Niagara Falls, American and Horseshoe

In a different way, Niagara Falls stands/flows as testimony to the greatness of our National Park system.  Although the falls are partially protected by a small New York state park, the immediate vicinity is crowed with hotels, casinos, shopping malls, and other commercial distractions.  If you want to see how it looked in the 1800's, go to Wikipedia and scroll far down to the "Fine Art" section.  You will find a couple amazing paintings. We do need to be grateful that this country has devoted so much effort to preserving the finest of our unique natural places.

Meg and I had never seen the Falls, which, we learned, are actually two major ones--American and Horseshoe. After viewing it at night, with all the big city commercial lights, we almost did not go back.  Fortunately, we did return and took the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride that indeed takes you deep into the mist of Horseshoe Falls.  We had not comprehended the power of the falls as the water drops from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.  An average of four million cubic feet of water PER MINUTE falls into the river below. It was the most awesome water display we have seen. This power is gradually eroding the falls, and geologists estimate that in fifty thousand years, the remaining twenty miles to Lake Erie will have been removed, and falls will vanish into merely a swift river. We will be happy to go back  and see the Falls again before they disappear.