Parking:
Parking is available in the large
lot at the park entrance. There is plenty of space for nearly
100 cars. Alternative parking can be found to the north
at Devil's
Hole State Park. If parking at Devil's Hole, just
walk south along the Robert Moses Parkway to Whirlpool
State Park (10 minute walk).
Seasons:
Whirlpool State Park is open year-round. Sections of
the gorge trail may not be accessible (or safe) during
times of heavy rain or snow. The restrooms are open from
mid-April through late October. Best season to visit:
Autumn for the foliage and fishing. Summer to get away
from the tourist crowds at the Falls. Hours: Dawn to dusk. Admission: Free.
Whirlpool State Park is one of the more
interesting parks that are strung along the Niagara
River on the New York side. The park is located along
the upper Whirlpool Rapids, a dangerously
turbulent stretch of the Niagara River downstream from
Niagara Falls.
Here the gorge walls pinch the river, forcing
massive amounts of water through a smaller space and
creating dangerous Class V
whitewater. The Whirlpool rapids generate exhilarating waves for
sport-craft and highly oxygenated water for large sport
fish. In fact, the fishing here (especially for
trout
and salmon) is so spectacular, major fishing
journals and television shows have called this one of
the premiere freshwater fishing locations in the
country.
From the entrance off of the Robert
Moses State Parkway the level lawns and scattered picnic
tables overlook the tree-covered gorge, white water of
the upper rapids, and the massive natural phenomenon
known as the Niagara Whirlpool. A single stone stairway,
in dreadful condition, leads 300 feet down into the
Niagara Gorge. Intimidating? Only if you are out of shape. Take
the journey. Whirlpool and neighboring
Devil's Hole
State Parks are filled with beautiful
sights all the way down.
The Niagara Whirlpool, with its 125 ft
(38 m) deep swirling waters is the result of the
dramatic turn in the Niagara River's flow (nearly 90
degrees), as the river changes to follow and ancient
debris-filled valley (St Davids Gorge). As the Niagara
River formed, it crossed with this buried valley and
abruptly turned to fill and follow it, quickly cutting away the
soft dirt and stone filling. The collision point at
which the Niagara met the old valley became the
Whirlpool, and the jutting out of the pool is due to the erosion on the ancient river bed in the other
direction. For more information on the formation of the
Niagara Gorge and the Whirlpool, check our
FAQ.
When standing next to the Whirlpool,
the roar of its turbulent white water easily drowns out
the rest of the world. During the day (specifically in
summer), the flow is greatest as the power plants divert
most of the water at night and during the tourist
off-season. As water is pinched through the narrows of
the gorge just upstream, it increases in speed and jets
into the Whirlpool, mixing and swirling in a
seemingly circular direction around the contours of the
gorge and eventually making its way out after a 90
degree turn. It seems that simple, but the flow is
actually more complex, and even changes based on the
time of day. See
below for more information.
Although the white water present here looks great for sport, it is
extremely dangerous. Personal craft is prohibited, and
only the
Whirlpool Jet
Boats Tours mix it up with close proximity to
the swirling pool. The chaotic upper rapids, with its 11 ft
standing waves, feed the Whirlpool and are most likely
accessible one way...from upstream and not voluntarily.
As the water exits the Whirlpool and flows into the
wider reaches of the gorge near Devil's Hole, it begins
to slow. Boats, Jet-skis, birds and fish have little
problem navigating these lesser rapids.
Across from the New York park is the
Canadian Niagara Glen-View Park, an equally amazing
adventure in its own right. It features more
Whirlpool-adjacent shoreline, as well as much better
maintained facilities, including an elevator that takes
visitors down to the "white Water Walk" boardwalk along
the upper rapids. The Canadian side also features the
Spanish Aero Car, operating since 1916, which takes
passengers 250 feet (76 m) above the Whirlpool, from one
side and back along its 6 inch-thick steel cables. You
can't ride it from the American side, but you can see
it, and it makes for great photos.
