Sandstone Bluffs Along the Wisconsin River, Wisconsin Dells

The Wisconsin River carved these sandstone bluffs over thousands of years, cutting through layers of Cambrian-era rock deposited some 500 million years ago. The formations mark the northern edge of the Wisconsin Dells, a roughly five-mile stretch of the river between Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton known for its exposed sandstone canyons and rock islands. Glacial meltwater from the last ice age accelerated the erosion, widening the river channel and exposing the layered rock now visible along its banks. Pine and hardwood forest covers the bluffs above the water, typical of the mixed woodland that lines much of this section of the river.

Photo taken in July 2024.