Dells of the Eau Claire County Park in the Town of Plover, east of Wausau, centers on a rocky Eau Claire River gorge with cascades, waterfalls, ancient bedrock, potholes, and northern mesic woodland. Established in 1923, the park was planned to preserve its natural scenery, with later improvements kept modest and concentrated around the gorge. A rustic stone-faced bridge built in 1927 and Civilian Conservation Corps work from 1935 to 1942 helped shape its historic landscape, much of which still remains. The park became a State Natural Area in 1973 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, though the gorge’s beauty also carries serious hazards.