At this point the Niagara River is a wide, seemingly slow river, appearing to be much like the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers, but off in the distance we could see a hint of the reason we're in this part of town.
A few miles north on the Robert Moses Parkway and we arrived at the Niagara Falls State Park. The state of New York doesn't charge a fee for entrance to the park, believing it to be a national treasure as well as the second most visited site in the state after New York City, but parking is a bit pricey. We were lucky to find a spot on a side street and shot across the park to the American Falls.
It's impossible to conceive of the amount of water flowing over the falls, but a sign estimated that 75,000 gallons a second flow over the American Falls. Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side, are visible in the distance below several fancy hotels and observation towers.
The noise of all that water hitting the rocks below is deafening. Imagine a half dozen trains roaring by at high speed and you'll have some idea.
Just upstream from the Falls, an area of whitewater is known as Hell's Half Acre. Appropriately so, I think!
Seeing all this water, and noticing the tour boats cruising the river below the Falls, gave us an idea.
But first, a look at the two sets of waterfalls that we hoped to see from a different angle….
First step: buy tickets (surprisingly reasonable).
Second step: get fashionable blue poncho and ask people nearby to take "before" picture.
People nearby: He's from Cuba and she's from Venezuela. Currently living in New Jersey and struggling with English. Today is her 33rd birthday….Happy Birthday!
Step 3: Don blue poncho and try to look cool!
Here we go! Past the American Falls with a bit of mist….
American Falls with the Observation Tower behind and Rainbow Bridge farther back. Rainbow is the primary route into Canada from Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist boats are boarded at the base of the tower.
On to Horseshoe Falls. We begin to understand why we were given the ponchos.
The view leaving Horseshoe give you an understanding of the majesty of the Falls!
The American Falls. The narrow falls on the right is aptly named Bridal Veil Falls.
Horseshoe Falls.
Awesome!
Goat Island separates the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls and is accessible by pedestrian walkway. We strolled over and took a photo of the Falls from the south.
This is the branch of the Niagara River that feeds Bridal Veil Falls.
Those yellow slickers down there are people navigating the trail to the Cave of the Winds. And that's Bridal Veil Falls dumping a million gallons of water just a few feet from them!
Donna declined the invitation….
And this is what is pouring over the edge…
From the pedestrian walkway between Goat Island and Niagara Falls, NY, it's easy to see how the large, slow, wide Niagara River is pinched down just before it enters Hell's Half Acre and then over the edge.
This has been an incredible day of sightseeing! Off to Canada tomorrow if the Good Lord is willin' !
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