Niagara Glen

From the car park, walk past the Niagara Glen Nature Centre and go down the metal stairs into the gorge. At the bottom, follow the Main Loop north (downstream) along the upper terrace among huge fallen boulders, then down to the river. Turn left onto the River Trail, a dead end of 420 m along the bank, and come back. Follow the Main Loop upstream beside the river to the junction with the closed Whirlpool Trail, then turn uphill, back to the stairs and the car park. The loop goes clockwise.

It is 3.4 km round with 84 m of ascent; allow about an hour. The grade is Easy: short, but on rough, rocky paths with stairs and slippery rock.

Walking in the Glen is allowed only from sunrise to sunset; in winter the paths and stairs can be icy. The Whirlpool Trail is closed with no reopening date. Watch for loose rocks from the cliffs above. The river is fast, with dangerous rapids, and swimming is banned. Bouldering needs a permit. Dogs must be on a lead.

The car park by the nature centre is pay and display at $8 an hour, all year. The WEGO Green Line (603) stops at Niagara Glen beside it; the summer timetable ended on 3 October 2026 and a reduced one now applies, so check the times.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.