Chapel Gorge Trail: A Fairy Tale Wisconsin Dells Hike

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Way back in June 2024 my dad had to go to Wisconsin Dells for something so I tagged along and we did the Chapel Gorge Trail while we were there.

But before that we made a trip to downtown Wisconsin Dells, which I haven’t been to since.. middle school? High school, maybe?

Either way, it’s been a VERY long time, and boy was it a different experience.

(I did go to Baraboo and Devil’s Lake with my parents the year before and we stayed in Lake Delton so I was technically there but not in the thick of it).

I would say it’s pretty much the same as it was back then, but it felt significantly more overwhelming all grown up.

It still has the candy store (which I used to LOVE), souvenir shops, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, mini golf, and enough t-shirt shops to clothe all of America.

After stopping at the H.H. Bennett Studio (the reason for the visit) we took a stroll up and down both sides of the main street.

After that, we made a stop at Chula Vista Resort to try and get a picture of a specific rock.

I want to say it was Stand Rock, but that’s not at Chula Vista, so I’m not sure. It could have been the little island thing right behind the resort.

We wandered around inside the hotel, asked if it was possible to see and they said no, then wandered around outside trying to figure out where it even was.

Turns out, you really cannot see it from there and only can from the water. We figured that from that start but it was worth a shot to stop and see.

Finally, from there we headed out to the Chapel Gorge Trail which was a nice relief from the downtown crowds and busy resort.

Our Chapel Gorge Hike

It wasn’t a busy day at the trailhead so parking was no problem, but on a nice day I could see it filling up.

The weather was perfect for this hike. It was cloudy (which made for absolutely LOVELY pictures in the woods) and warm but not hot.

The trail starts off with somewhat dense woods on both sides, just for a bit, before opening up into a section with little underbrush and towering pines.

This part reminded me of The Ledges Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. And the general green-ness of this trail also did.

But before long we were into the woods, a combination of the first to parts: plenty of green underbrush and just as many beautiful green trees above.

This is where it started to get a little more hilly, and WAY more buggy. The trail is a lollipop shape and when we got to the fork we went to the right.

There was some nice leaves and an occasional mushroom to stop and enjoy, but I never stopped long because the mosquitos were pretty bad.

Not bad enough to turn around, but not pleasant either. The trail is super easy to follow and well marked. It’s about the width of a sidewalk, so not super narrow either.

Before we knew it, we made it to the river. But first we had to do a minor rock scramble to get down to the beach.

If you’re aging (origin story for that here) you’ll want to be more careful here but I didn’t think it was tricky.

There were already a few people on the beach but it wasn’t busy. It’s not a huge beach so if it’s busy it would definitely feel crowded, but this day it wasn’t.

Since it was cloudy (the solid gray/white kind), it wasn’t the best for pictures of the river but I’ll take that any day over trying to take pictures in the woods when its sunny.

After enjoying the view for a bit it was time to head back. We scrambled (I use the in the loosest sense) back up and continued around the rest of the loop portion of the trail.

It was a little more up and down, again, nothing difficult, in the fairytale woods. I love the way the green almost glows in this kind of lighting.

I think we saw a couple of other people on our way out but it was still not busy, so apparently a cloudy day in early June is a good time for this trail.

On the way out, when you get to the end of the loop part, there will be another little fork.

Here, you go to the left to get back to the main trailhead. Looking at the map on AllTrails, they may intersect again if you go to the right, but the left is the official trail.

Before long we were back in the open pines then the underbrush section and finally back to the car, free from the mosquitos.

I’m really glad I tagged along and that we decided to make the stop here. I mean really, when else will I be going to the Dells?

I definitely think the Chapel Gorge Trail is worth it if you’re in the area and want to do something that isn’t water parks or mini golf.

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is the Chapel Gorge Trail in Wisconsin Dells?

The Chapel Gorge Trailhead is about five minutes north of Wisconsin Dells, 25 minutes from Baraboo, an hour from Madison, and two hours from Eau Claire.

How long is the Chapel Gorge Trail?

AllTrails tracked us at 2.15 miles and the official trail page says it’s 1.7 miles, so somewhere between that.

Is the Chapel Gorge Trail hard?

Nope! There is some up and down, but it’s not bad (157 feet). The mosquitos were the worst part, but not unbearable (and I consider myself a professional in knowing if they’re unbearable).

Is the Chapel Gorge Trail worth it?

Yes! This was a beautiful trail! And while the cloudy weather was prime for the woods making it feel extra magical, I bet the beach is even better on a sunny day!

Have you been to the Dells? What did you think of it? What did you do there? What is your favorite hike near the Dells?