Original Wisconsin Ducks
2277 Dellshire Dr, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Ride a surplus wartime amphibious truck down wooded trails and splash straight into the river, on a Dells tradition that has run for generations.
The Original Wisconsin Ducks are one of the signature experiences of Wisconsin Dells, a tour that takes you across both land and water in the same vehicle. The vehicles themselves are DUKWs, amphibious trucks built for the Second World War to move troops and supplies from ship to shore, later bought as surplus and put to work carrying sightseers through the Dells scenery.
The tour's great trick is that the ride does not stop at the shoreline. After winding through wooded trails and narrow rock passages, the vehicle rolls right down a bank and splashes into the water, cruising the river before climbing back out onto land. That land-to-water plunge, delighting riders for generations, is the heart of the fun, and it takes visitors to corners of the Dells landscape they could reach no other way.
What Guests Love
- The thrilling moment when the vehicle drives off land and splashes into the water
- Riding through wooded trails and narrow rock passages you cannot see any other way
- The mix of scenic river gorge and offbeat military-surplus history
- A classic Dells experience that has entertained families for generations
Worth Knowing
- Tours are seasonal, running in the warmer months, so check before you plan
- The vehicles are open, so dress for sun, breeze, or a passing shower
- Popular summer days can be busy, so consider going earlier or booking ahead
- This is one of several Dells attractions, so it pairs well with a fuller vacation day
Details
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Learn about Original Wisconsin Ducks
From the war to the Dells
The vehicles at the center of the tour are genuine pieces of history. The DUKW, nicknamed the Duck, was designed during the Second World War as an amphibious truck able to travel on roads and then swim across water, ferrying men and materiel from ships onto beaches during Allied landings.
After the war, surplus Ducks found new civilian lives, and in the Dells they were turned to sightseeing. Carrying passengers instead of cargo, they proved perfect for a landscape of rivers, gorges, and wooded trails, and the Original Wisconsin Ducks grew into a long-running Dells institution built around these hardworking old machines.
The splash and the trails
A tour begins on land, with the Duck lumbering along wooded trails and threading through narrow rock passages carved by ancient waters. The route winds through scenery that most visitors never see, back among the trees and stone away from the busy town.
Then comes the moment everyone waits for. The vehicle rolls down a bank and drives straight into the water with a great splash, transforming from truck to boat as it goes, and cruises along the river before climbing back onto solid ground. That seamless move from road to river is what makes the ride unforgettable.
The Wisconsin River and the Dells
The scenery is the other half of the appeal. The Wisconsin Dells take their name from the picturesque gorges the river has cut through soft sandstone, leaving cliffs, pillars, and narrow passages of weathered stone along the water. From the Ducks, riders see this landscape from both the trails and the river.
Long before it was a resort town, this stretch of the Wisconsin River was known and traveled by Native peoples, including the Ho-Chunk, whose homeland includes this region and who remain present in the area today. The gorges that draw visitors now have been part of the land's story for a very long time.
A Dells vacation tradition
Wisconsin Dells has grown into one of the Midwest's great family vacation destinations, dense with water parks, attractions, and entertainment. Amid all of it, the Ducks remain a beloved classic, a ride that has been part of Dells summers for generations and still draws families back year after year.
The tour pairs naturally with the rest of a Dells trip, offering a dose of scenery, history, and the simple thrill of splashing into a river in an old army truck. It is the kind of straightforward, memorable fun that has kept the Dells a summer institution.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Dells
In town
The state's famous vacation town, packed with water parks and attractions along the scenic Wisconsin River gorges.
The Upper and Lower Dells
On the river
The picturesque sandstone gorges of the Wisconsin River that gave the Dells its name, seen by boat and Duck tours.
Baraboo and Devils Lake
About 15 miles
A historic town and one of Wisconsin's most popular state parks, with quartzite bluffs and a clear lake, just south of the Dells.