Today it’s off to Niagara Falls.  By 10AM we are parking the car and hitting the trail that traces the cliff tops of the Niagara River Gorge toward the falls.  At first it is quiet and peaceful with panoramic views of Canada across the river far below.  As we pass under Rainbow Bridge the roar of the falls reaches us.  We walk on. Crowds thicken a bit and the familiar bar guardrails begin.  The roar grows louder and wind lifted spray bathes us all even here at the top of the falls.  It is the kind of place that just puts one in awe of nature.  There is a lot of development here but the falls can still overpower all that man puts up to compete with it.

Color coded ponchos are everywhere. Every 15 minutes a boat jammed full of blue (Maid of the Mist, USA) or red (Hornblower, CA) bug-sized dots makes to loop from dock to just below Horseshoe Falls to bathe its passengers in the famous mist.  Throngs of yellow dots wander the scaffolding and decks along the gorge wall beside both falls to get their fix of both mist and sometimes actual splash as water thunders onto the rocks beside them.  A four strand zip line sweeps along the Canadian shore providing what I am sure are fantastic views (not that I have any interest in experiencing that first hand).

It is much more peaceful again as we wander on around Goat Island to check out the magnificent Canadian Rapids and Three Sisters Islands.

No trip to the Falls is complete without a look from the other side.  We walk Rainbow Bridge and the Canadian gorge rim for wonderful views of both falls.  They do have the better line of sight.  It is only 3PM and wind driven rain pelts us as we return across the bridge.  Maybe we will come back tomorrow evening for the lighted views and fireworks.

One last stop, an elevator ride down to the gorge floor to explore the remnants of the Schoellkopf Power station. Two-thirds of this early (1904) power generating station was destroyed by rock slides in 1956.  It is a tribute to both human ingenuity and tenacity in harnessing the power of nature and to nature’s regular reminders that she is really the one in charge and if you mess with her too much she will repay in equal or better measure.  This elevator provides access to the maintenance facility for the Maid(s) of the Mist.   A huge 220 ton crane lifts the boats to dry dock right here in the gorge where they are battened down for the winter.