We weren’t quite sure what to make of it when we received word early last week that Gov. Kathy Hochul was going to announce changes for Niagara Falls, Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole state parks during her State of the State address.
Particularly, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation is set to merge the three separate state parks into one large state park.
As we pointed out earlier this week, it’s exactly what Frederick Law Olmsted had in mind when he designed what would become the Niagara Reservation in 1885, now Niagara Falls State Park. He had originally planned for the preserved landscape to stretch north along the Niagara Gorge.
The merger of the parks will create a roughly 5-mile-long singular park along the Niagara River. In addition to boosting visitation at Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole, the change is expected to be a benefit to nearby attractions.
State Parks officials say the change will better connect sites in the downtown area, like the Aquarium of Niagara and the Underground Railroad Heritage Center.
“We want to bring more visitation and attention to these resources along the gorge,” said State Parks Niagara Region Director Mark Mistretta.
He also pointed out that Whirlpool and Devi’s Hole state parks will not lose their identity or history with the changes. We certainly hope not. For those who spend time there, Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole are great parks, both for their unmatched, sweeping views of the Niagara Gorge and their trails that travel along the river’s edge. They’re as unique and treasured by many as sites along the mighty cataracts.
Equally important is the two parks’ free parking. Mistretta said that it will remain in place.
What is changing? Mistretta said look for updated signage and way-finding to be phased in throughout the summer. There are also plans to expand the Niagara Scenic Trolley along the gorge, though that sounds like it will need additional funding from the state.
There’s also upcoming changes to the Niagara Scenic Parkway, which will have an impact. The third removal phase — stretching from Findlay Drive in the Falls to Center Street in Lewiston — is on the horizon, with the final design report expected in September 2027 and work scheduled for 2030.
As we mentioned, Mistretta said state officials are hopefull the plan boosts attendance at Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole. As things stand now, Niagara Falls State Park is regularly the most visited park in the whole statewide system, bringing in around 9.5 million visitors in 2024. The numbers are bit different down the gorge as the Whirlpool park drew in 453,643 visitors and Devil’s Hole saw 357,807 in 2024.
“They have a lot to offer, having extraordinary viewer experiences,” Mistretta said, “but they’re under-visited and not well known.”
We’ll see what comes of the plan, if it encourages more of the millions of visitors to Niagara Falls State Park to get out and see the rest of the sites in the downtown area and beyond, we’ll consider it a success.