An old rail-bed, that seems
dangerously close to the rapids, now serves as a trail
that connects the Devil's Hole steps to Whirlpool State
Park to the south, and creates an excellent looping
trail. When hiking this trail, imagine the renaissance
of Niagara tourism in the 1920's when passengers
would brave the dangers of the rockslides and deadly
water, as they paid less than a dollar to ride this
close on a steel trolley. (Not only did rockslides kill
passengers and some crew on this line, but the resulting damage
led to its demise).
Despite the intimidating name, and
proximity to certain death, the park is harmless for
those that play safe, and certainly should not be
avoided. The small sense of danger, amazing sights and
excellent hiking opportunities make this and the
adjacent
Devil's Hole State Park an excellent adventure for
the family and a great getaway from the tourist-filled
Niagara Falls Reservation Park. Bring your fishing pole,
camera, and a picnic lunch and make a day of it.
What are all the helicopters and
people in bright orange jump-suits doing around? This section of the gorge, with its risky trails
and constant rock slides is a dangerous one. Often
people will slip, fall, or jump in and need rescue. The
Whirlpool also acts as a natural trap for floating
debris from upstream (yes, people can be debri too),
and this is a crucial time to save them. The local
governments, in cooperation with local helicopter
tourism companies, and the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, run
regular rescue drills to keep their skills and knowledge
of the terrain sharp for when they are needed.
Handicap accessibility:
Yes, the restrooms and overlook are. The gorge is not accessible. Pets: Household pets are allowed. They must be caged
or on a leash not more than 6 feet. They are not allowed
in the restroom and it is best not to let them swim in
the water. State Park amenities: Restrooms, fishing, nature
programs, hiking, pavilions, picnic tables, playgrounds,
cross-country skiing, bicycling. Swim: Swimming in the Niagara river at this park
is not allowed and can be highly dangerous. Boat launch: This park is not equipped with a boat
launch. For launching, visit
Fort
Niagara State Park or the public marina in Lewiston. Fishing: Both Whirlpool and
Devil's Hole
State Parks offer some of the best fishing in the
Niagara Region. Fishermen cast from shore or boat down
from the northern launches to the Robert Mosses Power
Plant to harvest massive
salmon and
trout amidst the grand sights of the gorge and rapids. Winter steelhead fishing has become
increasingly popular and is probably the
reason for most winter visits to this park. The hike
down and then up the gorge can be grueling, so pack
light and bring a partner for safety.
Difficulty:
Easy to difficult. Walking along the
Gorge Rim Nature Trail is easy. The trip down into the
gorge is a rough one. Markings: Trails are well
established. Most segments are labeled with colored
paint marks on trees or boulders. Distance:
A winding stone stairway heads 300 ft down into the gorge,
which connects with the several mile long gorge trail. A
loop from the Whirlpool State Park parking area, down into the
gorge, back up at Devil's Hole State Park, and then back to
Whirlpool Park is roughly 2.5 to 3 miles (marked in
Blue on the map below). We have expanded
the trail guide with optional extensions (to see more of
the whirlpool) for this park with up to 5 miles of
trails. These extensions are marked in
Red and
Orange. For the abbreviated trail,
see the guide for
Devil's Hole
State Park. Description:
The Ongiara Trail is an excellent opportunity to
experience Whirlpool and
Devil's Hole
State Parks and get a good workout at the same time.
1. Start at the parking area and
head along the concrete pathway towards the Niagara
Gorge. To get a great view of the upper rapids,
Whirlpool and Aero Car, head to the left (south). You
can proceed in this direction for another mile (or
further if you want to head to Niagara Falls on foot,
but it is not looping and you will have to turn back. To
get down into the gorge, head right (north) along the
rim trail about a quarter mile until you see the sign
for the pathway down to the gorge. This winding stone
stairway goes 300 ft down, but it may seem like a lot
more. The steps are overgrown with weeds and rock slides
have morphed and covered the trail over the years. Watch
your step and be mindful of those making the climb
up--their task is a bit more grueling. When descending
the stairs take note of the different strata (rock
layers) that make up the Niagara gorge.
