American Falls

The American Falls form one of the three cataracts that together make up Niagara Falls, lying entirely within United States territory though most dramatically viewed from the Canadian shore. Roughly 300 metres wide with a drop of 21 to 34 metres, the water cascades over a jagged rock face — a stark contrast to the smoother curved lip of the Horseshoe Falls nearby. In 1969, US Army Corps of Engineers temporarily dewatered the falls by diverting the Niagara River, intending to assess whether the massive rockfall at the base should be cleared; after public debate the project was shelved and the boulders remain to this day. The site is wheelchair-accessible, and several viewing platforms put visitors within metres of the spray.