How hilly is the EST from Albany to the Canadian border?

I'll celebrate my 75th birthday by biking the Erie canal trail in late May or early June. I started biking late in life, starting only 4 years ago. Since then I've done most of the Moselle (twice, solo at age 71 and with my wife at 72), the Rhine, and the Danube (Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary.) I've also biked the GAP and C&O from Pittsburgh to DC in one trip. With the exception of the GAP, all of my rides have been along canal or rivers because I cannot handle hills. I would like to ride from Albany to Canada if that section is not too hillg (i.e. not worse than the GAP.) Thank you for your information.

You have really done some bike touring in your maturity.

The trip to Canada is mostly flat but has some serious hills on the west side of Lake Champlain after leaving Whitehall. There really isn't an alternative route to avoid the hills other than to ride into Vermont and take 22A/7 to Burlington which has fewer hills and is also very pretty.

The ride from Albany to Whitehall is mostly flat on trails and roads with wide shoulder and moderate traffic and some beautiful riding along the Hudson River. The section from Fort Ann to Whitehall is really a detour around sections of overgrown towpath that weren't improved and connected. My guess is that there were right of way problems with the railroad or a lack of money or a deadline to meet or all of those that lead to this detour. That section has some hills on local roads and then riding a short section on Route 4 which has a wide shoulder but heavy truck traffic.

I would recommend that you ride the Erie Canal Trail Albany to Comstock, then 22/22A to Fairhaven which is mostly flat, and on to Burlington on 22A/7. Avoid Route 4 from Comstock to Vermont which is very hilly and has much truck traffic. Ride the Island Line Bike Trail from Burlington to the South Hero Island to Plattsburgh ferry, then complete the Erie Canal trail from Plattsburgh to the Canadian Border. Make sure you check the hours of operation of the Island Line Bike Ferry to cross the short gap in the causeway. It's really a donated pontoon boat operated by volunteers.

Consider riding on to Montreal. There are some excellent trails around the city, including a trail to the Lachine Rapids where you can join a group and guide to run some whitewater in a Zodiac to break up your day. Old town Montreal is worth the visit, as are the restaurants.

wanderingsoul, you have accomplished a lot in four years - impressive at any age!

I really can't add any more than the very useful information from Yankee John above (I would love to explore that Vermont route). However, to help visualize, I have added elevation profiles on the Empire State Trail website here:
Empire State Trail Elevations https://bikeempirestate.com/elevation.aspx

The elevation profiles are very meaningful Ray, than you for posting them. My wife would add - they are just squiggly lines if you're not a 'graph and chart' person. Adding cities and POI on the chart will definitely be an improvement.

Much appreciation to Yankee John and to Ray for the info. I should clarify that I'll only bike the Erie canal from Buffalo to Albany this spring. The Albany-Canada portion will be for the autumn or next year. Unlike my previous trips in Europe and the GAP and C&O canal where I stayed in hotels/hostels/Airbnb, I plan to "rough it" by bike-camping on the Erie canal trail. With the addition of a tent, sleeping bag, stove etc. my total equipment weight is now about 20 pounds (compared to 11-12 pounds on other trips.) I learned to pack lightly after hiking 4 caminos, with the first one at age 67. Successfully completing the first camino (500 miles on the camino Francais) gave me the confidence to try biking. On my first bike trip I felt like I was "cheating" because it was so much easier and faster than hiking.

@wanderingsoul -- I'm close to the Bflo area. Also planning another trip on the Erie in the same timeframe as you. I bikepack, did the Erie that way last year and it was great. Touch base if you want some Beta on the trail, help getting around Bflo or want to discuss a casual co-ride. I like bike touring to be low stress, so I take it at a 55-60-ish daily mileage (maybe less this year as I'd like to make some stops at POI). Last year I biked the first week of June and had great weather. So far thinking the same this year... Reach me at wnybybba@gmail.com

Ray (Webmaster) -- Very cool information on the graphs. Thanks! Explains why so many go from Bflo to ALB if nothing else! :)