Niagara Falls Is Experiencing Its ‘Frozen Falls’ Effect, Here is How to See the Icy Spectacle

The East Coast has had a cold winter, cold enough that even Niagara Falls, which at its peak sees over 3,000 tons of water drop 32 feet every second, has been affected. As below-freezing temperatures have set in and the water volume has naturally decreased, one of winter’s most spectacular natural phenomena has arrived: the “Frozen Falls.”

When the Niagara Falls become the Frozen Falls, icicles dangle from the cliff edges, and clouds of frozen mist bathe the scene in a filmy white. Anything in the path of the mist is coated in ice, and a frozen bridge forms over the Lower Niagara River. The result is a frozen fairytale-like scene. In addition, while the falls don’t completely freeze over due to the kinetic energy created by the flowing water, they did once (more on that below).

From the U.S., the best view of the Frozen Falls is found at Prospect Point, which overlooks the American Falls. Other good viewing places include the Observation Deck (when open) or the Cave of the Winds Gorge Trip, which gets you even closer to the frozen wonder. The Frozen Falls effect is best viewed from the U.S. side of the falls because the water flow is stronger on the Canadian side.

The Frozen Falls effect happens when there is decreased water flow in the winter; 75 percent of the water that feeds the falls from Lake Erie is diverted to hydroelectric stations, and the water is below freezing temperatures. Temperatures in the teens and single digits have been the norm at Niagara Falls for much of January and February, and the Niagara Falls website notes that they are expecting the temperature to drop to -1-degrees-Fahrenheit this coming weekend.

The only time the Frozen Falls truly and fully froze was in March 1848, when massive ice fields on Lake Erie blocked the source of the Niagara River. The decreased water supply and movement, paired with polar March temperatures, were enough to fully freeze the falls. The full freeze was a short-lived phenomenon that lasted for 30 hours, but according to the Niagara Falls website, the freeze lasted long enough for people to ride horses and ice skate over the basin.

The Niagara Falls are open daily, year-round. Entrance to the park is always free, and in the winter, the crowds thin. This spring, Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the U.S., is also absorbing the two neighboring state parks: Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park. The move will improve access to nearby offerings, encouraging travelers to extend their stay.