Named for the sweeping curve of its crest, Horseshoe Falls is the centrepiece of Niagara Falls and the reason so many travellers cross to the Ontario side. The great majority of the Niagara River's flow pours over this single waterfall, tumbling roughly 50 metres into the gorge below and throwing up a permanent cloud of mist that can be seen from far away. Straddling the international border, the falls sit mostly within Ontario, with the Canadian shoreline offering the celebrated head-on panorama that has drawn sightseers for generations.
The falls and the surrounding parkland are stewarded by Niagara Parks, a Government of Ontario agency, which maintains the promenade, gardens and the Table Rock Centre perched at the very edge of the drop. Standing free of charge along the paved walkway, visitors can watch the water surge over the lip just metres away, and the falls remain a spectacle in every season, from summer rainbows in the spray to the frost-rimmed cliffs of winter. Boat cruises, tunnels behind the cascade and evening illuminations round out the many ways to experience one of North America's most iconic natural landmarks.
