Erie Canal Forum

Our phone number is 518-212-2688
We are open 11-9 Monday Thursday Friday Sat Sun
4-9 on Taco Tuesday
Closes Wednesday
We would love to see you right off the bike trail!

Always good.

So glad you're back!

Is there generally potable water availability at the lock camping areas?

I have camped at a couple of locks and there was bottled water for the lock tenders that you could use

I'm going to need to return a bike rental back to Buffalo from Rochester and if I don't use the train I'm looking into renting an suv. Is there a safe way of cycling to Rochester airport from the canal trial?
thanks

Anyones thots on tenting/camping along trail w/o any reservations anywhere? Also how esy is it coming into albany and connecting to the empire trail to head north?

Most locks along the trail allow camping. Check with NYS Canal Assoc.
Once you cross the Dunn Mem. Bridge into Renssaeler, look for the signs for the trail. At parking lot there, there is a real toilet and a Dunkin right nearby. heading south you will find it difficult to find camping.

Good morning all. I am in the process of planning to cycle the canal from Albany to buffalo sometime before the end of Autumn in 2024. I have family in buffalo I am going to visit. My intention is to camp on the trail. As I am flying in with my bike I do not actually want to carry a tent. In the campsites along the trail are there any that offer one night hire of tents.

That's not really a thing here, and certainly not frequently enough to cover you for the whole trip.

Agree with Bill. I’ve not heard of tent rentals and certainly not in all the small towns you’ll be stopping at. If you’re set on not carrying any gear (or you don’t have a support crew carrying it for you), I would just “credit card camp” and stay at motels/BNB’s.

Thanks for both comments fellas, I have plenty of time to plan, so will now look at bed and breakfast along the route and weigh it again st carrying tent and sleeping bag.

Slainte Mhath

You may want to buy a tent and sleeping bag in Albany. Then donate it to good will in Buffalo.

Good call on buying tent and then donating.
Cheers DK

Hey there! We are not rent campers, so won’t comment on that. But, September 2022, my husband and I rode the Albany to Buffalo thru trip. We were the ONLY riders going East to West. There are a few spots along the way that the tailwind you may benefit from when going West to East would be helpful, but I can honestly say that the last 130 miles or so into Buffalo were by far the prettiest! We are glad we chose this direction, although the vast major of riders go not.
I have our entire itinerary I can send if you want. We stayed at motels or hotels over the 7 nights.

Let me know if you are interested in our itinerary and I’ll be happy to send it along. If do, you might provide an email I can send it to

Pat Ness

Pat from Greencastle I would be interested in your itinerary lafrancedonna@yahoo.com thanks!

If you haven't yet discovered this site.

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/activities/camping

Lots of good information and a free map to order.

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/trip-planning

Thank you Pat. I would appreciate having a look at your itinerary.
Bill

Williammckay596@gmail.com is my e mail

Thank you Pat, I would appreciate your sending me your itinerary. Can you tell me do you ride on city streets as you go through Syracuse? My email is Jmccartney@ithaca.edu.

Pat, I would love to see your itinerary too!
sarah.bansen@gmail.com

Pat
I would also love to see your itinerary'
heyfergs@gmail.com

I have biked the KATY trail several times and love the low cost camping. I found the sister site (bikekatytrail.com) very helpful with planning for the KATY but so far this site seems lacking the depth of info, especially feedback.

I was hoping to do the Erie early this July but so far my research (on this site) is showing simple tent camp sites upwards of $50+ per night. Are their options I am missing, especially closer to the Buffalo end of the trail? What other resources might I be missing?

I plan on taking a Morning Amtrak out of Croton Harmon to Buffalo and heading east back to Westchester. I don't need much as I travel light, tend to do long days and am used to primitive camping from years of minimalist backpacking.

Replying to my own question.

The interactive map on the ptny.org is a great resource I had overlooked. I got spoiled by the amount of information on the KATY site (or fewer camp options) so I hadn’t looked further for more information. It is very helpful when people leave feedback and I will try to leave feedback as I travel the trail.

https://www.ptny.org/camping-along-empire-state-trail/

Many of the locks along the canal allow camping. Check the NYS Canal site for more information

Stayed here 6/10/26. Staff was great, room was clean, and was close to several food options. I recommend this motel.

