The military chain reserve ran one chain (66 feet or about 20m) wide along the edge of the gorge from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, and without it there would not be a Niagara Parkway. The Niagara Parkway runs from the town of Fort Erie in the south to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the north, a 53-kilometre road that hugs the river. It is a spectacular drive at any time of the year but it is at its best in spring, when the fruit trees are in blossom. At that time of year, the trees have not developed their foliage, so you can get a clearer view of the river as you drive along.