Journey Behind the Falls is a year-round attraction that offers a unique view of the Falls from below and behind. Visitors descend 125 ft. by elevator, where a short tunnel gives access to two outdoor observation decks and two portals located directly behind the Falls.
It's always free to walk into Niagara Falls State Park to see the Falls, and it's open 365 days a year! What many people are happy to discover, however, is that along with this majestic natural wonder, the Niagara Falls tours and activities that you can enjoy inside the park provide hours of added fun!
The Maid of the Mist goes alongside the American Falls before bringing you into the mist of the Horseshoe Falls. It does not go behind Niagara Falls, but the boat travels to the bedrock of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
Nineteen people have tried to ride Niagara Falls in a barrel -- or in worse than a barrel. Four died. Six were stopped before they could try it. Nine made the fall and lived to tell of it.
The US side is an elevator down to the bottom of the Bride's Veil fall and an easy walk and some stairs and platforms at the bottom of the falls - very dramatic, lots is spray; great picture taking spot. The two experiences, Canada (truly behind the falls) and the US (bottom of the falls) are very different.
Elevators descend 125 feet through bedrock to tunnels that lead and to the Cataract Portal and the Great Falls Portal which is one-third of the way behind the massive sheet of water. Then you walk on to the Upper and Lower Observation Decks at the very foot of the Falls.
The three talked and drifted for about an hour, and eventually floated under the North Grand Island Bridge, the marker that serves the locals who frequently boat above the falls as the unofficial point of no return.
Since 1850, more than 5,000 people have gone over Niagara Falls, either intentionally (as stunts or suicide attempts) or accidentally.
The last person to go over Niagara Falls was a man attempting to commit suicide, jumping from the edge, in 2003. He somehow came out alive as, in 1960, did Roger Woodward – perhaps the most remarkable survivor of all.
Are You Allowed to Swim at Niagara Falls? No, you are not allowed to swim at Niagara Falls. The reason being that the waters are incredibly dangerous, with strong currents, turbulent rapids, and whirlpools that can easily drag even the strongest swimmers to their death.
The brown foam below Niagara Falls is a natural result of tons of water plummeting into the depths below. It is not dangerous. The brown colour is clay, which contains suspended particles of decayed vegetative matter. It is mostly from the shallow eastern basin of Lake Erie.
We had our 9 month and 2 year old with us and they loved the experience. Baby wear if you can as it makes life easier, especially if you're on the top deck. Strollers can be brought on and they have stroller parking but things can get wet so be aware.
Is it Safe to Drink Niagara Water? Yes, it is safe to drink the water in Niagara Falls. The water in Niagara Falls comes from four of the great lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. It is treated by the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant before being distributed to the public.
Niagara Falls Illumination
Together, these lights work to create a breathtaking view not to be missed, and are illuminated every night of the year beginning at dusk. Throughout the year, Niagara Falls is illuminated for holidays and significant occasions, as determined by the Niagara Falls Illumination Board (NFIB).
The solution – the Welland Canal. Built in 1829, the Welland Canal has been the way ships have bypassed Niagara Falls for nearly 200 years. The man-made marvel has been worked on and improved since it was built.
How deep is the Niagara Whirlpool? It is as deep as 38 meters, or 125 feet. The average depth is 10.7 meters or 35 feet.
Roger Woodward looks up as he's being rescued by The Maid of the Mist. It's enough to make anyone believe in miracles. Back on July 9, 1960, a seven-year-old boy named Roger Woodward was swept over Horseshoe Falls, wearing only a lifejacket and somehow survived.
The U.S. owns the first two and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls is owned by Canada. Ten percent of the Niagara River flows over the American and Bridal Veil Falls and the remaining 90% over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
There was only one other time the Falls stopped flowing, from June to November of 1969. The American Falls were stopped by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers in order to study what actions, if any, should be taken to remove the debris at the base of the American Falls.
That's the question so many people ask when they take the Niagara City Cruise to the base of the falls. The building is the abandoned Ontario Power Company's generating station built in 1905. The building on the very top of the bank was the company's distribution station.
The story goes like this… Gold had been sent from England on a ship to pay soldiers stationed at Queen's Town (later renamed Queenston) during the War of 1812-14. The reputed treasure-$100.000 in gold coins- was stolen from the ship by two deserting soldiers.
In order to “turn off” Niagara Falls, the water needs to be diverted from the American Falls to the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side. This can be done by using cofferdams and diversion channels.
The water rushing over the Niagara Falls waterfalls comes from the Great Lakes, which is the world's largest surface freshwater system in the world. It contains about 18% of the world's freshwater supply, with water flowing into the Great Lakes from streams and rivers that empty into it.