Erie Canal Forum

I'm sure that the answer to this is simple, and I've just overlooked something.

On the Mileage Chart, it says that Lockport is 26.7 miles from Buffalo.

But when I look at the Lockport info page, on the map, it seems to say that Lockport is at trail mile 32.

So if I want to travel by bike from Buffalo to Rockport, how far should I expect to ride?

That really is confusing, I'm sorry about that.

The mileage chart is based on a location in the middle of the Buffalo area - near Unity Island - which is about 5 miles from the actual start of the trail.

And the 32 "Mile Marker" is based on distance from the actual start of the trail, at the southern end of the Buffalo section. So 26.7 miles from Lockport puts you in the central part of the Buffalo part of the trail; 32 miles puts you at trails end.

This would make a lot more sense if both values were based on the start of the trail. I will put that on my to-do list!

Thank you for pointing this out, and happy trails!

I knew there was a simple explanation! Thank you, Ray!

How do I convert the Trip planner to PDF so I can share
Bob

You could save it as html in your browser or highlight and copy and then paste it into microsoft word.

There you can do Save As pdf

Thank you Brambor, that is definitely the best way to get your Trip Planner in a printable and savable format.

Bob, I'll also point out that if you want to share your Trip Planner, there is a link at the bottom of the planner web page that you can share, right under "Use the following web address to come back to your trip planner with these same settings"

This link includes all your settings that you have selected (towns, types of services, etc) so anyone who clicks the link will see the planner with the same results that you are seeing.

Hi! Planning a ride on the Erie Canal trail this summer. We have a tandem. How Tandem friendly is Amtrak, and how easy is it to get in and out of the stations with a bike?

You need to hit the Amtrak site. They have their info on bikes and it would depend on what station you were leaving from an going to

We also have a tandem and AFAIK there is no provision for tandem on Amtrak ... not officially when you look into their rules for length of the bike. Some cars even make You to take the front wheel off on a single bike in order to hang it.

In theory, if You find a benevolent operator in a good mood I see no reason why one could not just lean the bike in a bike car with roll on service - those cars are for bikes and cargo only and do not have people in it. But, I digress... do not count on it.

If Your tandem has couplers You can just split it in two and treat each piece as 1 bike, buy 2 bike passes and hang it separately as if it was a single bike.

FWIW we have just completed the Erie Canal and Empire State Trail and in our case we rented an SUV one way, folded the back seats and put our cargo in there.

Brambor;

How was your trip? What are your feelings about the trail?

I posted a trip report on the touring page of bikeforums. You can read and see the photos here https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1230213-empire-state-trail-completed-report.html

in summary - We got to Albany on day 6 in the morning (we slept in Troy)

From Buffalo to Tonawanda - my friend had 3 flat tires and the signage along the Lake Erie shore is sometimes lacking as the repairs to eroded trails route the trail away from the shore to the next available street.

We camped at Lock 30 and Lock 20 and it was awesome. No problems, just pitch your tent and that is it. You could call the number ... we did and left a message there. When we saw the lock operator we asked him and he said we are all set. The bathrooms were not open on either of the locks - maybe they will be as the season progresses.

The signage through Rome could have been a little better but we found our way nevertheless.

The signage around Utica also could use a few improvements ... there is a detour on one portion of the trail there where they are rebuilding some sewer facilities.

There is a section of the trail, I think before lock 15, somewhere between Canajoharie and Amsterdam that is a slow soft gravel, pretty annoying...for 2 miles I think.

The bikelanes and signage through Syracuse was spectacular

The pictures are great, you are intrepid cyclists undaunted by rain and cool spring weather! The canal for boaters and towpath for cyclists have been an unappreciated resource for so many years it's wonderful that they are getting some attention.

Hi...I have searched this forum and have googled with no luck. Does anyone know of a place to stay (hotel, airbnb, or b&b) that is located near the trail in either Lyons or Clyde. The Old Duck Inn is still closed in Clyde...anyone know if it will be opened by June? There is a motel in Lyons, but the reviews are beyond scary. Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Had the same problem last year. Ended up staying at the Quality Inn at Newport, and then riding to Syracuse the next day, staying at the Jefferson Clinton Hotel downtown. Both were bike friendly, letting me store my bike in unused meeting rooms on the first floor.

It's unfortunate that the Old Duck Inn has not reopened, I rode by it last year and it looks very nice. I corresponded with the owners of the Erie Mansion in Clyde, Eriemansion@yahoo.com, who thought they would open again this year. It might be worth contacting them.

