Many thanks to Randy Barker for leading our members on a beautiful hike into the Niagara Gorge. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect fall day…abundant sunshine, temperatures in the low 70’s and stunning foliage.
We met at the Whirlpool lot at 1:00 pm and headed over to the Whirlpool Trail staircase located just downstream from the parking lot. We descended the stone steps about 300 feet down to the base of the gorge. The well-worn path combined narrow flat areas with occasional slippery boulder rises. 
The raging river guided us to the flats, a large open area, where we all spent time watching the turbulent rapids and gazing at the cyan water. It was nice to take a break to enjoy the scenery and chat with each other. We were also lucky to see a Whirlpool jet zipping in and out of the rapids.
The trail was quite crowded (a testament to the lovely day), but it was nice to see so many others out also enjoying the glorious day.
The hike back up the stairs can be quite challenging, so Randy made sure to stop on occasion to give everyone time to catch their breath. Accounts vary on the number of stairs, and we forgot to count them ourselves, but you’re guaranteed a great workout on your climb!
We got back to the lot around 4 pm and our total hike was about 3 1/2 miles. We all had a wonderful time and I’m sure we’ll be revisiting this trial in the future.
– Sue Kolasz & Pamela Sander