Booking choice: The all-inclusive USA side tour, from $120 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Despite the name, there is no cave to walk into today. The attraction is an elevator ride 175 feet down into the gorge and a network of red wooden walkways that lead to the Hurricane Deck, under 20 feet from Bridal Veil Falls.
It sits on Goat Island in Niagara Falls State Park, a short walk from the Maid of the Mist, and almost every US side tour includes it in season.
The quick answer
Cave of the Winds costs $23 per adult and $19 per youth until October 18, 2026, then $14 and $10 for the winter Gorge trip from October 19 to March 31, 2027, when the Hurricane Deck is removed. An elevator takes you 175 feet into the gorge, and the deck puts you under 20 feet from Bridal Veil Falls. Sandals are no longer handed out, so wear shoes that can get wet.
What is the Cave of the Winds?
An elevator ride 175 feet down into the Niagara Gorge, then wooden walkways and stairs up to the Hurricane Deck below Bridal Veil Falls.
You walk out on the decks among the boulders at the base of the falls. One tour operator describes the Hurricane Deck as being caught in a tropical storm, and guests agree.
How much are Cave of the Winds tickets in 2026?
$23 for adults and $19 for youths until October 18; from October 19, 2026 to March 31, 2027, the winter Gorge trip is $14 and $10.
The attraction closes on October 19 and 20 for maintenance, and on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
| Season | Adult | Youth | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| To October 18, 2026 | $23 | $19 | Elevator, walkways and the Hurricane Deck |
| October 19, 2026 to March 31, 2027 | $14 | $10 | Winter Gorge trip; Hurricane Deck removed |
| On the all-inclusive tour | From $120 | About $95 | Cave (or Gorge walk in winter), boat, tower, pickup |
Want the cave and the boat in one go? The all-inclusive tour books both, with pickup.
Check dates for the all-inclusive USA side tourWhat is the Hurricane Deck?
The top platform of the walkways, under 20 feet from Bridal Veil Falls, where the spray hits like a storm.
It is the wettest spot of the whole day. The deck is only built in the warm season: it is taken down for winter, which is why the winter ticket is cheaper.
How many stairs are there?
Plenty: the elevator does the big descent, but the walkways to the Hurricane Deck are a climb of wet wooden steps.
Guests report that you only get part of the way before it is only stairs, and one wrote that if you cannot manage stairs you should skip it. The all-inclusive tour is not wheelchair accessible for this reason.
Do they still give out sandals at the Cave of the Winds?
No: the famous Cave of the Winds sandals have been phased out, so the park asks you to bring footwear you do not mind getting wet.
Guests report that trousers and shoes get soaked here even with a poncho. Water shoes with grip are the safest choice on the wet steps. More in what to wear to Niagara Falls.
Want it handled for you? The guide leads the way from the boat to the cave and on to Terrapin Point.
Explore the all-inclusive USA side tourIs the Cave of the Winds open in winter?
Yes, as a cheaper Gorge trip from October 19 to March 31, with the Hurricane Deck removed.
In the off season, the all-inclusive tour replaces the Cave of the Winds walk with a Niagara Gorge walk. If the Hurricane Deck is what you want, come before mid-October.
Is the Cave of the Winds better than the Maid of the Mist?
They do different things: the boat shows you the scale of the Horseshoe Falls from the water, and the cave lets you stand beside a waterfall.
Most tours do both, and they are a short walk apart. See the Maid of the Mist guide for the boat.
Doing both? The all-inclusive tour puts the boat and the cave in one half day.
Check dates for the all-inclusive USA side tourWhich tours include the Cave of the Winds?
In season: the all-inclusive, American side, small-group, skip-line, evening and helicopter tours, and the two-sides day.
The walking tour with the boat does not include it. For a smaller group, the small-group tour ($114) includes the boat, cave and tower.
Want the view from above too? Boat, cave and a 12-minute helicopter flight in one small-group day.
Explore the helicopter tourFrequently asked questions
How close do you get to the falls at the Cave of the Winds?
The Hurricane Deck is under 20 feet from Bridal Veil Falls, closer than any other viewpoint on either side.
Do you get wet at the Cave of the Winds?
Yes, very. A poncho helps, but guests report soaked trousers and shoes.
Is the Cave of the Winds open in October?
Yes. Summer prices apply until October 18; it closes October 19 and 20 for maintenance, then reopens as the winter Gorge trip.
Is the Cave of the Winds wheelchair accessible?
Not fully: the walkways to the Hurricane Deck are stairs, and the all-inclusive tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
All-Inclusive USA Side Tour with Boat Ride
- Maid of the Mist boat ride with poncho (in season)
- Cave of the Winds and the Niagara Falls Observation Tower
- Goat Island, Luna Island, Terrapin Point and Prospect Point with a guide
Small-Group Highlights Tour with Pickup
- Maid of the Mist boat ride (admission included)
- Cave of the Winds and the American Observation Tower
- Guided walking tour of Goat Island
Small Group with Boat, Cave & Helicopter
Boat, cave, tower and a 12-minute helicopter flight
