The Thompson's® WaterSeal® brand is dedicated to protecting America's decks — including the decks at Niagara Falls State Park, America's oldest state park. Beginning in the summer of 2006, the Thompson's Company formalized a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Niagara Falls State Park to help protect wood decks and other structures at the Park. This includes one of the most spectacular attractions in the Park, the Cave of the Winds decks overlooking Niagara Falls.

More than 350,000 people visit the Cave of the Winds decks during the season, which usually runs from May through September. The series of decks and connecting walkways allow visitors beautiful views of the Falls and the surrounding scenery. The uppermost deck (called the Hurricane Deck, because of the wind and spray of the Falls), allows Park guests to come within 15 feet of the base of the Falls.

Given the unique conditions they face, the Cave of the Winds decks receive VIP treatment. The decks are cared for by a dedicated, long-time crew of six employees at the Park. Every fall, the crew removes all of the decking and the connecting stairways — otherwise, the weight of the ice over the winter would crush the structure. Over the winter months, the action shifts to an indoor workroom. During this time, one of the crew's jobs is to apply Thompson's® WaterSeal® Deck & House Stain to lumber for the decks and railings. In the spring, the crew heads back outdoors, painstakingly rebuilding the decks and stairways over a period of weeks.

Our Niagara Falls Partnership is part of our Very Important Places™ (VIP) Program.

You can learn more about Niagara Falls and these one-of-a-kind decks at www.niagarafallsstatepark.com.