Erie Canal Forum

I own a bike shop in Brooklyn (718 Cyclery www.718c.com) that leads alot of overnight trips. We are leading a self-supported ride from Buff to NYC in May 2022. Any thoughts on camping spots at/near Albany? We are going to do 70 miles day, and night 4 gets us to Lock 15 (which is about 72 miles form Albany)

Thanks in advance

Joe
718

I had no problem camping at Lock 2E (Waterford). There is plenty of space, electric on the far corner utility pole and also on the side of the (close) lock building. Picnic tables, nice grassy park like setting and a Main Street section with convenient stores and restaurants only a few blocks away.

If you go to Google maps there is a picture of the park area behind a bicycle (and the utility post). If you search Erie Canal Lock 2E Waterford, then go into Satellite view you can identify the grassy triangular area above the Lock (on the right). Take the "Little Man" and hover over the dot in the far corner and you'll see the photo.

Possibly this link will work:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7902298,-73.6825027,3a,75y,103.88h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNyC5E4Jomn2lVNjjzyD4195vx8EWepeYdajyp_!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNyC5E4Jomn2lVNjjzyD4195vx8EWepeYdajyp_%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya146.61035-ro0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120

Hi everyone! My cousin and I just wrapped up our 7-day bike trip from Buffalo to Albany, and we wanted to share some findings/tips we learned along the way! We're so grateful for this forum so we wanted to add in our own thoughts to help the next wave of End-to-Enders!

Buffalo to Hulberton: We loved Steamworks coffee in Lockport! We also stayed at Red Rock Ponds RV resort - a great place for a quick night of camping.

Hulberton to Rochester: There's a great little diner in Brockport for breakfast and amazing lemonade at a nearby coffee shop in Spencerport (both are on the right side as you bike into those towns) In Rochester, we loved walking down Park Ave and exploring the shops/restaurants. We ate at Dorado for dinner (amazing Mexican food). We also stayed at this Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/40491824?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=ab082a71-fd15-417c-ac68-cbc538e5b472) for those looking for a cozy stay right off the trail!

Rochester to Lyons: There is *a lot* of road biking on this day so be prepared! We stayed @ Lyons fire station. Wonderful people and a nice view of the canal, but there were some drunk folks outside the nearby restaurant which we didn't particularly enjoy. Also, not many places to eat in general around Lyons - a few were closed and the next town over was additional mileage we didn't want to do after a long ride.

Lyons to Syracuse: Also a lot of road biking on this day - continue to use this website's interactive map for the best directions! It's also very hilly in and around Syracuse, so if you choose to stay more in the city, be prepared for a climb to get to your destination. We stayed at Ophelia's bed and breakfast which was amazing! AND we ate at Pastabilities in downtown Syracuse which was one of our favorite restaurants on the trip!

Syracuse to Utica: This forum mentions Lock 12 as a great place to camp, but that it can get extremely buggy. A quick tip: Camp on the OPPOSITE side of Lock 12, and you'll experience less bugs! Just walk your bike across the canal and you'll find picnic benches + an awning to lock your bikes in a dry space. We did have some animals get into our stuff that evening though, so definitely be aware of where you're storing your food. Lastly, in and around Utica gets tricky with the trail - we recommend using this interactive map! We ended up having to do some gritty highway biking before Utica (we missed the trail), which is not ideal.

Utica to Amsterdam: Overall extremely flat and paved - was one of our best days of riding! You'll also see Little Falls and have lots of different views across the way. We stayed at Amsterdam castle which is *right* off the trail - and we ate at Parillo's which is a 3 min walk right below the castle. AMAZING Italian!

Amsterdam to Albany: It gets hilly once you past Schenectady! We were very surprised with some of the climbs, but the downhills were awesome :) After we finished our grand tour, we stopped in at Charlie's Hot Dogs (right near the Amtrak station) for INCREDIBLE burgers and fries! The best victory meal!

That's the gist of our journey! Please feel free to comment with any questions as well - we were 2 young female bikers and felt completely safe and comfortable the entire way!

Cheers!

Great write up!

Just making a couple comments on your journey's log. I think that it is misleading to say that there are *a lot* of road miles ROC to Lyons. I don't think that this is true. I will agree that there is quite a bit of road miles Lyons to SYR, but the trail is being re-routed to lesser used roads where possible. I'd also question that it is "very hilly" in SYR - there are some hills coming into the area, and the new re-route around the Fairgrounds does meander up and over (but with a carefully plotted serpentine route), however I don't think it qualifies as "very hilly" from my perspective. I also feel the same way about it being hilly on the Amsterdam to Albany section -- yeah there are a couple downs and ups, but the trail is well maintained and fairly typical of a biking pathway.