On a prior trip several years ago stayed at the Best Western in Weedsport. Although it was close to the interstate and very basic, it was clean and the staff was helpful.

Thank You, Yankee John...I'll reach out to the Erie Mansion. We may have to rearrange our stops and go all the way to Weedsport...plenty of places to stay there. But thank you so much!!

Check out the Peppermint Cottage Air B&B. we have res, for June

BKtourer - thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, they are not available the night we are passing through. Do you know how far off the trail they are located? It looks pretty far according to the map...but there isn't an exact address, so it's hard to judge. Thanks, though!!

If You're going NOBO then lock 30 is a great camping option.

Hi, We are planning to through bike the canal trail and are trying to plan where to stay the first night. Can anyone tell me what the exact distance it is from MP 0 in Buffalo to the Rosewood B&B in Holley? I keep seeing different distances and don't want to make the first day too long. I have seen anywhere from 62 - 69 miles. Thanks for your help!

Sara - I would have to believe that it is every bit of that! Not sure where you are considering MP-0, but using Google Maps (Bike Mode) and Canalside in Buffalo as the start, touring on the Canal trail shows 70 miles.

Depending on your need to start in Buffalo (and Buffalo is a fun place), the first part of the tour rides along the Niagara River on the Seaway Trail up to the Tonawanda's (City of and North Tonawanda). This is where the Erie Canal actually begins. Starting here saves you 16 miles... but you have to figure logistics with how you are traveling into Buffalo to get out there.

The route from Buffalo is flat and riding to Holley shouldn't be too bad for the first day. We have ridden to the Hampton Inn at Brockport for the first day. It is a long day but do-able.
The Hampton Inn was fine and had bike racks in the back. It is next to a large intersection and doesn't have any charm but it was clean and the rooms were fairly large. The staff were clueless about storing bicycles and didn't even know that there was a bike rack in the back of the hotel. Not sure what we would have done if it was raining. It's too far to walk to the downtown and the water, so we had to ride. Waterside at Brockport was geared for tourists and a nice place to have dinner with good restaurants.

Thank you for your help!!

It's only 4 and a half miles from Holly. Watch that first lift bridge you have to cross in Brockport. Difficult to see oncoming traffic from the south. Don't trust the drivers to stop for the crosswalks, many don't.

Another is at Adams Basin. A few miles farther east. Hard to see oncoming traffic from the south because of the bridge.

Does anyone know why the pedestrian paths are closed to enter Unity Island? The signs say it opens April 1st.

Our trip starts in just a few days. Wondering about a bike friendly accommodations in downtown Buffalo where we can roll our tandem bike in or those that have elevators long enough to fit a tandem bike.

Thanks.

We stayed at canalside Marriot. Literally could see the start of the trail from the hotel. Our tandem fit in the elevatir just fine. Amazing showers in this hotel!

We have stayed twice at the Hotel Henry, which is at the beginning of the continuous trail at the north end of Buffalo. The downtown section of the trail starts on roads. There are ample spaces to leave your bike at this unique hotel. Unfortunately it looks like it may be a casualty of COVID and may not reopen.

Unfortunately, the Hotel Henry has closed -- due to the pandemic. Here's the news article:

https://www.wivb.com/news/top-stories/hotel-henry-ending-operations/

Previous poster suggested the Marriott which is quite nice, but to enjoy some Buffalo flair, try The Curtiss Hotel, a 5 Star Boutique Hotel in Downtown Buffalo, NY or

So now that you have heard where you can spend the big bucks... know that there is a nice selection of business class motels including a nice Hampton Inn, a fine Embassy Suites (on Elmwood) and a recently remodeled Best Western (on Delaware Avenue). The Buffalo Grand Hotel is also right downtown near the waterfront -- re-opened a few years ago this was a long time Hyatt property and more recently an Adam's Mark. Hilton also has a Garden Inn downtown on Main. And one last chance to spend the bucks... try the Weston-Buffalo.

wnybubba:

How sad that the Henry is closed for good, thank you for forwarding the link. It was a beautiful place, and not anything like a hotel.

We stayed at the Curtiss 3 years ago for the Buffalo YMCA Turkey Trot. It did not strike me as bike friendly, although we didn't have bikes. There wasn't anywhere outside the hotel for bikes. Would recommend asking specific questions about storing the bikes and parking. As I recall there isn't any parking at the Curtiss, but there is a large parking garage across the street that was not expensive and worked out fine.

