Bike-packing between Rochester and Buffalo / Niagra Falls

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