From the US side of the border, the only place one can view Niagara Falls is from within the Niagara Falls State Park, USA. The park sits atop the Niagara Gorge with the Upper Niagara River flowing through it before dropping into the gorge below.
There are many vantage points within the park from where Niagara Falls can be viewed. Prospect Point is one such place. You can enjoy perfect views of Niagara Falls from here.
Roughly 8 million people visit Niagara Falls State Park every year.
The American and Bridal Veil Falls are located in the park. The Horseshoe Falls is also visible from the Niagara Falls State Park.
The Niagara Observation Tower is also called the Prospect Point Observation Tower and is located at Prospect Point. The Observation Tower is the only place on the US side of Niagara Falls where you can see all the 3 waterfalls – the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls.
The Prospect Point Observation Tower stands in the Niagara Gorge. It opened in 1961 and has undergone many renovations since. The tower is made of aluminum, steel and glass with an observation deck that extends out and over the Niagara Gorge.
There is a bridge that connects Prospect Point to the Observation Tower. The observation deck of the tower juts out over the Niagara River and gives visitors unobstructed views of Niagara Falls. From the observation deck, sightseers can get a clear glimpse of downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario.
The path to Crow’s Nest and the docks of the Maid of the Mist boat ride can also be viewed from the Prospect Point Observation Tower.
Visitors can view the Rainbow Bridge too; it connects USA to Canada and is a popular border crossing.
In 1954, a large section of Prospect Point observation area at the brink of American Falls collapsed into the gorge below.
It is also the perfect vantage point for bird watchers. You can spot gulls, eagles, ducks, herons, falcons and more.
For hours of operation and ticket prices, please visit this page.
Elevators in the Observation Tower provide access to the base of the Niagara Gorge and the boarding docks of Maid of the Mist boats. Even if you do not want to take the Maid of the Mist boat tour, you can still take the elevator to the river shore below for some breathtaking views of the Niagara River and Gorge.
From the base of the gorge, sightseers can take a series of stairs to a viewing platform called Crow’s Nest. This viewing area is so close to the American Falls, you will feel the spray from the Falls hit you.
You can spend a lot of time at the Prospect Point Observation Tower. Standing high above the shoreline is quite an exciting feeling. You can even spot birds making nests in the rock crevices along the shore and in the cliffs.
There are high-powered telescopes installed on the observation deck for clearer views of the surrounding landscape and the three waterfalls.
The indoor deck also has a snack bar, a gift shop and restrooms.
The view is so amazing you will want to spend the whole day here!