Hochul Proposes Expanding Niagara Falls State Park to Encompass Whirlpool, Devil’s Hole

Niagara Action
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Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a significant reshaping of Niagara Falls State Park with plans to bring Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park under the same umbrella in an effort to spread tourism beyond the Falls. The idea, she said, is to encourage visitors to stay longer in the region.

The proposal, outlined in Hochul’s State of the State booklet released Tuesday, comes as state data continues to show a stark imbalance in where tourists spend their time. Niagara Falls State Park attracts roughly 9 million visitors each year, while nearby attractions just outside its boundaries draw a fraction of that number. The Aquarium of Niagara, for example, sees slightly more than 200,000 visitors annually despite being only steps away from the park’s northern edge.

Tour groups and individual travelers tend to cluster around iconic attractions such as Goat Island, the Maid of the Mist boat tour, and the Cave of the Winds, leaving other attractions and experiences overlooked. This is in sharp contrast to the Canadian side of the falls where the attractions on Clifton Hill were strategically placed to benefit directly from the falls and do so at a high rate.

Her State of the State booklet describes the plan as a way to create a “seamless corridor of breathtaking overlooks, historic sites and world-class hiking opportunities.” The governor’s office says the goal is to better connect visitors to destinations such as the Aquarium of Niagara and the Underground Railroad Heritage Center, which sits roughly midway between Niagara Falls State Park and Whirlpool State Park.

The proposal would extend Niagara Falls State Park northward along the eastern shore of the Niagara River, effectively linking three parks that already form a roughly five-mile vertical line along the gorge. Niagara Falls State Park sits at the southern end where the river makes its dramatic turn over the Falls. Whirlpool State Park lies about two and a half miles north and Devil’s Hole is another mile and a half beyond that. Both Whirlpool and Devil’s Hole are known for breathtaking views of the Niagara Gorge, steep stairways to the river’s edge, and close-up views of the Niagara rapids.

According to the governor’s office, the expanded park footprint would add approximately two miles of multi-use hiking trails and improve access to natural and cultural attractions. Officials say the changes are intended to “promote longer tourism stays” and increase visitor spending.

“As a native of Western New York, no one understands the majesty of Niagara Falls and its economic impact as a world-class tourist destination more than I do,” Hochul said. “This will benefit not just those who visit, but all Western New York residents by creating a seamless corridor of breathtaking overlooks, historic sites, and world-class hiking opportunities.”

Although the park consolidation is part of Hochul’s broader 2026 agenda, she did not mention it directly during her State of the State address.

What the idea does not address, however, is the lack of excitement that currently exists among the New York side of the falls in terms of attractions for tourists to experience. Compared to the Canadian side of the falls, it is sorely lacking. Expanding Niagara Falls State Park along the Niagara Gorge along empty unoccupied space would simply exacerbate an already glaring problem.

Niagara Falls State Park, established in 1885 as the first state park in New York, spans roughly 400 acres and was the most visited state park in New York in 2024, drawing more than 9.5 million visitors. Tourism remains a major economic driver in the region; visitors to Niagara County spent an estimated $1.163 billion in 2024 and the tourism industry accounted for more than 22% of the county’s workforce.

The park hosts major attractions such as the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, the Niagara Scenic Trolley, and the 230-foot Observation Tower.

Whirlpool State Park, which opened in 1928, covers 109 acres overlooking the Niagara Whirlpool and recorded 453,643 visitors in 2024. Devil’s Hole State Park, established in 1924, encompasses 42 acres near Niagara University and the Niagara Power Project and drew 357,807 visitors last year. Both parks currently offer free access.