Erie Canal Forum

The interesting people you meet on the trail....

I joined my son a couple weeks ago for the last 100 miles of his Niagara Falls - Albany - NYC oddyssey. Along the way, we crosssed paths with Ken Burke of Buffalo, who was following the Empire State Trail route to RUN from NYC to Buffalo. 565 miles. On foot. With a target of 50 miles per day. And self-supported. Really!

If that's not incredible enough... he is a kidney donor from last year, and he shattered his leg 3 years ago and was told he would never run again.

Ken succeeded, arriving in Buffalo on May 31 after 11 days of running.

I was so impressed by Ken's story that I put together a web page with some photos, links, and additional details:
https://bikeempirestate.com/ken-burke-nyc-to-buffalo.aspx

WoW! That's crazy, incredible and heartwarming! Thanks for sharing and creating the interesting page, Ray. I can't imagine pushing a jogging cart all that way.

Wow! This is an amazing feat! It's like running 2 marathons a day for 12 days in a row! I can't wrap my head around it. I respectfully take my hat (ok, my bike helmet!) off to Ken! He's not only an excellent athlete but a wonderful human being. My wife is also a kidney donor (46+ year ago) but can't run even 1 mile. I'm a polio survivor but cannot hike 25 miles a day let alone run! Ken will be my inspiration when I start my Bflo-Albany ride next Monday. Ray, thanks for the forum and the story.

The map here on this site and the map over at Parks and Trails New York are pretty dramatically different in some places.

An example would be east of Clyde, or west of Syracuse.

Any reason to pick one over the other?

I can’t speak for this sites map (Ray the Webmaster would have way more insight on it than me anyways) but the PTNY map is geared towards the annual “Cycle the Erie Canal” ride.

That ride has to get cyclists and volunteers to different schools and park grounds to tent between 600-700 people at each overnight town. So that route will stray a bit

John

If you see differences in routes, it's because the map on this website is the original Erie Canalway route from a couple years ago. The route has varied in a couple places. But as John pointed out, the PTNY map is not necessarily the current route either; it is their best route for moving hundreds of people in the big annual ride.

For the most current Erie Canalway trail route, see the interactive map in our sister website BikeEmpireState.com. https://bikeempirestate.com/empire-state-trail-map.aspx The BikeEmpireState.com map shows the route of the Empire State Trail, which includes the Erie Canalway but also adds Albany to NYC and Albany to Canada.

I believe the best features of our interactive maps are:

- the ability to put mile markers on the map, originating from any of the towns along the trail (BikeErieCanal.com and BikeEmpireState.com)

- more complete business and service listings (BikeErieCanal.com)

- ability to see a list of businesses and services under the map (BikeErieCanal.com)

- our maps are actual Google maps with the features added on. This allows you to easily use Google features like Street View and Satellite view, on top of the features we have added

- our maps remember your settings (if you have cookies enabled). So for example, you might set up your map to show mile markers every 5 miles starting at Pittsford, with "pin" markers to show hotels and campsites. When you return to the map at a later time, it automatically remembers these customizations so you see the same map as before.

One advantage that the PTNY map does have over our maps, is that it shows the surface type of the different sections (i.e. paved or not). This is a feature that I hope to eventually add here.

There is one other interactive map that I know of, on the "official" Empire State Trail website: https://empiretrail.ny.gov/map It also shows surface types, but limited info on businesses and services. Our BikeEmpireState.com map matches the route on this map.

I don't know if this helps, but that's my perspective. The answer may be to check them all out and go with whatever you feel most comfortable using. Or use a combination, for example use PTNY to see the trail surfaces, and use BikeErieCanal.com to see distances from your starting point and business listings.

Good luck and happy trails!

Awesome Ray. I figured that you would chime in. I agree that using an assortment of maps available is the best solution to planning a successful trip/tour. I have mentioned before how much I believe using Google Maps Street and Satellite mode help in understanding the trail and surrounding areas, so kudos to you Ray (and Google Maps) for having that resource available.

So just to muddy the water a little more... there is an additional map available and it may be the more "official" of any, it's the map from the Canalway Corporation (https://www.canals.ny.gov/maps/index.html?layer=trail).

Don't get too excited though... it really only shows the Canalway trail with "existing" and "proposed" trails marked. So where there are on-road sections, they are all marked as "proposed" trail. Interestingly, it also shows sections of the trail as proposed that are branch trails that connect to areas away from the canal -- example being a proposed trail to Seneca Lake.