Is primitive camping along the erie canal bike trail permitted anywhere you want to stop?

No! To the best of my understanding, camping really isn't "permitted" anywhere on Canalway property. There may be a few locks which have some form of dedicated space for camping, but in talks with the Canal Corp. they are not being promoted.

However, you may ask for permission to stay at locks along the canal -- and it is typically suggested that you do this in advance (and most riders should feel comfortable that a place can be found at most locks). Additionally, it is my personal opinion that there are many places along the canal that would make great bivouac sites -- places that are wide, level and mowed grass and could easily accommodate a tent. There is no signage prohibiting camping, so this is a grey area. Obviously these areas would be located a fair distance from homes or roadways -- somewhat set away from things.

A bigger concern is that you do not trespass on private property off the trail without permission. When in doubt, ask.

You can write directly to some of the towns along the way to see if you can get permission to camp on town parks. I did this when I was initially going to camp this year and several town admins. said I should call town hall prior to or arriving in the town. I no longer have the list of towns that were ok to camp prior to arrival.

Checkout Peppermint Air B&B in Lyons

I am an older bicyclist who has had recent hip surgery. My biking ability is not what it used to be so I am inteested in the new generation of electric assist bicycles and tricycles. Are these types of bikes permitted on trails that list no motorized vehicles allowed.

Electric assist are allowed on the trail. Enjoy your trip!

We are on the trail right now, day 3…currently in Geddes. We saw ebikes on the trail every day

For the past few years I have come to enjoy walking on the Bike Trail around Lock 8. There is not only the beautiful scenery but you see different types of people: young, old, walkers, runners, bike riders, roller skaters and others, all enjoying the Trail. On a very few occasions I have seen people smoking but it is rare. I have never seen a sign banning smoking. On April 29, 2021 I read an article in The Daily Gazette (page A4)about the Town of Glenville in which it was stated "...the law allows adults to smoke pot anywhere in public that smoking tobacco is allowed..." Assuming that the quote is a correct statement of the law, I believe it would be a very serious mistake to even leave open the the question of whether marijuana can be smoked on the Trail. It should be loudly and clearly publicized that as to the Bike Trail "MARIJUANA USE STRICTLY PROHIBITED". My question is "Who is in charge to protect the the "Trail" on this issue. New York State? NYS agencies? Towns? All of the above? I would appreciate any information, such as emails, websites. addresses that might help me find out what is being done to ban the use of marijuana on the Bike Trail.

People driving a car by themselves smoke pot. Let’s take care of those individuals first.

New York just legalized recreational marijuana, and the Canal system is owned and operated by the state. I suppose you could contact your state representatives, but the cows seem to be out of the barn.

We need the dues. Taxes

I see from the alerts (https://www.canals.ny.gov/trails/projects.html) that the trail is closed from Utica to Rome due to flooding. Any idea how bad it is? And is there an easy detour?
We're planning a mid-May trip, so it's still a few weeks away.

Exactly where in Albany does the canal begin?

It is a bit confusing. Are you following the bike trail, or the new/current canal? The bike trail does not follow the canal east of the twin bridges of the I-87 overpass at Fort Ferry Road. The bike trail east then follows the path of the old/original Erie Canal into Cohoes and then through Watervliet into Albany. The Erie canal starts in Waterford and the first lock is lock 2. Lock 1 is on the Hudson River at Green Island just north of Albany and isn't part of the canal. The bike trail west of Cohoes has been repaved and is in excellent condition. The trail through Watervliet is on roads but it has been remarked for bike lanes.

For trail purposes, is it Jennings Landing?

There have been other posts regarding the absence of a 'Mile zero' marker at Jennings Landing. Until NY Sate officially marks the beginning of the trail, I believe Jennings Landing would be regarded as the unofficial eastern terminus of the trail.

Is there a way to request a clean-up of a Trail Head(s) through the NYS Department of Services?

Try the Canalway Corp maintenance and operations: 518-449-6055 or administrative headquarters: 518-449-6000.

Thanks these phone numbers worked, getting the clean up done.

This is a great resource - thanks for setting it up.

Are there places to plug in a phone charger at the lock campsites?

www.canals.ny.gov/trails/camping.html indicates only 1 lock has showers - are there more places to shower or take a dip in the water? It indicates you can call into locks which aren't listed for camping and ask for permission to camp - does that actually work?

