Niagara Falls Cave of the Winds

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If you will be visiting Niagara Falls, and specifically Goat Island, you won’t want to miss the Cave of the Winds. Goat Island is on the American side of Niagara Falls. The Cave of the Winds will bring you extremely close to the actual waters of Niagara Falls.

The Cave of the Winds entrance is located on Goat Island, where you will take an elevator that will bring you 175 feet down into the Niagara Gorge. You will be provided with rain wear, including special boots, and guided over the various wooden paths to Hurricane Deck.

Hurricane Deck stands about 20 feet from the Bridal Veil Falls, and you will definitely get soaked. You will also be able to see rainbows in various locations here, whether it is day or night.

You may be surprised to discover that the Cave of the Winds isn’t really located inside of a Cave – although it was once a natural cave located behind the Bridal Veil Falls. The original cave was 100 feet wide, 30 feet deep, and stood about 130 feet behind the falls. This original cave was first discovered, or at the very least recorded in 1834, and was originally called Aeolus’ Cave. Aeolus is the Greek God of the Winds.

Tours were offered of the original cave as far back as 1841, until 1920 when a rock fall made the cave unsafe for passage. The original cave was finally completely gone as a result of the 1954 rock fall, followed by blasting to get rid of an overhang that posed a danger.

After the rock fall of 1920, the Cave of the Winds tour reopened in 1924. The tour now took visitors in front of the Bridal Veil Falls. Hurricane Deck got its name because you may experience actual hurricane type conditions there. The winds can blow up to 68 miles per hour, and this causes the water to blow to create a sense of a tropical storm.

For this reason, you will most likely want to hold small children, and if nothing else, hold their hands tightly. If the winds are blowing too strongly, this may be an attraction that you want to skip with small children, unless the adults go in one at a time. For the most part, however, the officials of Cave of the Winds are not going to allow anybody to enter under unsafe conditions. Regardless of this, you will want to use your own judgment.

The Cave of the Winds is accessible by everyone, with a special deck designed for those carrying small children, and for handicapped people as well. There is a charge for accessing the Cave of the Winds, and it is open to all ages. Prices vary depending on both age and height. The attraction is open from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm Eastern time, seven days per week.

Parking is available on Goat Island, although there is a charge. You can also opt to park on the Robert Moses Parkway, and walk to the caves. This is free, but it is about a ten minute walk.