Regardless, I had understood that the trail had been re-routed coming out of Clyde heading south using Tyre Road (CR 372) and continuing onto Armitage Road that connects back to Route 31. What this does is eliminate a section of Route 31 that is fairly busy before and after Savannah, NY. None of the Maps (including Empire or Corp) show this to be the case, but on next weeks ride you will find me on Tyre Road!

Thanks Ray for your good work. Much appreciated.

Ahh, thank you all for explaining. I really do like the interactive map on this site, so I am glad to hear it's preferred.

I'll go look at the newer map on the bikeempirestate site to make sure that I am not missing any big recent improvements.

Thanks again for the help, and thanks especially to Ray for maintaining this resource.

I'll be riding from Buffalo to Syracuse for the first time in about a week. Would it be safe to say that the Tyre Rd. route has much less traffic and easier riding for someone that doesn't do much road riding? How busy is 31 and are the shoulders fairly wide? Is it safe to say the distance is comparable with either route?

Maggie,

I think that the distance it about the same. I thought coming out of Savannah was a pain -- I followed EST signs that I thought were routing me across the road and onto a gravel truck route -- turns out I was wrong and learned not to pay any attention to EST signs as they are typically not directional, rather just marking the trail's existence. As you leave town you also go over a somewhat steep overpass on Rt 31, and, Rt 31 is a fairly busy highway (not crazy busy, but well used and cars/trucks at speed between Savannah and Montezuma). There is a moderate shoulder for most of the stretch, but there are a couple places where there are guardrails quite close leaving minimal (if any) shoulder/apron.

The Tyre Road section looks like a nicely paved secondary road. No shoulders, but it's a typical country road. Looks pretty flat and you should not have issue being seen and/or seeing traffic approaching.

Lastly, I'm pretty sure this is going to be the case -- that even taking the Tyre Road alternative, you will still hit the section where the guardrails are encroaching on the apron. But. hey... I made it through last year unscaved! I'm opting for Tyre Road next week.

Wnybubba,

Thanks for the info. I’m leaning toward Tyre Rd. route.

Hello. Just completed the ride with a group of friends.

I'm wondering if there is anywhere to buy the trail signs? Either replicas OR used ones that have been taken down.

Mark,

For Erie Canalway signs, try The Canal Corporation.

https://www.canals.ny.gov/

Phone for Canal Trail Information: 518-449-6038

I have found the Canal Corp very open to discussion, information.

If you want an Empire State Trail sign -- not sure about that. I'd try I Love NY [800 CALL NYS · info@iloveny.com] as a starting place.

So, Mark, post a trip report about your ride here! Let us know how it went.

Hi, We've rode from west Syracuse to Niagara, this year we are doing east Syrause to Albany (and back). The west side of canal had many villages and locks where you could camp on the village greens or near locks for free (limit 4 tents). Does anyone have camping info for East side of canal path?

Nancy, you might want to start by using the Trip Planner feature on this website. It will show campsites (and anything else you choose) from the starting and ending points that you choose. After you have reviewed that, possibly you will have some more specific questions to ask.

I'm planning on heading out that way in a couple weeks with plans to park a car in Buffalo, rent a car to haul the bikes to Rochester, then make our way back over a couple days while camping along the way. I'm noticing there's not much marked for campsites between Buffalo and Rochester, so any advice is welcome. Also, any suggestions on possibly better sections of trail, routes, etc. are always welcome. We are looking at spending 3-4 days on the trail biking 30-40 miles per day hauling all of our gear. Ideally we wanted to end our biking at the falls, but we are open to suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Looks like I'll start off the response! As my brother asked me when I said I was thinking of biking 30-40 miles a day... he responded: "What are you going to do the rest of the day?" Seriously, for most, Rochester to Buffalo is a 2 day jaunt. Biking at a 10 mph pace is fairly easy biking and you'll have lots of daylight -- that means only 3 or 4 hours on the trail and 6 or more hours of daylight left. Camping is usually fine at any of the canal locks (you can call ahead if you like) and there is a Town Park with camping at Lock 30 that is quite nice (camping at the Lock itself is also decent). If you haven't used the Trip Planner resource on this site -- it is a great tool. It has campgrounds listed, but camping at Locks and quite frankly many places along the trail can work well for an over-night stay.

Going to the Falls is a fine idea. You will be much closer when you reach Tonawanda, so weigh the option of going directly into Buffalo. Frankly, if you camp around Tonawanda it's a nice ride into NF or Bflo. Don't plan on going into Canada as the border is not open due to the pandemic. Leaving the NF tourist area and going further north to Whirlpool State Park and climbing into the gorge at Devil's Hole is way fun.

