Brock's Monument: Niagara Falls Travel Guide (4.7★)

A column on the battlefield

The column rises from the top of the Niagara Escarpment. A statue of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock stands at the summit, more than 50 metres above the lawn of Queenston Heights. He was killed here on 13 October 1812, leading a charge up this slope against American troops who had crossed the Niagara River.

Brock is buried in the base, and so is his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonell, who died in the same battle. This stone column, finished in the 1850s, is the second monument on the site. The first was badly damaged by a bomb in 1840. Parks Canada runs the site as part of the Battle of Queenston Heights National Historic Site.

Up the spiral stair

The climb is the point of coming. Inside, a tight stone spiral of roughly 235 steps winds up the shaft to a small viewing platform under the statue.

• No elevator. You only get up on foot, and the stairwell is narrow and dim in places.
• The view: the Niagara River leaves the gorge below you and widens towards Lake Ontario. New York State is on the far bank.
• Pace: visitors going up and coming down share the stairs, so take it slowly and give way at the wider turns.

The tours are self-guided. Panels at ground level explain the battle and who is buried in the base. Expect about 30 to 45 minutes for the climb and the history, then more time outside.

Walking Queenston Heights

The monument stands in a large, tree-shaded park, and most of the battlefield can be seen on foot from the column.

• Battlefield walking trail: signed loops follow where the fighting happened up the escarpment.
• Laura Secord Monument: also in the park. Her homestead is down the hill in Queenston village.
• Bruce Trail cairn: the southern end of Canada’s oldest long-distance footpath is here.
• Picnic lawns: wide and flat. They work for an unhurried lunch between the climb and the drive back.

To the south along the parkway you’ll find the Floral Clock, the Niagara Glen trails and the Whirlpool Aero Car. Wine country and the old town of Niagara-on-the-Lake are a short drive north.

Timing the climb at Queenston Heights

Google currently shows the monument open 10am to 5pm every day of the week. Parks Canada changes the hours with the season and sometimes closes the tower in winter, so check its official page for this month’s schedule. Entry fees are posted there too.

This site gets far fewer visitors than the Falls. Tour coaches heading for the Horseshoe Falls usually fill the parkway later in the day, so a morning start at opening normally means fewer people on the stairs.

• Drive: take the Niagara River Parkway north from the Falls. Parking is in the park itself.
• Without a car: Niagara Parks runs a seasonal WEGO bus along the parkway. Check its current route and schedule before relying on it.
• Footwear and bags: wear shoes with grip and leave large bags in the car. The stairwell is too tight for backpacks.
• Accessibility: the tower is not suitable for anyone who can’t manage a long, steep climb. The grounds and plaques at the base are level and easy to walk.

October 13 is the battle’s anniversary, and commemorative events are sometimes held at the monument around that date.