The 42 acre Devil's Hole State Park is located just north of Whirlpool State Park and Niagara Falls State Park along the Niagara River Gorge.  Devils Hole is an interesting geological formation created after the last ice age.  A large creek once poured over the gorge here joining the Niagara River. For a brief time the creek not only created a large waterfall, separate from the great Niagara Falls, it also began to erode a semicircular notch perpendicular to the gorge.  The creek is nothing more than a seasonal dribble and this notch is now called the Devil's Hole.  For more historic information on Devil's Hole check out the NY Falls.com website.

The park entrance is off the Robert Moses Parkway at the NY 104 exit.  There is no fee to enter this state park.  A bridge carries visitors over the parkway from one of the parking areas.  The upper level of the park has picnic tables and grills for visitors as well as a large open area.  The Niagara Gorge Rim Trail passes through the park and offers numerous spectacular views of the gorge and Niagara River.  The northern terminus of the Robert Moses Recreational Trail ends at the park.

A secondary level includes a grand overlook with a spectacular view of the Niagara River, the gorge and the Robert Moses Power Plant.  This is also where you'll find the best view of the Devil's Hole.  You'll see stone stairs that give access to the Devil's Hole Trail.  Some work was recently done on the trail and the over 400 stone stairs that carry you into the gorge and the river level.

Looking into the Devil's Hole with the Niagara River & Gorge in background

From the river level, the Devil's Hole Trail travels south along an old railroad bed to Whirlpool State Park ending at the Whirlpool Rapids Trail.  The trail passes numerous views of the rapids and side trails used by fisherman that lead to the river.  This part of the Niagara River is a very popular fishing spot.  It seems almost dangerous as you walk so close to the rapids.  Try to imagine the trolley that once traveled where you are walking.  Read more about the history of the doomed Great Gorge Railway.

A pleasant moderate loop hike can be enjoyed utilizing the Devil's Hole Trail, part of the Whirlpool Rapids Trail and the Rim Trail to create a multi-park hike of about three miles that can be started at either Whirlpool or Devil's Hole State Park.  Although we did not do this loop, we are looking forward to checking it out in the future.  If your planning a visit to Niagara Falls, be sure to add Devil's Hole State Park to your itinerary.