Let me know if you would like any more info.

As more casual riders, I'll say that 30 miles is a nice day, but 50 is a beatdown. At least it is on the gravel of Katy and GAP. Hoping more of the Erie is paved.

Trail between ROC and Bflo is paved and/or really well packed fine stone.

@Bill in Houston:
Still at 10 mph 30 miles is only three hours out of the day. Daylight charts shows 12:45 daylight hours on April 1, 14:08 on May 1 and 15:10 on June 1 in the Rochester area. So my point remains that you are only pedaling 3 hours and have 12 more hours of daylight available.

There aren't many locks after Lockport between Buffalo and Rochester, so you're probably looking at private campgrounds. The Trip Planner shows a few, and I'd recommend calling ahead to check on availability.

The others are right that it's only 3 hours of riding, but there's enjoying the morning before heading out, taking breaks along the way, seeing the sights, stopping to read interpretive signs, having lunch, and checking out attractions along the way. You could easily spend 5 hours a day or more going 30 miles, and that's without doing major stops for attractions.

This is related to our plan. But we are unsure where to safely leave a car somewhere near Rochester. We'll be driving up from Watkins Glen and don't care which side of Rochester we start on. We'll ride west and end up (somehow) in Niagara Falls.
Hints on where to leave a car would be grand.

This came up before and I suggested a few places. The cyclist chose the Monroe Community Hospital option. Report was that it worked out really well. REI has a store right across the street and there is a Costco right there as well if you needed any supplies. Oh... and REI is right on the Canalway. Placement in Rochester is just about central south.

Here is contact info if you need it. You might also ask REI, the the previous cyclist chose the hospital b/c they felt it was safer and patrolled. Not sure if there is any cost. It is also about a block off the I-390 Expressway.

Monroe Community Hospital
435 East Henrietta Road
Rochester, NY 14620
info@monroehosp.org
Phone: (585) 760-6500

BTW, regarding above post... I was also suggesting that you might ask REI if you can leave a car at their store parking lot.

Monroe County Community College is down the street on the other side of the expressway -- lots of lots there you could leave a car in.

Hotels: Usually are really receptive to leaving cars for a few days in parking lots -- be sure to ask Guest Services really nicely for permission (a phone call ahead works well for planning and you get a feel for their attitude about the topic). The following are all close-by just down the street on the other side of the expressway:

Holiday Inn Express - University
Courtyard by Marriott - Rochester Brighton
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson - Rochester

I started in Buffalo on Wednesday May 26 and six days later finished in Albany. Most of the trail is well signed and easy to travel but there is still work to be done to make it less complicated to navigate, especially Rome and Utica. I lost my way about eight times but easily recovered. Be prepared to use the "Cycle the Erie Canal" route maps and "Google Maps".
Someday this will be a great, less adventurous trail, but right now bring your thinking cap along.
Get on your bike and ride!
Heidyho!

I rode the ECT end to end 2 years ago and love it. My wife and I are driving to Lockport in 2 weeks and riding about 100 miles East and then back to Lockport (4-5 days)…. She does ride but not real long distances . I remember this being one of the more interesting sections…Am I right or perhaps a different section might be better…Any input is appreciated. Thanks…

Looking to run a chunk of the trail this summer. I'm thinking one or more portions between Weedsport and Syracuse. What restaurants are located on the trail along that stretch? Ideally someplace that won't mind a couple sweaty people in shorts!

Lunkenheimer Brewery in Weedsport - in town and right on the trail!

I'm not familiar with places in Camillus, but there are a lot of places not too far from the trail.

I'll also let people knowledgeable on SYR chime in -- I'm not sure where the new trail goes though town.

My feeling is if I have dollars to spend - deal with my sweaty looks!

