Niagara Falls Gorge Trails And A Hidden Gem

June 17, 2023

Niagara Falls Gorge Trails And A Hidden Gem

Trivia. Niagara Falls is actually comprised of 3 waterfalls spanning the border between Ontario, Canada and New York, USA. The 3 waterfalls are the Horseshoe Falls, AKA the Canadian Falls, the American Falls, and the Bridal Veil Falls. They are simply known as Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls is a natural wonder. And a very beautiful attraction to see. And with such beauty comes the crowd. It is always crowded, both the American and Canadian places to see these falls. And if you're like me you try to go somewhere quiet to enjoy the place.

And there is such a place. You can still enjoy and feel the raging water of Niagara River, with a little hiking. This is the viewpoint at the end of the Whirlpool Rapids Trail. This is where I went and felt calm listening to the raging sound of the river and enjoying the view of the Whirlpool Aero Car passing back and forth on the Canadian side of the river.

The viewpoint at the end of Whirlpool Rapids Trail

The viewpoint as seen from the Canadian side

Whirlpool Rapids Trail

Whirlpool State Park is where you can access the Whirlpool Rapids Trails. The trail is part of the Niagara Gorge Trails, and is rated Challenging, as per the information published. It is 1.7mile from the park to the viewpoint, with some sections of the trail rocky. There is no elevation gain, except for the staircase for the park down to the gorge. My perspective, it is not treacherous nor technical, but like any other trails, you just have to be careful on your footing.

Map of Niagara Gorge Trail (pdf from NYS Parks)

Niagara Gorge Trails

These are interconnected trails from the Niagara Falls to Devil's Hole State Park. They are all relatively easy to moderate trails with nice viewpoints of the Niagara River. The Gorge Rim Trail (#2), 5.4 mile in length, is mostly paved, bike accessible, from Niagara Falls to Devil's Hole State Park.

All-in-a-Day's-Hike

On my visit, I hiked these trails and really enjoyed the calm and peace I felt on the end of the Whirlpool Rapids Trail. I said, "Why is the sound of the raging waters so calming to the soul?"

If you want to escape the crowd when you visit Niagara Falls, explore these trails and the other places nearby. You might find little treasures sometimes far more valuable than the big ones.