Trail conditions - Albany to Rochester

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.