As the largest waterfall in North America by volume, Niagara Falls has up to 168,000 m3 (5.9 million cu ft) of water flowing over it every second. And yes, that is A LOT!! Especially when you’re standing right behind Niagara Falls, feeling the power of water thundering down. It’s simply breathtaking. You can make your Journey behind the Falls at Niagara Parks on the Canadian side. This tour takes you behind Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the 3 waterfalls that collectively form Niagara Falls. It is an unforgettable way to experience Niagara Falls up close and to appreciate its incredible force and beauty.
6650 Niagara River Pkwy, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6T2, Canada
Journey Behind the Falls is located on the first floor of the Table Rock Welcome Centre in Niagara Parks in Canada.
Journey Behind the Falls is open daily. However, the hours of operation change depending on the season. Please visit the tour’s website for more information.
This attraction is CA$24.99/adult. You can either purchase your ticket online or in person. If you’re visiting during peak seasons or busier days, we recommend buying the tickets beforehand. That way, you won’t have to wait in line.
There are many available parking lots at Niagara Parks, however, the closest parking lot to Journey Behind the Falls is Falls Parking (Lot A) at 6635 Niagara Parkway. It is the same parking lot if you’re doing the Zipline to the Falls.
It usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how long you want to spend. We took about 45 minutes here.
Since our traveling schedule had some changes, we purchased our tickets in person instead of online. The ticket counter is located inside, on the first floor of the Table Rock Welcome Centre. Since we were there early on a weekday, there wasn’t any line to purchase tickets or to get in.
After we entered, there was a small exhibit about the formation of the Falls as well as the history of the Niagara Falls area. It was quite educational. We recommend making a quick stop. If not, you can head up a short set of stairs to get your poncho and get in the queuing line for the elevator. This elevator descends 125ft to the entrance of the big, concrete tunnels. These tunnels are 130 years old. They are about 8 ft wide, and 7 ft tall. Now, there are 2 routes to explore the area, and you NEED to do BOTH!
The right fork in the main tunnel leads to a few more tunnels with 2 big portals cut straight through the rock directly behind Horseshoe Falls. The closer we got to one of these portals, we could hear the roaring sounds of the water. The tunnel’s floor also got wetter and more slippery. Make sure to watch your steps along the way. These viewing portals are interesting but a bit underwhelming. There are short metal gates, about 25-30 feet before the actual opening of the portal, preventing visitors from getting close to the deafening water. So, you won’t get to see the entirety of behind the falls. However, this is for good reason. With how powerful Niagara Falls is, you could easily get swept away.
Still, it was pretty cool to be at the metal gate. The Niagara Falls is powerful, with 5.9 million cu ft of water crashing over the brink of the Horseshoe Falls every second, traveling 65 kilometers (40.4 miles) per hour. So even at the metal gate, we could feel the thunderous vibration of the Horseshoes Falls as the water splashed through the opening. Consider how fast the water was flowing, when looking out, all we saw was a white wall of mist and water. It was quite surreal.
Instead of going right from the fork on the main tunnel, if you go straight, it will lead to the Upper Observation Deck. The Upper Observation Deck is our favorite part of the Journey Behind the Falls. There are 2 levels at the Observation Deck. Make sure to check out both. On the top floor, you’ll get a comprehensive view of the whole area. However, if you want to get closer to the Horseshoe Falls, go down to the bottom floor. Don’t forget to put on your poncho. You will get wet!
The right side of the bottom level is right next to the edge of Horseshoe Falls. The views from here are spectacular. We could see the rolling mist, created by the water splashing. The powerful water rushing down resembles a fluffy white wool curtain, draping over the side of the green hill. When the sunlight hit at a certain angle, the water glistened like tiny jewels pouring down. At the bottom, the river water is so blue that it looks like sapphire. Besides that feast for the eyes, the waterfall’s roar is like thunder, echoing throughout the river gorge. It was such an awe-inspiring experience, realizing how small and powerless we are when facing the force of nature.
If you’re brave enough, we recommend doing the Zipline to the Falls after this Journey Behind the Falls. It’s fun and not difficult at all. It is another unique experience in Niagara Falls! If you’re visiting Toronto, check out the CN Tower Edgewalk! It was a bucket list experience. If you want more waterfalls and are up for an adventure, we recommend kayaking to Shoshone Falls in Idaho. The Shoshone Falls is known as Niagara Falls of the West.
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These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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