Riverside & Great Northern Railway

We had a great time. Even though its a mini train it was big enough to fit a large adult into it. My teenager's had a good time and enjoyed the view. They had a mini donut and coffee stand and little scenes where you could take photos. They also had a cute giftshop where you buy the tickets. My family enjoyed the ride and had a great experience. I think they would be amazing if they did a haunted train ride.

It’s not often we make it to the Dells. This time we decided we wanted to try something different from the standard Dells tourism menu. We found Riverside & Great Northern Railway and we were very pleased we did so. Very cool history from the days before electricity. The ladies in the gift shop/ticket booth were very friendly and super patient with my children (standard 2 and 5 year old walking tornadoes). We bought tickets to ride the train. $15 for an adult, $10 for kids over 3 and under 3 is free. The guys operating the train were very knowledgeable about the history and friendly. The train ride was scenic and fun. Well worth the trip to Riverside & Great Northern Railway!

What a great way to preserve history! This gem is located about 5-10 minutes north of Wisconsin dells, and is well with your money. 100% volunteer ran attraction that is sure to light up your day! (We're all kids at heart, it's worth it without kids as well). A cute little gift shop before or after your ride is sure to give you a conversation piece once you're home!

We did this on a whim and it was such a great time!! The volunteers here were super friendly and informative. You can tell it's their passion!! Our toddlers had a blast on the train ride and enjoyed the tour!

Such a fun stop with my grandchildren. The volunteers were all very kind and did a great job explaining the history of the trains and the property. The train ride was fun.

I love trains and was so excited to get a tour of all the buildings and learn about the history and making of the cool trains and all the cool stuff in the buildings! The train ride was awesome! All the staff was super nice and polite! I definitely recommend coming here when visiting Wisconsin Dells!!

Nice family train ride! For a little train it definitely drove faster then I thought it would! My kids loved when the guy hole punched their ticket because it was official then lol Only problem was that most trains I've been on have a small gate/door or even a rope for the doorway but this one had nothing and my 3yr old tried walking off it a couple times while it was moving but other then that it was very enjoyable for the whole family!

A worthwhile visit near Wisconsin Dells. Run by volunteer train enthusiasts who care deeply about the history and legacy of the steam locomotive. The small-scale fully-functional steam locomotives pull replica train cars. Each car has seating for 8 people. The train follows an old rail bed along the west side of the Wisconsin River, through cuts and over bridges, and returns along the same route. The smell of coal smoke, the sound of the steam whistle, and the sight of billowing steam from the locomotive offer a unique experience of a long-ago railroad era. When not riding the train, an attractive play structure, games, and picnic tables on the grounds keep kids entertained.

What a GREAT experience! Everyone was so nice! The train ride is cooler in temperature so bring a sweatshirt or take a ride to get a break from the heat. Half way through, you can get out and the Conductors give you a little lesson on the train and a brief history.

Bathrooms were clean. The landscape was perfect. You never have to walk through weeds or tall grasses.

There is a large wooden (very clean) train kids can play on. One woman brought outside toys and chalk for our kids to enjoy.

They have a penny brusher machines, so bring some quarters and pennies.

Let's talk about the gift shop... EVERYTHING is reasonably priced! They have post cards, to books, to shirts, to Lego like train toys!

5 stars and we will come back again! (Definitely the cleanest and kindest place we've ever been in the Dells!)

Phenomenal venue and staff
Phenomenal family experience
Enjoyed my time there

Very neat and scenic little train ride. Highly recommended for kids. Volunteers are very friendly and informative about the trains history. Looking forward to their plans for expansion.

Enter the world of train enthusiasts! The 1/3 scale steam train is great, in that you can get close to the action. The smell of coal and real train sounds are a special experience. The well-informed engineer and helper made it a nice educational experience for our children. Picnic tables and an open area for kids to explore make it a nice place to bring food for lunch. Looks like they had a café, but it was not open when we were there (on a Friday).

Loved the Steam Engine! Whistle and Bell. Snacks too. Gift shop has new items. Try to find the Baby black bear cubs in a tree (not live) and see real deer when they roam

We experienced the pumpkin train today - this is a must do for any family with little ones in the area. That was so much fun. Our 4 year old and baby were taken with the views and the kind volunteers. Thanks for the ride to the pumpkin patch!

Amazing experience! Great for kids and not overly commercial / touristy

This a very laid back, friendly, and affordable experience. It's a 1/4 scale railroad with several functional trains, including steam engines, and several miles of track through the Wisconsin countryside. The experience is somewhat limited now because of a washout in late 2018 which left the far end of the line disconnected. This prevents the train from reaching the trestle and the turntable, but it's still worth the time and cost. They are working on raising funds so they can rebuild. Btw, the cars are small, but are still quite rideable by 50-60-somethings like us. ;-)

Fun experience. We arrived first thing. Bought tickets in the gift shop, got on the first cute little train and had a 30 minute mini steam engine ride. About 10 minutes to the second station, then a train talk while the engine turned around, and 10 minutes back. Fun wooden train for kids to play on, and lots of picnic tables if you brought a snack. There is a gravel parking lot on site. Great for families and train enthusiasts. Lots of fun train related items in the gift shop.

Nice outdoor entertainment option. We saw a bald eagle flying overhead!

It's impressive that this nonprofit is 💯 volunteer operated! They come from all over the US to run the place on the weekends.

Pretty cool place for a short visit. The train ride is neat but don't expect a pumpkin patch in the fall. We enjoyed the ride a lot and there were some toys up front while you wait.

What a great ace to take you back in time. Wonderful staff and fun train ride. Make sure you take the whole tour. We'll have a video on visit in a few months

It was a fun and enjoyable family time with our boy's. This is the second year visiting Riverside & Great Northern Railway. we will continue to visit in the foreseeable future. Thank you to all who work, donate and keep this little jewel preserved. 🥰🚂👨‍👩‍👦‍👦