Upper Wisconsin Dells Boat tour / Ochsner Park & Zoo

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It is a rainy, cold day here today and tomorrow. So, we are pushing on to see what we can in the rain. Yesterday on the way in we saw the Ochsner Park & Zoo. After researching we found it was a free zoo. The site states that the "majority of our animals are either rehabilitated wildlife that are not able to be released or rescued from the exotic pet trade". The Zoo contains playful bears, a variety of owls, sleepy Mexican wolves, a lonely gorgeous artic fox, rambunctious river otters, hidden prairie dogs, a stinky skunk, a majestic eagle, and farm animals. The best part was watching the playful bears run around, climb up trees, flirting with disaster, onto limbs that did not appear like they should be able to hold a bear.

After this we went to lunch, walked around town, and took the Upper Wisconsin Dells Boat tour. The tour was a bit expensive, but we were able to find coupons. The tour was 2 hours long with 2 land stops exploring the unique area of the Wisconsin River with its steep high rocky cliff shores. The first land stop was at Witches Gulch a slot canyon which was discovered in mid 1800s and has been in operation since 1877. This is a unique spot exploring narrow passages thru the canyon walls while walking on a boardwalk suspended over the water. The second land stop was Standing Rock where we witnessed a trained German shepherd jump the famous leap from cliff face to Stand Rock and back again. This jump is done in remembrance of Bennett's most famous photograph shot in 1886 of his son Ashley leaping across the same rock formation. He used the image to prove that a stop action shutter (rubber band) he developed could really work.

We headed back to the campground as we had yet to book anymore sites for our next stop in Minnesota. Thankfully we were able to grab the very last site at a campground only 15 minutes from one of Daisy's must see, Mall of America. Close to Minneapolis Skyway for Nate. And not too far from a couple waterfalls for myself.

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