Camped here on 6/9/26. Got to watch some boats lock through and spent some time talking to the lockmaster. Lots of space for tents and there was a portable toilet and places to charge electronics.
Speedway gas station was .2 miles away and was an easy ride. Was a nice, quiet spot to camp for the night.

Walked over from the Welcome Center to eat on 6/8/26. Good food, great beer selection, and friendly staff.

Is there a safe place or long term parking for your car in Buffalo, near the trail or semi close for a week ride?

I left a pick up truck at the Adam Ramp (parking garage) for 5 days in early June and it went fine. Cost was between $40 and $50. 5 blocks from the Exchange Street Amtrak station.

Thank you JT, I will check into Adam Ramp Parking Garage.

Weedsport to Syracuse on June 11, 31 miles.

Had a somewhat short day to get to Syracuse. Plan was to ride to the YMCA to shower and change into the clean clothes I had been carrying all week and then head to the Amtrak station to catch the train back to Buffalo.
Made sure to pick up an extra sandwich before I left Weedsport because it looked like options for food might be a little sparse on the way to Sycracuse. Picked up the off road trail just a mile or so outside Weedsport, it was a little muddy from the rain but not a problem and there wasn't much "traffic" to deal with. Hit paved trail after about 20 miles or so, and had pavement (either trail or road shoulder) to the end of my ride. When I got to the NY State Fairgrounds I was unsure where the trail went. The sign seemed to indicate to go through a small gate and into the fairgrounds. Right across the street was the Byrne Dairy and Deli so I opted to get a sandwich and drink and contemplate the situation. Became apparent that through the gate and the fairgrounds was the correct route, there was even a shelter with some benches under it just inside the gate where I sat in the shade and finished my sandwich and drink. After riding through the fairgrounds there is a bridge that goes over a highway and into a pretty large parking lot; keep your head on a swivel here (and at all times). I was riding along a chain link fence on the road (because the easiest route is always the correct one, not!) looking for a good place to take a picture of Syracuse off in the distance when I realized that way on the other side of the parking lot was a trail sign. I backtracked a little to an opening in the fence and got back on the trail. Not far down the trail was a scenic overlook and I got my picture, and that led to a nice downhill to Lake Onondaga. Got to the Onondaga Creek Walk and thought I was in the clear when I hit another detour. At this point I knew I was close to done, so I googled the Y, was only a mile away, and decided to follow the phone's directions. Got a hot shower, put on fresh clothes, and googled the Syracuse transportation center and within 2 miles and 15 minutes I was at the Amtrak station. Amtrak station had a Subway, a couple of other food places, and a convenience store. Also had outlets for charging and wifi. Train was on time, had plenty of room, and I had booked a spot for me and the bike so we got loaded and headed to Buffalo. Got to Buffalo, unloaded my bike and the gear and got things together to do the 5 block ride to the Adam Ramp where I had started. Got to the parking garage at 7:10pm and by 7:30 I was driving out of the exit. Cost for parking was between $40 and $50.

In conclusion, I have to mention that one of my favorite things about the ride was stopping where ever there was an information sign to read about the history of that part of the canal and the areas I was riding through. And the people I encountered and interacted with along the way, they were great.

I would also mention the dozens, and I do mean dozens, of snapping turtles that I saw digging holes along the edge of the canal trail to lay eggs. Google says in 80 to 90 days they'll hatch, so look out! The snapping turtle is the state turtle of New York.

Safe riding!

