February 28, 2022
There are many fun hiking routes near Niagara Falls. This time I will introduce the Niagara Recreation Trail, which is a zero-difficulty hiking route along the banks of the Niagara River. The overall route is very flat and is more suitable for cycling than walking.
We chose to park our car in the Locust Grove Picnic area parking lot, a rare free parking spot near the waterfall. It is also a very beautiful and perfect location for a picnic. The ancient trees are towering, the Niagara River is flowing next to it, and the United States on the other side of the river is close at hand.
Follow along the Niagara River Recreation Trail, after passing Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Floral Clock, Ontario Power Generation, Sir Adam Beck No. 1 Generating Station, you will finally arrive at Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, a round trip of nearly 8 kilometres. The road conditions are simple, but the contents are quite rich!
The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, also known as the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, is an arch bridge across the Niagara River Gorge in the southern part of the Niagara Cliffs. The bridge was officially opened on November 1, 1962. It is an international bridge between the United States and Canada. It connects Interstate 190 in the town of Lewiston, New York, and Highway 405 in the community of Queenstown, Ontario.
The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is the twin of the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, designed by Richard (Su Min) Lee.
This is Floral Clock, built in 1950 by Ontario Hydro. A landmark along the Niagara River.
Sir Adam Beck No. 1 Generating Station, built in 1930, is the earliest important hydroelectric power station in the Niagara Falls area. It was also the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. Today, it still continues to operate. Did you stop and look at it when you were passing by?
Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, established in 1936, offers visitors 99 acres (40 hectares) of well-maintained gardens that include perennials, rhododendrons, formal parterre gardens, herb and vegetable growing, and owns a worldwide-famous rose garden, with more than 2,400 roses. This part of the green space is also home to the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, which provides unique hands-on training for gardening students based on the botanical garden. It is worth walking around slowly, and it is recommended to reserve a spot beforehand of at least 2 hours. It’s especially recommended for friends who like gardening. We did not stay there for too long, but we definitely will come again.
The Butterfly Conservatory is especially recommended for families with children. There are all kinds of butterflies, and children will definitely love it. Since it is indoors, please enter it carefully during the pandemic. Check the relevant information from the official website before planning to go. https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/butterfly-conservatory/
This hiking route is pretty good, right? Put it on your hiking list now!