Has anyone gone over Niagara Falls in a barrel?

Yes, people have gone over Niagara Falls in a barrel, but it’s not something you can do legally or safely—it’s a death wish. The first recorded successful barrel stunt was in 1901 by Annie Edson Taylor, a 63-year-old schoolteacher who survived the Horseshoe Falls in a wooden barrel. Since then, about a dozen people have attempted it, and roughly half died from the impact, drowning, or being trapped inside. The last successful stunt was in 2019 when a man named Kirk Jones went over in a steel barrel, but he didn’t survive—he died from injuries. The park authorities will arrest you, fine you heavily (up to $10,000 in Canada), and ban you for life if you try it.

No, don’t even think about it. Unless you want a Darwin Award and a permanent spot in the local news obituaries, skip the barrel. The Niagara Parks Police and the U.S. Border Patrol patrol the area constantly, and they’ve got cameras everywhere. If you’re curious, you can see Annie Taylor’s original barrel at the Niagara Falls History Museum in the Fallsview area—it’s a way safer and cheaper thrill. The real question is why anyone would want to do that when you can just take the Hornblower boat tour for $30 CAD and get soaked without risking your life.