Macedon to Weedsport on June 10, 48 miles

Planned to camp at the Montezuma Anchorage Paddle Camp after Macedon, but with the forecast not looking good I made a reservation over the phone at the Red Roof Inn in Weedsport. Ended up glad I did. Stopped in Newark at the Fastrac and had a sandwich and drink, and then stopped at Rosie's in Savannah and ate again. Was trying to push the pace a little and was greatly helped by the big downhill that started in Savannah. The trail at this point is the shoulder of Hwy 31 and the shoulder gets a little skinny after turning east and going across the "bottoms" into Montezuma. Rejoined the "off" highway trail again in Port Byron (although I considered just staying on Hwy 31) and then back on the highway shoulder after 3 miles or so of trail. The clouds were getting thicker and darker and as I passed the Welcome to the Village of Weedsport sign it started to sprinkle. Within a quarter mile I could see the Red Roof Inn, and even though it was only 1pm the very friendly staff let me check in. Knocked the dust off of everything and got everything in the room (including the bike) and within 15 minutes you couldn't see across the parking lot it was raining so hard. Rained for a short time and when it stopped I walked across the street to the Arby's for some food. There was also a drug store and 2 gas stations both with food. Enjoyed the night in a bed and hit the Fastrac in the morning for breakfast and headed towards Syracuse around 9.

Brockport to Macedon on June 9, 50 miles.

Temperature rose on the ride to Macedon, I expected highs in the upper 70's and it got up to 89 degrees. Listening to the news later in the day found out that it was a record high. Made sure to stay well hydrated (as I did every day).

This day's ride was pretty much about navigating Rochester. Ran in to 3 different detours, 2 of which I did not expect. I stopped twice to ask for directions, and both times I was given excellent information. The first was a Midas Muffler shop. In addition to giving excellent directions the young man also warned me to pay close attention when I reached Genesee Valley Park because it could be a little confusing. The second time was at a used tire shop and again, excellent directions. Names of the streets, how many lights to go down, which way to turn, made my day much easier. Reached Genesee Valley Park, and even though I had been warned, did an extra mile or two before realizing I was off trail. Returned to where I had gone astray and got back on track. Before reaching Macedon I went off trail to go to Walmart. In hindsight I would have skipped doing this because the road leading to the store was narrow and traffic was heavy. There was a Speedway .2 of a mile from where I camped that had everything I needed and was much easier to get to.
Set up camp at Lock 30, a free camping site and the place I enjoyed staying at the most. Got to watch boats locking through and spent a bit of time talking with the lockmaster. Learned a lot about the history of the area and things to watch for on down the canal. Got a good nights sleep, but because the forecast was calling for severe storms later in the day I got on the trail by 7:30 hoping to stay dry.

Middleport to Brockport on June 8, 33 miles.

Second days ride wasn't as far as I would have liked, but I thought the Brockport Welcome Center seemed like a good place to stay the night, and it was. Stopped at the Crosby's in Albion on south Main, but could have chosen 2 or 3 other places that were nearby. Got to Brockport early afternoon and crossed the canal on the Brockport Pedestrian Bridge, which is maybe a mile west of Main St, but it's a really neat bridge. I could have stayed on the canal trail another mile and crossed closer to downtown. Got to the Welcome Center and checked in and was directed to the place to set up for the night. Staff was super helpful and made a great recommendation for dinner, Barber's Grill and Tap Room. Food was good and had a lots of options for draft beer. The Welcome Center provides a key for the shower room, and they also have a laundry room. The camping area is a grassy area adjacent to the canal walk, so there was some foot traffic (but not as late as 1am). I got a good nights sleep, headed north on Main in the morning to a convenience store for breakfast and was on the trail by 9-9:30.

Posting about my ride from Buffalo to Syracuse that I did June 7-11. Before heading to Buffalo I went through Google Maps for each town I would be riding through to look for convenience stores, this worked really well for me. Any comments I make in the posts are about what I encountered, good or not so good. You may be doing the same ride and have a totally different experience.

First day riding was from Buffalo to Middleport on Sunday, 44 miles.

Parked at the Adam Ramp, 343 Washington St. Was a great spot to start and the truck was still there (and dusty) when I returned on Thursday. It's about 5 blocks north of the Amtrak station. I had done some research on the work in the park that has closed a part of the start of the trail so I decided to skip that and just get to Niagara St. as quickly as I could. This worked well, I ran into a couple of other short detours in the first 6 or 7 miles but was able to navigate them with no problem. In some places the trail parallels the road, and in some it is the shoulder of the road, and it was paved all the way to Lockport (31 miles or so).
Got to Middleport and talked with the lift bridge operator for a few minutes and he said I should camp on the south side of the canal, closer to the showers and restrooms. There were also places to charge electronics. Got set up and rode to the Crosby's about a half mile south and stocked up on food and soda. Overall the camp site was okay. It is right behind Main St and many of the 2 and 3 story buildings facing Main have apartments on the upper floors with parking in back. There was quite a bit of foot traffic walking by the camping area, up until 1am. I would also recommend getting your shower in early. The 2 restrooms/shower rooms did not require a key and about 8pm both became occupied and locked for the night. Both occupants were gone by 6am. All in all I got a good nights sleep. Rode back to Crosby's for a breakfast sandwich and soda and got back on the trail by 9am.

