Niagara Gorge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Niagara Gorge |
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Niagara River flowing through Niagara Gorge (from eastern brink north of Niagara Whirlpool). The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge is visible in the background.
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| Geography | |
| Location | New York and Ontario |
The Niagara Gorge is a long, deep valley, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) long. It was carved by the Niagara River. This amazing gorge sits right on the border between the United States (in New York) and Canada (in Ontario).
It starts at the bottom of Niagara Falls. It stretches all the way to a place called the Niagara Escarpment near Queenston, Ontario. This is where the falls first began about 12,500 years ago! Over thousands of years, the powerful water of the falls has slowly worn away the rock. This process, called erosion, has made the falls move upstream towards Lake Erie. As the falls moved, they carved out the deep Niagara Gorge.
The Powerful River
The river current in the Niagara Gorge is incredibly strong. It is one of the most powerful river currents in the world! Because of how dangerous it is, activities like kayaking are usually not allowed. Sadly, the strong rapids in the gorge have sometimes caused accidents.
However, some very skilled experts have been given special permission to go through the rapids. For tourists, there are exciting commercial tours available. You can ride through the rapids in strong jetboats! These tours start from places like Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Lewiston, New York, and Youngstown, New York. In the summer, you can also find tours at the Niagara Glen Nature Centre in Ontario.
Images for kids
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The Niagara River flows into the gorge at the falls and over thousands of years carves the gorge through the Niagara Escarpment
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The Niagara River whirlpool basin in Niagara Gorge.
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Niagara Gorge trail near the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge.
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See also
In Spanish: Garganta del Niágara para niños