What's the accumulated climbing, E>W, Albany>Buffalo? Google maps shows 2500 ft, ridewithgps.com/routes/8552474 6500 ft, bikeeriecanal.com/elevation.aspx 8200 - 600=7600 ft. I'm trying to estimate how much my camping gear will slow me down. Is soft stone dust more of a drag than elevation changes?

Most of what few lock campsites will not likely have power for you at least not legally. :) That’s not to say there’s no outlets in the lock areas but can you use them? Who knows? I would bring a good power bank or stick, that can be solar charged while you ride. You could try to power up at restaurants but with Covid you may not have have as many chances to do that.

From what I understand you try and contact the lock and see if they’ll let you camp. Look back in these forums for this topic.

Don’t sweat the elevation or climbing. It’s very subtle if anything. In fact it’s pretty flat except at the locks that you’ll need to go up but they are super short, maybe 8-10 feet. Just bomb up them and you’re done.

Any camping gear will slow you down compared to a no gear ride but the stone dust is nice and compact and is a nice smooth ride. Just a fraction slower than asphalt. The only time is changes is when it’s rained and it might be a little soupy.

Here's and elevation profile of the Canal:
https://www.canals.ny.gov/navinfo/charts/mileage.jpg

Hi Wayne! John W and I both post often of the forum here, so I thought I'd add onto his post. RE: elevation... Not really a concern. There are some short dips at Locks and in the eastern section when you go down and up through underpasses. One caught me by surprise (maybe around Colonie) that had quite a steep incline after an underpass! I jumped off and walked up. But really, not to worry, the Canalway is pretty level.

Charging: Not sure of your plan, but touring/backpacking you generally are not near outlets. Solar panels with battery packs are great and recommended, and I can give you some recommendations if you want. It's surprisingly not too expensive. Lock operators most likely would let you charge your phone, and a halfway decent convenient store, gas stations or restaurant would most likely accommodate your need. It then just takes time. And... more than likely you will not be staying at Locks all that often. (BTW Lock E2 has (had) a live outlet on a closeby building and the telephone poll in the car back corner last year).I

Lastly... showers. Overrated! I had disinfectant wipes with me and sponge bathed daily. I also took a deodorant bar and a small body spray. I never felt too grubby. I did kinda wash my hair if there was a water spicket or semi-washed in a public washroom. I'm sure you could bath in the Canal or even easier in the Mohawk River. I didn't but I'm sure you could. There are probably truck stops not too far off the pathway you could rent a shower... And, when hiking, I've used campground showers at campgrounds that I wasn't staying at -- some with permission.

Calling Locks -- yeah it does, but Lock workers are all pretty cool. If you showed up without calling more than likely they'd be fine as long as it wasn't crowded.

Ask away if you need more. We keep giving away free advise!!

Is there any place near the Old Duck Inn bnb to get dinner?

Never mind. I see that they're not taking reservations now due to Covid.

Does the condition of the trail allow for maintaining a 17-18mph pace?

A guy did it in 32 hours last Sept. So yes.

His post is called End to End record. Tristan on 09/01/2020 10:06 PM

Look back a bit in the posts.

*** PUBLIC SERVICE NOTICE! ***
I just read this on an PTNY Instagram post:

READER ASKED:
How can I get updates on the status of the Rotterdam Junction-Pattersonville portions of the trail? There are two tunnels under the railroad that are substantially finished, but the trail itself is miles of gravel. I had to walk my road bike for a couple of miles last week ??


PTNY REPLY:
parkstrailsny
The eastern portion, Rotterdam Junction from the eastern underpass and Scrafford past the lock to Iroquois Street, should be done by April 26. The western portion from Leggiero will take a little longer. Depending on weather, it should be open and ready to ride around mid-May. Follow @eriecanalwaytrail to get updates when it's completed.

READER REPLY:
?? thanks. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that. I really appreciate the project and I'm sure it will save a life of bikers don't have to ride on 5S where the posted speed limit is 55

Rode that section 2 weeks ago, no "miles of gravel", only the sections at the tunnel with gravel that I rode through without having to walk my bike. Maybe the old sections of existing trail that ended at the tracks have been taken up for repaving. They had some root bumps and frost heaves but weren't in bad shape.
The trails around Schenectady/Nisky were all repaved last fall and are really nice. The walking on gravel will be worth the wait for a smooth section of paved trail.

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.