Maid of the Mist Hours and Season 2026
The 2026 Maid of the Mist season runs April 24 to November 8; first boat 9am daily, closing 5pm to 8pm by period. The full schedule, boats every 15 minutes, and the best time of day to ride.
The Maid of the Mist runs a long season and a simple schedule: first boat at 9am every day, last boat somewhere between 5pm and 8pm depending on the month, boats about every fifteen minutes in between. Here is the 2026 calendar as published by Maid of the Mist, and what it means for when to go.
Want the morning handled? The boat + Cave of the Winds pass times the whole US side around the first boats.
The 2026 season
Opens Friday, April 24, 2026 · Closes November 8, 2026 — the 141st consecutive season.
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| Apr 24 – May 18 | Daily 9:00am – 5:00pm |
| May 19 – 22 | Daily 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| May 23 – 24 (Memorial Day weekend) | 9:00am – 8:00pm |
| May 25 – Jun 21 | Weekdays 9:00am – 6:00pm · Weekends 9:00am – 8:00pm |
| Jun 22 – Aug 9 | Daily 9:00am – 8:00pm |
| Aug 10 – 30 | Daily 9:00am – 7:30pm |
| Aug 31 – Sep 27 | Weekdays 9:00am – 5:00pm · Weekends 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Sep 28 – Nov 8 | Daily 9:00am – 5:00pm |
Boats depart roughly every 15 minutes; tickets are not timed, so “the schedule” is simply the window in which you can turn up. Outside the season the boats do not run — some tours sell a winter substitute, so read whether the boat is listed as “seasonal” if you are booking April or November.
The best time of day
The first boats after 9am. The line is shortest, the American Falls are lit from the east, and you have the rest of the day for the Cave of the Winds and Goat Island. Since tickets are not timed, “early” is entirely in your hands: be at the elevator when it opens and you are on one of the first boats. Afternoons on summer weekends are the longest wait in the park — see wait times.
For photographs, late-afternoon light comes from behind the Horseshoe on the US side; for spray, it does not matter — you get wet at any hour.
The best time of year
- May and September — full daylight, thinner crowds, and (from Memorial Day and again on September weekends) evening boats.
- Late June to early August — the 8pm closes let you ride after dinner when the lines have collapsed; a genuinely good trick.
- Late April and late October–November — 5pm closes, cold spray, the fewest people; the falls throw more mist in the shoulder months.
Tours and the schedule
The bundled passes leave in the morning for a reason: they put the boat first, then the Cave’s timed slot, then the walk. The featured pass meets at the Hard Rock; the American Tour collects you from your hotel. Neither can shorten the boat line — only arriving early does that.
Related
Ticket price · Boat vs Cave of the Winds · US side or Canada · Wait times · With kids · all tours
Book a Morning Pass
The boat + Cave of the Winds pass runs the US side in one morning — boat ticket, Cave entry, tower and a licensed guide, 4.6/5 from 700 verified guests, from $99. Free cancellation. First boats are the shortest lines.
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