The Whirlpool Rapids

The Whirlpool and Whirlpool Rapids of the Niagara River are located in a small section of the Niagara Gorge only about 1.5 Km (1 mile)long. In this short section the river does two

things, it turns a full 90 degrees on its journey to Lake Ontario and drops in elevation by almost 16 meters (53 feet).

Created when the Niagara Falls tore through the soft stone of an ancient river bed several thousand years ago, this 1 mile portion of the Niagara gorge was formed in a matter of only days.

This part of the Niagara Gorge is also one of the narrowest parts or the river, with the Gorge being only 150 yards and the river itself being reduced to a width of only 60 meters (200 feet).

This narrowing of the river, along with the 90 degree turn combined with an average volume of water passing through it of over 100,000 cubic feet per second, is what creates a huge whirlpool and rapids in this section of the river.

The whirlpool is created by the sheer force and volume of water being forced to make the sharp turn in the river, causing it to actually bypass the outlet and reverse back in over itself creating a very powerful vortex in the center of the whirlpool.

The whirlpool Rapids form just beyond the whirlpool itself and are among the biggest and most dangerous standing waves in the world. In a navigational scale from 1 the easiest and 6 the hardest and most dangerous, these rapids rate a 6.

There are several ways that visitors to Niagara Falls can view the Whirlpool Rapids and each one offers its own unique view and experience. A self guided walking tour of the gorge can be taken and there have been many miles of safe walkways and pathways created by the Niagara Parks department over the years to help travelers experience all that the gorge has to offer including spectacular views of the Niagara River and Whirlpool Rapids themselves.

Niagara Jet Boat Tours: Most personal water craft are nowhere near powerful enough to traverse through the rapids created by the Whirlpool, but Niagara Jet Boats are and they offer large tours right into the center of the whirlpool itself. An experience you won’t soon forget. Find out more about touring the Whirlpool Rapids by Niagara Jet Boats.

Whirlpool Aero Car: Offering a birds eye view, the Whirlpool Aero Car is a cable car attraction that spans the Niagara Gorge from the Canadian Side to the American side just over the Whirlpool itself giving spectators a great and almost frightening taste of the sheer power of the Niagara River .

Learn more about experiencing the Whirlpool Rapids from above on the Whirlpool Aero Car.

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