Stunning Photos of Niagara Falls Freeze

It may be hard to believe, but the gushing waters that make up Niagara Falls froze last week. At least partially. It’s actually not that uncommon: The falls freeze every winter, and last week the arctic blast helped them along. (It hit a low of negative 5 degrees there on Tuesday.) 

Even the bitter cold didn’t stop tourists from viewing the falls, however. The temperatures makes Niagara beautiful in an entirely different way, with the waters frozen in time and the notorious mist from the falls blanketing the surrounding area in a thick, white frost.

We’ve all heard the stories of tourists riding down the falls in wooden barrels in the early 1900s. But did you know that in the past when the falls were frozen, visitors were allowed to walk across the falls on the “ice bridge” created by extreme cold, according to Gizmodo? This dangerous activity was banned after three tourists died when the ice cracked on February 4, 1912.

Note: This slideshow contains current photos of the falls, as well as photos from past freezes.

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