Original Wisconsin Ducks

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.

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 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.

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.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Original Wisconsin Ducks, in the Wisconsin Dells, are a beloved and long-running sightseeing tour aboard amphibious vehicles known as Ducks, which travel both on land and water to show off the beautiful scenery of the Dells. Riding in the distinctive World War Two-era amphibious vehicles, visitors tour scenic trails through the woods and hills and then splash directly into the Wisconsin River and Lake Delton, taking in the striking sandstone rock formations, forests, and waterways that make the Dells famous. A classic Dells experience blending scenery and fun, it delights families. With its land-and-water tours, the Original Wisconsin Ducks offer an entertaining destination in Wisconsin.

You can expect a guided sightseeing tour aboard an amphibious Duck vehicle that travels scenic wooded trails and hills before splashing directly into the Wisconsin River and Lake Delton, giving you views of the Dells' famous sandstone rock formations, forests, and waterways along the way. The novelty of the land-and-water ride, the beautiful Dells scenery, and the entertaining guides are the highlights, offering a fun and scenic outing for all ages. It is a signature Wisconsin Dells attraction. With its scenic land-and-water ride, the Original Wisconsin Ducks offer an enjoyable experience in Wisconsin.

Yes, the Original Wisconsin Ducks are a great family activity, with the novelty of the amphibious ride splashing from land into the water thrilling children and adults alike, beautiful scenery throughout, and entertaining guides who share the sights and history. The tour is a fun, easygoing outing suitable for all ages, and the splash into the river is a memorable highlight for kids. Checking current tour times and season before you go is wise. With its splashy land-and-water ride and scenery, the Original Wisconsin Ducks make a fun family destination in the Wisconsin Dells.

The tours operate seasonally, generally from spring through fall, with summer the peak season when the Wisconsin Dells is liveliest, though also the busiest, and fall offering beautiful autumn color along the scenic trails and waterways. The warm months are ideal for the water portions of the ride. Because tours are seasonal, checking current dates and hours before you go is wise. For lively summer fun choose the peak season, or visit in fall for scenic color, on the Original Wisconsin Ducks in the Wisconsin Dells.

The Original Wisconsin Ducks are in the Wisconsin Dells, within reach of the Dells' many attractions and waterparks, the scenic Wisconsin River, Devil's Lake State Park and Baraboo to the south with the Circus World Museum and International Crane Foundation, and Dr. Evermor's Forevertron. That makes the Original Wisconsin Ducks a fun stop to combine with Devil's Lake State Park, the Baraboo attractions, and the other sights of the Wisconsin Dells area on a visit to Wisconsin.