On a cloudy morning, I left Toronto on a GO Train, heading for an adventure at Niagara Glen. The train ride was smooth, but I felt a bit nervous about leading the hike because the trails there are rocky and challenging.

When I arrived, I met 22 people from our Facebook group who came for the hike. Niagara Glen is right above the fast-moving Niagara River and a big whirlpool that the river creates as it turns back on itself. This always impresses visitors. We went down the steep trails into an area with old rocks and interesting history.

The trails at Niagara Glen are tough. They go through big rocks and thick forest, and you have to be careful. The paths are well-marked, though, and they take you through wild but welcoming nature. We all stayed together, sometimes stopping to look at unusual plants or birds. We helped each other over the hard parts of the trail, which brought us closer together.

After hiking for about 1.5 hours, we finished feeling proud and happy to learn about the area’s special rocks and plants. Then, I went to cross the US-Canada border by walking across the Rainbow Bridge. The view from the bridge was amazing, with a full view of Niagara Falls.

The US side of the falls has many things to do and learn about, but the Canadian side has better views of both the American and Horseshoe Falls. Even though the US side is advertised more, many people think the views are better from Canada.

As the day ended, I went to the Table Rock Restaurant on the Canadian side for dinner alone. The restaurant is very close to the Horseshoe Falls, and it felt special to eat with such a beautiful view. There was also a little boy at the next table who came over to talk to me before he left, which was sweet. Everyone at the restaurant was celebrating Mother’s Day, which made me nostalgic and melancholic.

Getting home was another adventure because the GO Train was canceled, and they put us on a bus instead. The bus ride took four hours, but I didn’t mind. It gave me time to think about the wonderful places and people I had experienced that day.