As of September 2025, the manager of the Port was no longer allowing bikers to use the port facilities (showers, laundry, etc.). I was told this was due to an incident that occurred there with bikers. Just be warned if you're banking on using these facilities, they might not let you in.

In fall of 2025, the town was no longer welcoming to bikes. I was told this was due to an incident that had happened earlier that year. They were no longer allowing bikes to use the showers or laundry. You can still use the nearby lock for primitive camping, but you may have a hard time using the showers/laundry at the port.

This bike shop is permanently closed

Biking with a friend. Two beds in a room? Breakfast. Shared Bathroom with other guests? Rates.

Touring Buffalo to Manhattan with wheels mile zero Thursday, June 18, 2026. Looking forward to the tailwind before making the turn to the Battery. Starting Thursday at sunrise, breakfast spot suggestions within first 10 miles? Must stop for a pint locations between Lockport and Albany? Many thanks!

Would not know the answer to your questions with one exception: It's a bit off your direct line of travel but the Genesee Brew House in Rochester is worth a visit if you have that kind of time in your schedule. Can be reached mostly on bike paths from where the trail crosses the Genesee River. https://www.geneseebeer.com/brewhouse/

Thanks, Phil!

This 62yo male is very excited to make Erie my first overnight trip!

Please let me know of any good Erie Canal pre-printed color bike trail maps that I can order. I did a little searching on the forum and came up empty.

I am planning on riding the trail this fall on my trusty Surly LHT and staying overnight in cheap hotels/motels. As a second request, plz suggest places for me to find a bed for overnights.

Thanks!

I’m a bit older than you…let’s say 78!, but I found this book super helpful. “How to Ride the Erie Canal Trail in Style.” By Jim Schnaars. Not expensive on Amazon and it’s just what you’ll need.

This one is free.

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/request-map

Get the PTNY trail guide. Has lots of good stuff

I think the map that Daryl mentioned is what you're looking for, but fyi here is a list of additional guidebooks and references that are relevant to the Erie Canal and Empire State Trail:

https://bikeeriecanal.com/books.aspx

TLDR: getting started was a bit challenging, but worth it.

Just started my ride yesterday. I took Amtrak to Buffalo Exchange Street and everything went smoothly on the train. Two super-helpful conductors really made my start feel right. As soon as I left the station, though, things got wonky. Tons of car traffic for a baseball game (the stadium is very close to the Amtrak station), limited signage, overlapping/connecting bike paths, several trail closures and associated detours (thankfully good signage on the longest one) all made getting started quite challenging. I really enjoyed the dusk views as I pedaled into the night before reaching my first stop just past North Tonawnda. I wish I could have got a bike slot on the earlier train. Starting this adventure at 7pm wasn't the best choice.

A couple of Sr's plan Buffalo -Syr , Mid July. What Amtrak station is close to Bike Trail . Exchange Station or Buffalo Station. Any recommendations for close Hotels. Thanks Ed

I don't know the answer, but if nobody pipes up, you can use the search feature on the forum to look for "Exchange" and see previous discussions.

Did this exact trip last year. Myself 76, my mate 68
Amtrak to Buffalo exchange
4:30 pm arrival, a little late and picked up the canal trail immediately after some local detours.
Book the seats with the bikes.
$20 for bike.
Pedaled to Lockport that day.
Rochester next night, Seneca Falls, Syracuse.
Syrucuse Mets AAA game, Amtrak to Yonkers in the morning.
Great trip. Syracuse to Albany in June this year.

My comment under Yonkers to Buffalo

Hello cyclists! My grandson and I would like to bike from Albany to Rome or Utica, then take Amtrak back to Albany to get back to our vehicle. Can you tell me whether the Amtrak station in Rome or Utica is bike-able from the Erie Canal bike way? How many days would I need to bike from Albany to Rome or Utica?

