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Winter in Niagara Falls

Millions of gallons of water cascade over Niagara Falls every second, crashing into broken escarpment rocks, sending a fine spray of moisture hundreds of feet into the sky. On a clear day, the mist forms double rainbows that stretch across historic Table Rock into the forested hills beyond.

Every year millions of visitors flock to the romance and power of Niagara Falls in the summer. In the winter it is a completely different world. The relentless mist coats the trees and buildings dotting the Canadian side, wrapping them in sparkling coats of ice several inches thick.

In the Winter, tourists are few in number, but you can hear them muttering to one another in wonder and amazement. Everyone wants to know, "How do the trees survive this?"

According to John Dick, Manager of Horticulture for the Niagara Parks Commission, "We not only have ice build up problems, but water from the mist as well if the temperatures are not cold enough. On top of this we have to use so much salt on the walkways that this becomes a challenge too. There is a mist zone, where the mist usually is falling and in this zone we have to make wise choices. We try to choose plants which will either tolerate being buried under the ice and snow, or plants which will sprout from the ground or older wood if they get damaged. A lot of times it is trial and error, so we use a lot of annuals in the summer. We also brace some of the trees with stakes and rope to help them support the weight of the ice. Another practice we have been doing in the last couple of years is a severe (and controlled) fall pruning, leaving only the strong sturdy structure of the trees. When the ice builds up on smaller branches it tends to rip the tree apart because it does not have the strength. By eliminating these small branches we avoid most of the destruction."

Some attractions and services such as the MarineLand Theme Park and the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride do close down for the winter, but there is more than enough to do and see during the colder months. Public Transit buses and taxis are available. The cold weather discourages the large crowds you have to fight with for summer-time elbowroom, so you actually have more time and personal space to enjoy your visit. Casino Niagara and the funky attractions on Clifton Hill are open year-round.

The Butterfly Conservatory is a special treat in the wintertime. The $15 Million, 1,022 square metre (11,000 square feet) glass enclosed facility houses approximately orchids, tropical plants, iguanas and 2,000 live butterflies of about 50 different species. The Conservatory is maintained between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and approximately 75 percent humidity. In the summer time it’s packed, but in the winter the lower number of visitors make for much easier photo-opportunities.

During the latter part of December and through part of January, Niagara Parks Canada brightens up with the annual "Festival of Lights", an animated holiday light show, sponsored by Disney and local businesses. A concert band shell and fireworks complete the display at the annual New Year’s celebration.

Visiting the Falls in Winter makes for a special holiday. You’ll have that much more appreciation for your heart-shaped hot tub at the end of a long cold day. To top things off, you’ll get pictures of the Falls no-one else can match!

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