2. At the bottom, you can head
left (south) on the connecting trail. This will lead you
to the boulder-covered shore along the Whirlpool and
upper Whirlpool Rapids. At this point the difficulty
level increases significantly. Assuming the trails are
in good shape, you can proceed south in this direction
for almost another mile, and get your fill of the
powerful upper rapids. This end of the trail does not
loop and you will have to turn around.
3. From the stairs, head right
to proceed on the looping trail to Devil's Hole State
Park.Many openings along the
way make for good views of the lower Whirlpool Rapids
and are often used by fishermen. Keep on this trail for
1.1 miles / 1.8 km. Sections of the trail are crumbling,
muddy or may be covered in fallen rocks or downed trees.
The State does little to maintain it. Be careful, carry
a first aid kit, and be sure to hike with a partner.
Stay clear of the water. The rapids here are extremely
dangerous and the calm appearance of some sections of
the river can be misleading. People have died here
by slipping in.
3. Reach the stairs at
Devil's Hole State Park and enjoy the 400 or so steps
that get you back to the top of the gorge.
4. From the top of Devil's Hole
State Park, you can enjoy the excellent views of the
gorge and Robert Mosses Power Plant. You can follow the gorge rim
trail back to Whirlpool State Park, or use the closed
lane of the Robert Moses State Parkway. Follow this for
roughly a mile back to the parking area.
Drag the map to move around and use the
Zoom Ladder on the right to zoom in.
Zooming in will show more points of interest. Click on
the icons for more information.
Niagara Falls carves out the
Niagara Gorge as it
recedes south. Around this time the
Falls intersected with the ancient St Davids
Gorge and carved out the Niagara Whirlpool.
For more history of the Falls itself, see
the
Niagara Falls Historical Timeline.
1887
-
Municipal park architects
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux
devise a plan to establish several parks
along the Niagara River, including Devil's
Hole and Whirlpool.
1895
-
The Niagara Gorge Belt Line
Railroad opened The
Great Gorge Route, carrying
passengers along the Niagara River from
Niagara Falls, NY to Lewiston, passing right
by Devils Hole and the Niagara Whirlpool. It quickly becomes one of
the most popular tourist attractions at
Niagara.
September 13, 1935
-
A major rock slide, one of
many that plagued the line, closes the
Niagara Gorge Belt Line Railroad
permanently.
2001
-
Two of the four lanes of the
Robert Moses State Parkway are closed (on a
trial basis) and designated as multi-use
trails. Diminishing tourism in the Niagara
region and decreased use of this scenic
byway allow for the closing.
More history needed! Please
let us know if you have any missing
information.
Place your mouse
over the image to see the
difference between night and day
flow.
It is easy to picture the
flow of the nightly Niagara Whirlpool to be
a straightforward circular or looping
direction, but it is not that simple.
The direction and pattern
of flow is dependant on the amount of water
that flows into the Whirlpool from Niagara
Falls. This flow is continually regulated by
the hydro-electric power plants along the
River, and when the sun is down, or the
tourism season is over, the flow over the
Falls and into the Whirlpool is drastically
cut (by 50%), and the direction of the
Whirlpool actually reverses.
During the day, more of
the power of the Niagara is needed to please
tourists at the Falls and less water is
diverted for the plants. Water jets out of
the upper Whirlpool Rapids and cuts across
the Whirlpool near the surface. It then
follows the contours of the shoreline, in a
counterclockwise direction and when it
reaches the whirlpool entrance again, it
sinks and passes under in the incoming flow
and heads out towards the lower rapids.
From 9 pm to 8 am, the
flow of the Falls is cut and the water at
the Whirlpool dips drastically (up to a 10
ft drop). The change in volume changes the
pressure of the water in this semi-closed
system and thus the dynamics of the flow
changes. The Whirlpool reverses direction
and flows clockwise, loosely following the
contours of the shoreline.
