There lies a lot of beauty within Niagara Falls. Being so closely located to the Falls and surrounded by the river and gorge, the city is a unique geographic area. In addition to the bustling tourist area with restaurants, museums and shopping, the city is built upon recreational parks with serene settings and scenic views of the river rapids and gorge. There are plenty of hiking trails in and around Niagara Falls that allows visitors to catch and picture these amazing views.
There are a myriad of Niagara Falls hiking trails fit for any skill level.
Lewiston Branch Gorge Trail (Artpark State Park)
The easier of the trails in terms of difficulty. A roundtrip hike on this trail measures at approximately 2 miles. The Lewiston Branch Gorge Trail begins on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. The trail is divided into two, the upper trail and the lower trail. Each of them following the gorge at mid-level or close to the river, respectively. They both end under the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. The trail leads to spots great for fishing, with access points to the water’s edge. Hikers can access the trail from Fourth Street or Portage Street in Lewiston.
Devil’s Hole State Park
Devil’s Hole is a more moderate hike in difficulty. Hikers will experience narrow sections, stairs and must navigate through boulders and rocks. The trail distance is approximately 2.5 miles round trip. Hikers can see the scenic vista, the gorge and Devil’s Hole Rapids. Hikers can access the gorge trail via stairs. It also connects with Whirlpool State park. The moderate level hike can take up to 2.5 hours.
Whirlpool State Park
Whirlpool Rim Trail
The Rim Trail of Whirlpool State Park is an easy hike. Measuring at 2.5 miles round trip, hikers will be able to reach the scenic vista to view the Whirlpool and rapids.
Whirlpool Rapids Trail
The Rapids trail is a lot more difficult than those listed above. The trail requires navigation through narrow sections and some “boulder hopping”. The Rapids trail is also a bit longer, a 3.25 mile round trip. Hikers will reach a scenic vista where they can view the Whirlpool and rapids, interesting geology and the Whirlpool bridges. The moderate-difficult hike can take up to 2 hours.