Arrived home yesterday after cycling from Albany to Rochester (I'd done the Rochester to Buffalo segment before a few times). A few notes:
* The eastern end has much better/newer signage than you'll find as you go further west.
* The newer sections of paved trail are generally terrific!
* There's a Trail Closed sign in Ilion, but it was fully passable. There could be actual closure if they are actively working on wrapping up the grading and seeding, but it was clear for us.
* The Closed sign in Utica, however, is for real. You will want to test out the new trail after riding roads for a bunch of miles, but take the detour.
* We missed a turn in Utica at Barnes Ave, right after the railroad tracks. There was no sign, so we rode about 2 miles through an industrial wasteland before we came to a bunch of rocks blocking the trail. Going east, it probably wouldn't be hard to navigate, but going west, there's no sign, and it's not obvious. Be aware.
* Signage in Rome through the city isn't great, so prepare for it with some turn-by-turn directions. Again, going east might be better.
* Just west of Fort Plain there is a newly resurfaced section of trail, but it's topped with about 2 inches of fine gravel. I had trouble on 38mm tires. Anything less, and you're probably walking for about 2 miles.
* If you get the chance to see a boat go through Lock 17, do it. Very cool.
* Lock 20 has no potable water. If you plan on camping there, be prepared.
* Lock 21 has no potable water or restroom/portapotty. And the nearest town isn't that near. We had planned to camp there, but we opted for a hotel in Canastota instead.
* The new bike paths through Syracuse are amazing! Great signage and easy to navigate. It was the best of the trip.
* If you plan to camp at the Lyons Fire Department, know that the bathrooms are not open to bikers due to covid. There's a convenience store about a quarter-mile away.
* The Newark Garden Inn (an old Quality Inn) is run down, but OK, and right on the trail. The first room they offered us hadn't been cleaned properly, but they made it right quickly. The online reviews make it sound like a horror story, but it worked for us.

Overall, our trip was a good one. We had beastly heat for the first few days, but starting early in the day made it easier.

Pack light, be flexible, and enjoy the ride!

Awesome review Biker Girl! Thanks for sharing.

Love the industrial wasteland detour -- how Utica! LOL Hard to believe that the new trail routing in SYR is that spectacular... but now looking forward to it! Lastly, that may be good news about the poor trail condition near Fort Plain -- I had read that it was nearly 4 miles. Ya just gotta wonder who was in charge of that gravel dump!

Happy trails for more miles.

Had the same experience at the Newark Garden Inn last year; not as bad as the reviews, friendly staff, right on the trail, bike friendly.

Is the bridge over the railroad tracks in Syracuse that connects the New York State Fairgrounds with downtown completed?

Yes the trail east of the Herkimer momument is dreadful for 2-3 miles. My friend who is a very experienced biker -fell off. Does anyone know who to contact about this bad/dangerous situation to get it rectified?

No, the bridge from the Fairgrounds isn't done quite yet. You detour over Bridge Street for less than a mile, so it's not bad. Sadly, it isn't marked, so we bugged a guy in the entrance station for where to go. He seemed mildly annoyed, but gave us the beta.

Some of the signage has been posted before the completion of the bridge, leading bikers to a dead end at the swamp! When completed that we will be a beautiful ride from downtown, over the bridge, along the lake, past the fairgrounds, to the Old Erie Canal towpath.

I rode that section today and paid attention to location in order to give others more specific info. The fine gravel section starts at about mile 4.2 east of Little Falls, headed towards Albany. It lasts about 3.2 miles. You will then be on a paved trail most of the way, except for a little road riding. I rode through it on 28” tires around 7:30 am. Clipped out of my pedals and rode about 6 mph. Slow going and not fun, but there is good trail on either end of that section to look forward to.

Much appreciated, Lynn, as much as it is contrary to a previous post. Does this look like it is underlayment for being paved? I'm thinking with nicely paved sections on either end that this may just be one of stages of preparation for final topping.

Perhaps. Beyond my level of expertise! When I first heard about the gravel I envisioned pea gravel that had been put on a new trail near my home. That was unrideable. Fortunately the contractor removed it and replaced it with correct stuff.

Lynn is correct. I'm in Schenectady and rode through there today in the rain. Don't let this bad section deter you. It just slows you to half speed. The trail is well maintained east from there with good signage. Go ride your bike. Heidyho!

Perhaps. Beyond my level of expertise! When I first heard about the gravel I envisioned pea gravel that had been put on a new trail near my home. That was unrideable. Fortunately the contractor removed it and replaced it with correct stuff.

Yep -- that is what I was envisioning as well... pea gravel!

Anyhow, just makes one wonder. I'm heading out eastwardly on the 9th. They have time to put down some nice blacktop before then! HaHa!

Planning to ride from Buffalo to Albany at the end of May, staying in motels/hotels. Mileage-wise, it works best to stay in Canastota on day 4. Any opinions on the Days Inn or Sharway Motel? Reviews not the best but not many options.

You should be fine at the Days Inn.

Consider adjusting your trip and staying overnight in downtown Syracuse. Stayed there last summer with my bike, plenty of hotel options.