Here is this websites elevation profile chart:
https://bikeeriecanal.com/elevation.aspx

Greetings
Seven of us are planning to bike between Buffalo and Syracuse May 31st to June 7th. Not sure which town we will begin and start. Still figuring our preferences. We will use the train to return to our cars. My question is....should we lock in reservations now or can we wait til much later such as beginning of May. We still have a couple who are not yet committed. I'm not sure how quickly the train fills up or is heavily used that time of year. Is it reasonable that we could just show up day of and purchase a seat with our bicycles? Truly appreciate your feedback and insight!

Couple thoughts here... unlike getting a bike rack on Amtrak in DC or Pittsburgh (GAP and C&O trails), securing a rack for returns on the Erie Canalway is much less crowded and offers more service. That said, you definitely want to make advance reservations. Obviously weekend travel is busier than weekdays - so that plays into your planning. I would hardly ever consider biking without a reservation unless I had plenty of time and a place to stay.

First issue: I'm not sure that any Amtrak train can handle 7 bicycles. A quick look shows that the Maple Leaf and Empire Service only carry 4 bikes and the Lake Shore Limited handles 6. You get to figure out how you are going to handle those logistics! Looks like there are trains that are a couple hours apart.

I was going to advise that you should watch and see when racks began to sell, but in your case, that won't work well in that you need them all. So I guess you should nail down a date and press on with reservations ASAP. I'm thinking that could be as late as February or March and still be good -- especially if you are a little bit flexible on starting/ending dates, but in any event, the sooner the better.

Also, there are different levels of ticketing. If the one couple was hesitant, they can purchase refundable tickets.

Now, for the big question... why so long to bike 150 miles? That's like a three day ride for most people. Just throwing it out there as an observation. Possibly you are planning stay-overs along the way.

On other tip... if you are trying to look at availability online and having difficulty (you have to select a train/ticket before you can see the racks available), telephone Amtrak ticketing because the Agent can see what racks are available over multiple trains/days.

Have a fun trip. Planning is a fun part of it.

PS - Leave extra time to get to your return train so you aren't having to worry about getting there in case of some mishap. The ride should be no-stress!

i stopped for the 1st time for a snack & was made to feel like a long-time regular

wonderful owner
terrific food
great ambiance

camping also available

be sure you stop – you won't be disappointed

I am considering riding the Erie Canal in 2022. Which portion is the most scenic with Points of interest? Buffalo to Syracuse or Syracuse to Albany? Or ???

Of those two, I think I'd choose Buffalo to Syracuse.

Bflo to SYR: Mixed surface, some rural sections, many small towns right on the trail plus Bflo/Niagara, ROC & SYR.

SYR to ALB: Mixed surface to Rome/Utica lots of paved after; older cities and towns along Mohawk River that carries the Canal, several cities and less "quaint" small towns.

Prevailing winds tend to be from the west. I found it a more pleasant ride with wind to my back, and no sun in my eyes. There are very beautiful sections Buff to Syracuse. Everything from biking along the mighty Niagara river, to crunching leaves under the tires through gentle woodlands. I love these sections ... great towns along the way.

Two questions:

1. From Buffalo to Syracuse, what mix of surfaces? Crushed limestone, pavement, hard packed dirt? I rode the C&O Canal Towpath from Cumberland to D.C. and there were a lot of sections that were hard packed dirt, which is fine as long as it has not rained in the last 3 days before you ride it. Otherwise, it's a sloppy, muddy mess, with lots of puddles.

2. How much of the trail is shaded? The R2T route from Pittsburgh to D.C. is mostly shaded, making it very pleasant in the summer. How is the trail from Buffalo to Syracuse and from Syracuse to Albany as far as shade is concerned?

There's some mud between Buffalo and Syracuse, but nothing like an average day on C&O. It is small short patches, not unavoidable deep puddles. It's slimy though, so it can get really squirrely.

The official trail map shows different trail surfaces. Only the "stone dust" sections even have the chance to be muddy.

Not much shade at all. 10%? 5%? Very different from the GAP in that way.

From the waterfront in Buffalo to Albany, how many miles are on roads?

I'm leaving Monday for buffalo, will start riding there on Tuesday the 29th.
I'm wondering if there is a map I can print, a strip map would be great. Not sure I'll have internet access in many places with T-Mobile. Also I haven't figured out the interactive map.
Is there any app that will work like the gps for driving?anks

Thank your for your help,
Tom

Tom -- just use Google Maps in "Bike" mode. It will follow the Canalway. It will get you through places like Rome where signage is minimal a/o confusing. Also map it prior and print the "steps" showing the route. Stash it in you pack in case you get in a situation without service. However... service is pretty good on the trail -- Verizon anyhow.

