Journey Behind the Falls

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Journey Behind the Falls is a great attraction to take in even if you have already taken advantage of the other unique Falls experiences such as the Maid of the Mist and Niagara Helicopters.

Going as far back as the early 1800s, people have been going to extreme lengths to get as close to the falls as possible.Using everything from fallen trees to rope ladders, getting a behind the scenes look at the mighty waterfall was quite a dangerous task for many years. A staircase was eventually built in place and a fee was charged to see the attraction.

It wasn’t until around the late 1880s when the first elevators were installed and tunnels were created to get visitors as far behind the falls as possible. The elevator takes people 150 feet down through the bedrock to the main platform below.

What you will experience
During your visit you will get the full rush of almost 3,000 cubic meters of water cascading over the rim and crashing to the basin over 13 stories below. Traveling at speeds of more than 65 kilometers an hour the sound all this water makes while it rushes by you will really get the adrenalin going.

There are a lot of vantage points to view the Falls when taking the 40 min tour which include the Cataract Portal, the Great Falls Portal which actually reaches as far as one third of the way behind the Falls. There are also two observation decks, an upper and lower.

If you aren’t planning on visiting the Falls until the winter, don’t worry because the Journey Behind the Falls is open year round and the views from the attraction during the winter months can be spectacular with the mist from the Falls coating everything nearby. Including trees and buildings, the area becomes covered in ice and is turned into a complete winter wonderland of ice.

When taking the tour, you will be given a biodegradable rain poncho for the tour that you will need and can keep after your visit as a free souvenir.

Where, When and How Much?
Journey Behind the Falls is located at 6650 Niagara Parkway Drive on the Canadian side of the Falls.

The attraction is open year round but times and days of operation do vary depending on the time of year. Times of operation are from 9 am and go to between 5 pm in the winter and as late as 9:30 and 11 pm in peak holiday and summer hours.Cost of visiting the Journey Behind the Falls is $9.50 Canadian for adults (13 and above) and $5.70 for children 6 to 12 years of age. All prices are before tax.