Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
American warriors bent on revenge for American atrocities committed during the War of
1812. The picturesque village is now a tourist destination in summer and fall, thanks to its
quiet beauty and the quaint shops that line Center Street.
At the place where the river ends and Lake Ontario begins, stands Old Fort Niagara, the
longest continually occupied military structure in North America. Surrounding the fort is
the village of
Youngstown,
a launching point for excellent boating and fishing, and site of
beautiful sunsets.
Whirlpool State Park
Less than three miles north of the falls is one of the most amazing natural features of the
entire region: the whirlpool. A great way to appreciate it is from
Whirlpool State Park
(off Robert Moses Pkwy., 716/284-4691,
www.nysparks.com
,
dawn-dusk daily, free). The
views of the raging river below are beautiful and breathtaking.
When you arrive at the park, pass through the stone shelter and take the paved path to
the left, which will lead you to the rim of the gorge. Once there, you'll grip the guardrail
as you glimpse the rapids at the bottom of a sheer 200-foot-drop. The class VI white water
churns menacingly down the narrow river, surging headlong into the massive whirlpool.
The whirlpool basin is a relic from a waterfall that existed long before the last ice age. The
Niagara River tears through this basin and makes a sharp right-hand turn as it heads down-
stream toward Lake Ontario.
When the river water level is high, the water slams into the far wall of the gorge and
circlescounterclockwise,passingonitsjourneytoLakeOntario.Thisphenomenonformsa
whirlpool,whichisperhapsthemostdangerousstretchoftheriver.Theever-movingvortex
is more than 200 feet deep and tosses floating objects such as tree trunks like matchsticks.
Even the modern, super-powerful jet boats do not cross this section of the river, but instead
turn to avoid the capricious power of the whirlpool.