Figure out how to use the interactive map. It is soooooo helpful for all those times you get the feeling you aren't on the trail anymore, or get to a fork and don't know which way to go.

Turn by turn maps and gps units exist, but you gotta have the right stuff to make all that work, and you're out of time.

Like Yogi Berra said, "When you come to a fork in the road--take it.

We are headed from Rome to st johnsville tomorrow. I saw discussion about loose gravel. What is the current situation surface near Herkimer Monument. Thanks.

Pam! So what was your experience? Is it fixed or just too much loose gravel like I had experienced in June? It was pretty sucky, but I made it through.

There were sections east of the Herkimer monument that were soft, but not problem going through with 1 1/2" tires.

Rode the EC end to end 2 years ago. Heading with wife to Lockport…and will ride to Brockport and back to Lockport. So that she can see what I think was a great section of the EC. Does anyone agree?? She does not ride as much as I do but is able to put 40-45 miles in a single day..Hence Lockport to Brockport. And back. ( 2 days ).

I just did all of that in the last couple of months, that's a great idea!

Yeah... nice part of the western Erie Canalway. Hit some rural sections, small towns, waterfalls (Medina) and significant locks. Go for it.

Good selection. And Brockport has nice places for lunch.

I like to ride the Erie Canal bikecamping but my concert is where or where i can call to find a Shutter to back to my car (Albany)?

Amtrak

Any suggestions for lodging to lodging luggage shuttles along the trail? Would be nice to ride light!

Thanks!

Ken, as far as I know there's no such service. May I suggest that you consider lightening your load to make the trip more pleasant. You'll be surprise how much you can do without. I learned the value of being a light hiker/biker after my first camino Santiago de Compostela, a 500-mile hike from southern France to northwestern Spain. I started with a 20-lb backpack, taking things "just in case"! After 2 days crossing the Pyrenees and pain on my back and knees (I'm a polio survivor and was 67 on that camino), I gave stuffs away and reduced the pack weight down to 12 pounds. Since then I've hiked 3 more caminos and biked 5 long distance bike trip. I'm currently on my 6th bike trip down the Rhine in Germany. On all of these trips I've managed to keep the weight (pack included) to around 12 pounds. On my bike trip from Passau Germany to Budapest, Hungary (via Austria and Slovakia) 2 years ago, everything I took (clothing, tools, spare inner tube, pump etc. fit into ONE pannier and one small handlebar bag!! The only exception was the Erie canal trip in early June this year when the total weight was 24 pounds due to the extra weight of the tent, sleeping bag, pad and stove...! Good luck and have a safe ride.

So I'm having a bit of difficulty understanding camping policies at the various locks. I understand that there are appx. 5 that allow camping and some of those have drinking water and restrooms, and maybe a shower. I called the Marina at Lock 21 Illion and was told $20 fee. I thought from reading these posts that camping at the locks was free.
I'm looking for clear, concise info regarding camping options I'd rather not hear smart remarks or "I stealth camped and thumbed my nose at authority." I prefer to do the right thing as some places are now off limits to trail riders because of behavior. Would like to hear from those who have done the ride, camped, and have useful info. I know I sound like a pain in the butt. Don't mean to but don't want to weed through a bunch of useless chatter. Thanks to all that can help.

I rode west-bound in May, and camped half the time.

You are correct that there are several locks with some level of facilities. I don't believe any have showers, but many have portable toilets, and some have potable water.

Lock 15 is great - water, facilities, and even electricity.

Lock 20 is good - no potable water, yes on facilities.

Lock 21 is lovely, but without any water or facilities. It's also pretty remote, so you can't just pop into town.

Lock 30 had water, but no facilities in May. Might be different now, since two years ago they had them.

Lock 21 allows free camping at the lock. I'm guessing if you called the Marina, that wasn't the Canal system lock; hence the $20 fee.

You are allowed to camp any any lock, pending approval from the lock master, but there will not be any services.

We added a couple of hotel stops so we could have a shower twice on the ride.

Enjoy your ride!

Biker Girl, Thank you. I called 2 numbers at Illion. One only rand. The 2nd answered and that was the Marina.

Yes, thank you Biker Girl.

Thank you for that info Biker Girl. I have updated the website listings to reflect these details.

Rick -- the Illion Lock has a Town RV park. In COVID frantic June 2020, I stopped there and called the number posted at the building. The park manager allowed me to camp one night, but told me that the Town didn't allow tent camping, just RVs. It does make sense as there is just a back row of paved RV parking. I stayed on a grassy area on the far side near a pavillion.

