No. 3 of 8 · Lewiston, New York
Niagara gorge weekend in Lewiston, reserved for two nights where the river leaves its gorge
from $320 for two people, $160 per person, two nights near Lewiston, campground charges inside, taxes on top
Most visitors stop at the falls and turn around. A Niagara gorge weekend in Lewiston starts where that crowd ends: seven miles downstream, where the river leaves its gorge through a village of brick storefronts, and the trails along the top of the American wall look down on the rapids and the whirlpool rather than on a parking lot.
- Where
- Lewiston, Niagara County
- Nights
- two
- Season priced
- Jun to Sep
- Depth, rim to stream
- about 360 feet
- Stream level
- about 240 feet above sea level
- Drive from the office
- about 1 hour 50 minutes, 78 miles
- Ways to sleep
- tent, cabin, inn
Rapids 360 feet below the rim
Dark: the Niagara gorge, read along a 1,400-meter line. Pale: the other seven, same scale. Source for Lewiston: USGS 3DEP, 10-meter.
Our section crosses the river between the whirlpool and Lewiston, where the ground falls about 360 feet from the rim to the water. The walls here are dolostone over shale, and the river is narrow, deep and very fast. Stairs and trails go down to the water's edge in a few places; the current itself is no place to wade, and the campgrounds will tell you the same.
Staying in and around Lewiston
The village has small inns within walking distance of the riverfront, and the campground resorts and glamping resorts are a short drive north toward Youngstown and the lake. From Rochester the drive is about 1 hour 50 minutes, most of it on the Lake Ontario plain.
| Way to sleep | How the figure is made | From |
|---|---|---|
| Platform tent | two nights at $172 a night, $35 campground charge inside | from $380 for two $190 per person |
| Campground cabin | two nights at $144 a night, $25 campground charge inside | from $320 for two $160 per person |
| Inn room | two nights at $224 a night, no added charge | from $450 for two $225 per person |
Totals are rounded up to the next ten dollars.
Inside the Lewiston figure for two
- Two nights for two near Lewiston, at the campground or inn you choose
- Linen, cleaning, first firewood: the Lewiston campground charge, if any
- A written quote for the Niagara gorge
Outside the Lewiston figure
- New York sales tax and the county occupancy tax, which the Lewiston campground or inn adds
- The drive of about 78 miles each way, fuel and parking
- Meals in Lewiston, unless breakfast comes with the inn
- Entry to the Niagara gorge, wherever a gate charges it
Summer on the lower river
Summer evenings in Lewiston bring outdoor music and the village is lively; September is calmer and the gorge trails are cooler. The campgrounds near the lake run from late May, but we price this trip for June through September only.
Settled at confirmation in Lewiston
The inn or campground confirms the room or site, parking, and whether a weekend in July needs a two-night minimum. Every stay on this trip is on the American side of the river. Dates and availability can move the figure for the Niagara gorge; the written confirmation from the campground or inn is what you pay.
Shallower next: Trumansburg gorge camping trip. One deeper: Genesee gorge camping weekend.
Dates for the Niagara gorge
The form takes gorge requests 24/7. Written replies land before 5:30 p.m. Eastern on the next business day; phone answers run +1 (585) 663-2741, Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time.