Journey Behind the Falls, Waterfall attraction at Niagara Falls, Canada

Journey Behind the Falls is a tunnel system that takes visitors underground through bedrock passages to viewing platforms positioned directly behind the cascading water. The galleries provide an up-close look at the force and movement of the water as it continuously descends.

The first tunnels opened in May 1889, and guides carried lanterns to light the passage. Erosion left too little rock at the original portals, so in 1944 new tunnels were built further back and lined with concrete. An additional lower viewing platform followed in 1951, and in 1994 the Niagara Parks Commission renamed the Scenic Tunnels as Journey Behind the Falls.

The attraction was long called the Scenic Tunnels until the Niagara Parks Commission renamed it Journey Behind the Falls in 1994, judging the new name a more accurate description of the view. Guides once lit the passages with lanterns; today the tunnels are lit electrically and the tour is unguided.

Access is through a visitor center, and you should expect wet conditions, especially in the tunnels near the water itself. Waterproof ponchos are provided, and you should wear shoes with good grip since the tunnel floors are frequently wet.

The tunnels run about 46 metres behind the waterfall, and visitors once walked much closer to the open portals until erosion left too little rock at the sides. New tunnels were built further back, and barricades now stand behind the ledge at the end of each passage.