In general... camping at Locks is allowed -- ideally with advance permission/notification (and same day is fine). On the eastern section you are not always right on the Canalway, so a Lock option may take planning to getbthere. I stayed at a public Marina in Little Falls that was great (pretty much legal), Lock 8 near Rotterdam was one of the best and not even mentioned above, as was the Lock at Fort Hunter. The Canalway is close enough to towns and facilities (convenient stores, restaurants, etc.) that finding camping support is easy. My advise is get out a map and do some planning to support the amount of miles you want to cover in a day and see where it puts you -- then see what's close and what options you have. Lighten up, have fun... it's an adventure after all!

Can you park for several days here?
What is the cost per day?
Is it safe to leave your vehicle for several days?

I wouldn't leave my car there.

JTBiker -- pretty much Unity Island isn't car accessable, but more of a walking Pier and any parking would be short-term. Looking for a place to leave your car? Right there is Rich Products who have a big parking area for both their offices and an event venue. Further north off Niagara Street there is a Marina (Harbor Place Marine) & West Marine store. Large parking lot there -- right on the bikepath. For either of these call and ask kindly ask permission.

The trail eastbound after Herkimer Monument is like biking through the beach, the desert, the snow, oatmeal, pennies, nickels, quarters, really any denomination of wasted money. What an awful experience. My poor mother had to walk her bike for the 2-3 miles of mashed potatoes. Why bother to put down THAT MUCH rock dust if you aren’t going to harden it in any way?... idk. Worse part of our bike pack. Even worse than whatever Rome is right now.

Isn't it just crazy? You have to wonder who was in charge, what authorization was given and why the Canal Corporation does not have set standards to follow for preparation and final trail surfacing. That's a rather common item in any Trail Maintenance Crew documentation.

I'm on the trail now in Canstota and will be on the "Sugar Sand" tomorrow. I'm thinking of staying on the road through this section. Smart idea?

I haven't looked at any options available, but if it looks like it isn't too bad of an option (length, busy) I can't imagine that missing a 2-3 mile grungy walk is not a great idea!

Keep us posted and what your route idea is (and how it turns out)! Have a good night.

PS - Just looked. Not sure exactly where the crappy surface starts/ends, but if are you thinking River Road -- Looks like something I'd do!

I'm in Little Falls now. I rode the Herkimer section. There is new asphalt a great riding conditions. The biker who reported the sugar sand must have come through between the exact time the put down the sand and then asphalt. One more day till Albany. If anyone knows a way back to Buffalo on sunday night or Monday please let me know. Thanks Mike

WOW! That is great news. Maybe that was the plan all along.

Mike -- Sweet planning on your part! LOL
I checked that Amtrak Train for you.

There is a bike rack available on SUNDAY on both the 1:23 PM and 4:23 PM Empire Service Train out of Schenectady. Couch & Rack $52 and $20.

Also: MONDAY on the 7:33 PM Lake Shore Limited Train out of Schenectady. $52 and $20. There is also seat and rack on the 4:23 PM Empire Service. $74 and $20.

I don't know of anyone making the drive from Albany in the next couple days. An option, of course is to turn around and peddle!

You have a lot of options for train, but the racks do sell out, so make a reservation soon if you are going to travel by train.

Thanks Bubba for the research. I already have a rack booked for Tuesday. I was not able to get a spot for Monday. I will just ride around Albany. Thanks again

Gotcha. Ask Amtrak if they will let you use your ticket early. Who knows? John Boyd Thacher State Park, it's a really nice place to spend some time exploring. It's a 16 mile bike ride and not great roads to get there, but an Uber might be an option if you are tired of biking around. Glad your tour was a good one. Be sure to write a trip report for us to review. It's been fun hearing from you and helping you out.
-bubba
wnybubba@gmail.com

Mike:
If you want to ride on your extra day consider the Albany County Rail Trail. It's paved and a gentle uphill to Voorheesville. The trailhead is on Pearl St. just south of Albany. If you want to be off your bike the New York State Museum on Madison is worth a few hours of your time. I don't know what the COVID restrictions for the museum.

Gotcha. Ask Amtrak if they will let you use your ticket early. Who knows? John Boyd Thacher State Park, it's a really nice place to spend some time exploring. It's a 16 mile bike ride and not great roads to get there, but an Uber might be an option if you are tired of biking around. Glad your tour was a good one. Be sure to write a trip report for us to review. It's been fun hearing from you and helping you out.
-bubba
wnybubba@gmail.com

I'm sitting here on the Amtrak enjoying my unexpected day early ride back to Buffalo. I

GREAT! Not that spending time in ALB isn't decent. So Amtrak allowed you to use an earlier train?

We rode the east-of-Herkimer section on June 2, 2021 and it was still terrible, so I’m not sure about the May 29 comment that it had been paved. It really isn’t sand, it’s just gravel that was way too deep. Does anyone have an update on this?

Supposedly there are Trail Closed signs and a marked road detour.