’ve been all about for years.  Sauk County offers some of the most amazing natural areas in Wisconsin and the Mid-West.  In our opinion it’s always been short sighted to try to hide our most attractive features.

Learn More

- DevilsLakeWisconsin.com

- Natural Areas Guide @ DevilslakeWisconsin.com
– includes; Dells of the Wisconsin River & more…

- MirrorLakeWisconsin.com

- and speaking of marketing & presentation….

Years ago while paddling along out on Devil’s Lake we came across this young couple who were out paddling as well. We learned then that they were a bit new to kayaking and actually lived nearby in Reedsburg, a community about 15 miles from our home here in Baraboo. Now, as often happens when you meet people in passing, we sort of dropped out of touch. It wasn’t until yesterday when we were out riding on the 400 bike trail that we realized that they were now married and owned an outdoor shop right along the trail.   

Beyond Boundaries is located in Wonewoc, Wisconsin on the mid-way point of the 400 trail. They are open Mon, Wed., Friday from 9am to 3:30 pm and 8 to 5 on weekends. Beyond Boundaries offers bike, canoe, kayak rentals & shuttle service. They also have a bike shop and small store offering snacks, ice cream an more. Their shop is a bit of an oasis along the 400. Another thing that makes their shop interesting (besides talking to their dog of course) is exploring their building which was once a grain mill. It’s really quite impressive. And talk about circles within circles; Mary grew up in Wonewoc as a child and used to go with her father to have the corn ground up at this very mill. Small world.

Now the guys don’t have a website yet as they just opened in the fall of last year, however you can call them at 608-Go4Ride (608-464-7433).

Google Map

View BarabooNow.com Guide in a larger map

What does “Getting away from it all.” mean to you?  It could mean anything from spending a weekend at a resort or spa, to climbing Everest, or simply finding a quiet little spot around home.  This weekend our version of  “Getting away from it all” meant hiking up a long stream to discover a place we’d seen on a topo map, but never had heard of before.  It was really amazing.

Riverside & Great Northern Railway in Wisconsin Dells

I was on my way out to Stand Rock Campground a few days back when I passed by the Riverside & Great Northern Railway on County Rd. N in Wisconsin Dells. Driving by reminded me that I had been wanting to talk about Great Northern since it holds a bit of that vintage Wisconsin Dells spirit that many remember. It also provides another unique way to enjoy the natural beauty of Wisconsin Dells.

The Great Northern Railway is a 15-inch Gauge mini-Steam train that travels on a 3 mile track through canyons, forests, rock walls and of course along the upper Dells of the Wisconsin River. Great Northern is open now on the weekends and will be open daily from memorial day forward. Train rides are $10 for adults and $8 for children (3 and younger ride free). They also offer a free ride to active duty military personnel and their families which is very cool. Check out their website for all the details and scroll to the bottom for a $1 web discount.

Oh, and if you are into trains don’t miss the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom.

Now that Lake Delton is once again a lake, it seemed like a good time to fix up the free public boat landing at Adams Street and Canyon Road.  It was completed just yesterday and already somebody thought they should try to back their vehicle right up onto on of the piers.  Nice.  Well, they did’nt do any damage other than some rather un-attractive tire marks.  Other than that the the new landing looks great.    Here at WisDells.net if you are looking for general fishing information or you need a map to figure out just where the public landing is simply visit our fishing page.

Being the “outdoorsy” type, when I’m planning a vacation I’m always looking for the best spots to hike, bike, paddle or whatever when I get to my destination.  The thing is, I always know I’m missing something.  Maps and Chamber of  Commerce websites rarely do a good job showing you where the best best trails are.  With that in mind I’ve added a new section to WisDells.net called “Where We Go“.  The “Where We Go” section will tell you about the places we enjoy right here in the Wisconsin Dells area.  Each article will include a general overview, directions and observations that we hope will give you some new ideas when exploring the area. 

Starting off I’ve got two activites for you.. Hiking the South Face of the East Bluff at Devil’s Lake State Park & Paddling the Baraboo River.  Check the new “Where We Go” section every week or so as I will be posting more of our favorite outdoor spots as soon as I can write them up!  Also for a more general look at Natural Areas around the Dells go to our Natural Areas section.

As we’ve begun our new focus on outdoor recreation we realized we need to get out and take new pictures for the Natural Areas section. Yesterday we managed to get out to Baxter’s Hollow about 20 miles south of the Dells, Natural Bridge State Park (even further south), and the Dells of the Wisconsin river right here in Wisconsin Dells. It was a great day for a road trip and a hike. The DOWR Natural Area opens officially on May 15th of each year. Click here for more.

Yep, there are lots of you out there that almost cringe at the mention of Wisconsin Dells.  For some it’s certainly become the anti-vacation.  A weekend full of running around, stress, unhealthy food, kids on sugar highs, traffic and well, you know…  Well,  there is another side to Wisconsin Dells of course.  It’s just getting hard and harder to find.   As a paddler, hiker and general outdoorsy type myself  I could’nt help thinking that there are lots of us out there who actually want to relax on our vacation and not just run from crowded spot to crowded spot being separated from our money.   It was that thought that encoraged me to take a bit of a right turn here at WisDells.net.  I decided to get out of the “rat race” as it were, and focus on building this site around outdoor enthusiasts, families who want to play together, and actually relax.   So with that in mind let’s see where 2009 takes us.  There will be lots of new content coming under the heading of  “Outdoor Guide” soon.  Feel free to post here. Suggestions & comments are welcome.

The picture of the day is from the Wintergreen Resort in Wisconsin Dells.  ( Um, and in summer of course!) You may want to check those guys out if you are planning to stay in Wisconsin Dells over the summer.  However, what was actually on my mind this snowy Sunday morning was a couple reports I’ve heard from folks who work in Wisconsin Dells.  They are telling me that it’s all Gangbusters at the momment.  I’m told that at at least 2 of the most popular resorts the indoor water parks are packed over the weekends and some folks are even putting in extra hours.  Now you know how hearsay goes, but it’s interesting none-the-less.