Niagara Falls formed through a combination of geological processes over thousands of years. The falls were created by the retreat of glaciers during the last ice age. As the glaciers melted and receded, they carved out the Niagara River’s path, which flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The force of the water eroded the soft layers of rock at the falls’ location, while the harder rock layers above resisted erosion. This resulted in the formation of the spectacular Niagara Falls that we see today.