I have stayed at the Days Inn previously. It's a decent enough place for bike riders looking for an overnight.

Stop in Chittenango, there is a B&B it’s a sweet little village and they have a small
zoo. More to do.

I did end up staying at the Days Inn. It was fine - clean, safe and fresh fruit for breakfast. I’d recommend it.

Windsor Village is a Bike Friendly Certified Business. We can assist you with repair, snacks, beverages and knowledge of all the must see or do activities and businesses in Lockport. We also ship all purchases for you so you do not have to carry them. Stop in and say Hi!

My son just rode Buffalo-Albany-NYC on the Empire State Trail, and I joined him for Poughkeepsie-NYC. Here are a few of his notes and mine on what to look out for:

Clyde to Port Byron: the on-road section is a high-speed highway, but the shoulders are mostly nice and wide.

Inadequate trail signage in Utica and Rome - have a map or cue sheet handy. If you lose the trail, remember the interactive map on this website has a "Center map at my current location" feature (click "Edit Settings").

East of Utica: trail closure for construction; the on-road detour (maybe 5 miles) was not fun.

After the detour part, at Dyke Road, the trail still follows an on-road route with uncomfortably narrow shoulders to Frankfort.

Around Ilion there were "Trail Closed" signs, but no problem actually using the trail.

East of Little Falls, they used the wrong kind of gravel for about 4 miles, resulting in a miserably soft surface. Be prepared to work hard here, for maybe 4 miles. A local rider said the state has no intention to fix this - but maybe if they get enough complaints....

After the relative flatness of the Erie Canal, be ready to climb some hills coming out of Albany/Rensslear. Likewise hilly (but very scenic) on the on-road portion from Hudson to Kingston.

Kudos to Leisure Ride Bike Rental on the south end of Poughkeepsie for setting me up with a nice ride so I could join my son for the last 100 miles of the trail. They are friendly and helpful and have a great selection, and located right on the trail.

We missed a turn in Brewster where the trail transitions to on-road. If your trail ends at a staircase, you've also missed the turn.

Southbound through Brewster, the on-road section was not well signed. Be sure to have a map or directions.

The Westchester County portion (Elmsford to Yonkers and beyond) goes through suburbia, but you will go miles without access to the local streets and services.

The on-road section just south of the Harlem River is well-signed, but you have to watch very closely for the Empire State Trail signs, as there are lots of turns and lots of signs everywhere.

For the love of God, do not try to use the portable restroom on the Hudson River section south of the George Washington Bridge.

The southern end of the Empire State Trail ("official" signs and markers) is about 1/10 mile before you actually get to Battery Park.

Bikes ARE allowed on the Staten Island Ferry (just past Battery), which is free and affords great views of the Statue of Liberty. Bikes ride in the lowest deck - workers will direct you.

Happy trails!

Traveling from Albany to Rochester. Here are our observations to date.
Great signage from Albany to Canajoharie.
Most of the surface was delightful to bikepack tour..
The 4 miles of thick pea gravel just west of Fort Plain is not conducive to biking. Pushed fully loaded bikes for 40 minutes, not fun to say the least.
The Trail closure in Ilion is misleading. The trail is open but could see
it being closed when trail work reseeding and grading is being done.
The trail signage from Frankfort to Utica is horribly lacking leading to missed turns
and lots of on road biking on poorly paved roads.
The trail in this area also sorely needs attention.
Lock 20 is lacking potable water and restrooms on trail side. It is dangerous to expect campers
to walk over the lock in the dark to go across the park to find a port-a-potty.
More observations to come as our adventure continues.

Thanks! Looks like you & son had a wonderful time out on the trail. Too bad we can't just fix trail things here! LOL

Especially regarding the Buffalo to Rochester segment. Thanks.

If you searched posts on this site, you would see that most who tour travel east out of Buffalo. Technically it is downhill and winds would normally be in your favor. Your specific concern about Bflo to Rochester is probably because of some elevation change, but this is primarily due to Niagara escarpment. Truly, any concern about changes in elevation should be discarded on the Canalway -- it is mostly a pretty flat ride.

And just to add to wnybubba’s comments, by going Buffalo to Albany, you get to go down the drops at the locks , not up. That said, other than at Lockport, I don’t think many of these would be considered high on the thrill-ride meter, most are just tiny drops and you don’t get much speed out of them. There may be a handful of others but that’s the only one that I recall.

But I also concur with him about elevation changes. Nothing to worry about.

Have a great ride!

John