The Frozen Falls
© Mert Alper Dervis—Anadolu/Getty Images
In this February 2026 photo, a tourist visits Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls is a hugely powerful waterfall—so powerful that it’s almost impossible for the water to totally freeze. But the cold winter of 2026 did cause the falls to partially ice over, creating the appearance of a giant glacier!
Niagara Falls is usually a massive wall of water so loud that its name, Niagara, means “thunder of waters” in the language of the Iroquois people. But the falls are located on the border between Canada and the U.S. state of New York, where winters can get very cold. When the season is even colder than normal, like the winter of 2025–2026, an icy crust forms over the top of the water.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Niagara Falls is located between the U.S. state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario.
That crust makes it look as if the falls are completely frozen. In reality, the water under the ice continues to flow. Still, the falls look incredibly cool, like they’re located at the North Pole or on some distant, freezing planet.
Courtesy of Niagara Parks (niagaraparks.com)
If you’re wondering whether Niagara Falls has ever become totally frozen, the answer is yes! In March 1848, ice blocked the flow of the Niagara River, which feeds water into the falls. Without the power of the flowing water, the falls turned into one big block of ice. The normally loud waterfall became silent for just under a day, until the water broke through the ice and the falls started flowing again.
