Niagara Falls is impressive regardless of statistics – even if those statistics on its status as a landmark are impressive. You can read about how over 168,000 cubic metres of water flows over the falls every minute, but that doesn’t convey the awe-inspiring sound that massive volume of water makes as it cascades over the edge.
But the one stat that is often seen as a measure of character is height. It way very well be nearly a kilometre (0.6 of a mile) of falling water but how tall is Niagara Falls?
The height of Niagara Falls, depending on where the measurement is taken:
Varies between 51 metres (167 feet) and 57 metres (188 feet).
The water itself plunges deeper than that, as the Niagara River’s depth is another 56.6 metres (185 feet) on average.
How Tall is Niagara Falls Comparative Infographic
So what are some other landmarks and iconic sights that compare with the height of Niagara Falls? Well, to give some context, the 170-feet plummet from cliff to river is roughly equal to the following:
- The average height of the geothermal eruptions of Old Faithful, the iconic cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US.
- The height of the various natural limestone pillars off the coast along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. The pillars are tourist-drawing landmarks and known as the Twelve Apostles, even though there’s only eight remaining after natural erosion.
- The structural height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy.
- Slightly taller than the highest point of St Basil’s Cathedral (at about 47.5 metres or 156 feet), the architecturally unique Red Square church in Moscow, Russia.
- Also a few metres/feet taller than the Arc de Triomphe, the 50-metre monument in Paris honouring the fallen soldiers of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.
All of these comparisons may sound impressive – and, especially when combined with all the other figures about Niagara Falls, the result is undoubtedly impressive – but none of these numbers compare with being there, seeing the river rushing and hearing the sound of that massive amount of water going over that 170-foot drop. It’s that experience that leaves more of an impression than anything else.
Witness this World Wonder in person by visiting Niagara Falls. Stay at the Closest Hotel to Niagara Falls, the Marriott on the Falls hotel. View our: Niagara Falls Hotel Packages