Since I see you have posted a question about shuttle service after asking this question it might mean you've ruled out Amtrak. Not sure about that but if you are having trouble finding out if two bikes can be taken on any one trip by train, I found out that you have to have both passengers registered in the booking system before it gives you an option for more than one bicycle. I was under the impression they would only allow one bike on any one trip until I went through my congressman's office for help. One of his aides discovered the answer to my question. Before that, any questions to Amtrak directly were never answered with anything except they'd received my question and would get back to me. That was three years ago. I'm still waiting for a reply.

As far as the bikeability between the stations and the Trail the answer is that Utica is pretty straightforward, though my friend and I decided to walk the sidewalk from the station to the trail rather than use the road, which has limited shoulder room. I can't speak for Rome directly but my memory was that the route went right past the trail there. Right out the front door and you're on the trail I believe.

The trail from Albany to either Rome or Utica is largely flat. The distance is 127 miles from the former. It's probably a two-day trip for most people with fully loaded bikes. YMMV.

TO: Phil Lussier
Greetings Phil, thank you for your information. It is most helpful. Yes, we do plan to use Amtrak for the ride back to Albany. Could I ask you a few questions?
(a) can you please email me at youngrsk@gmail.com?
(b) Our plan is to depart by bicycle from Albany Renssalaer on 18 August. Is there secure parking at Albany Rensselaer?
(c) How far is the Erie Canal Trail from the Amtrak station? Is it a safe route?
(d) We will bike and stay in hotels along the way, so no need to carry much more than a toothbrush and water
(e) We will take the train from Rome back to Albany and get our car on 20th or 21st of August.
Many thanks again! Rick and Jimmy

Hello Cyclists

Do you know of anyone who could drive us and our car to the Erie Canal (Albany) and then two days later, pick 2 of us up in Utica or Rome and drive us and our 2 bicycles back to Albany? It would be late August 2026.

Thank you, Rick and Jimmy

Amtrak is an option since both Utica and Rome are stops for the train. They will take up to two bicycles on the train, you carry them on and hang them from their rear wheels in the cubicle they have for the purpose. I've only ever done it with the amount of gear I'd be toting for a day ride. Never had to manage overnight gear in the process which could be complicated. You could drive your car to Albany and leave it at the station, take the train to Utica or Rome, and then ride back to Albany, where your car will be waiting. They have outdoor and garage parking options. Reservations are required to insure the bikes can be accommodated on the day of your travel.

I would like to have a go at riding the Erie Canal bike trail this summer, if only from Buffalo to Syracuse. I have a Seven titanium road bike with fairly thin tires. I understand that the trail is a portion gravel and paved. Would the ride be comfortable on a road bike?

The section you are planning on doing is probably the least friendly to narrow tires. The section from Syracuse to Albany is more completely paved though there is a section on exiting the city which is 36 miles of stone dust path which might be a bit harsh on narrow tires. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Erie_Canal_State_Historic_Park
I did the whole bike trail end to end, in sections, on 42 mm tires and was very happy with that tire size. There were certainly others doing it on narrower ones. You'll have to get someone of those to weigh in on this.

Google maps says permanently closed

I'm researching a plan for a group trip in October. I'm aiming to do 100-150 miles over 3-4 days. I'd appreciate suggestions for (1) the best starting and end point and (2) a service that could shuttle a group of 10 or so folks. Thanks!

I am doing the same for six people. I am surprised at how limited the lodging options are....unlike the GAP which has large BnBs and several in each town.

Check out the PTNY handbook for guides to the towns with food and lodging.

We are doing around 120 in May - originally I wanted to ride from Syracuse to Albany, but ended up doing Buffalo to Pittsfield and Amtracking back from Rochester due to loding limitations. Better lodging options biking from Buffalo and east.

Nancy, how about Syracuse, Rome, Little Falls, Amsterdam, Albany?

That said, I definitely enjoyed the west end of the trail more.

HJB, for 10 people, maybe get a Uhaul and a couple of minivans?

Ride Lockport to Weedsport? Or Buffalo to Pittsford/Fairport?