Reply to Albany to Buffalo Trip Report Aug 2-7, 2021

Parked at the Exchange Street Amtrak station, they provided a parking pass and I left my car in their lot, no charge. Train to Albany stayed at the Hilton.

Day one - 48 miles to Amsterdam. The path from the starting point on the Mohawk-Hudson trail is paved off road for several miles and then it was on the street through Watervliet, but there were well marked bike lanes and there was not a lot of traffic. Thanks to the people who put down the direction arrow stickers on the trail, they were so much more noticeable than signs on posts. At the Alexander Street Trailhead the Mohawk-Hudson trail starts again and it is paved off road trail all the way to Amsterdam. Stayed at the Castle - it was clean, interesting and close to the trail.

Day two - 63 miles to Utica. Paved trails and then some gravel and single track dirt trails through Little Falls. The off road trail ends near Ilion and then it is road biking to Utica. Stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on Wells Ave and walked to Tavolo for dinner, both were great.

Day three - 62 miles to Syracuse. Picked up the (gravel) trail at Harbor Lock Road and within a mile got lost following another gravel trail which I rode for about 3 miles until it kept getting worse and ended near Sauquoit Creek. I think I should have kept right when the trail met Barnes Ave. Carried my bike across the Amtrak rails, down a ravine, across a creek until I got back to Main St in Whitesboro. Thanks to the interactive map, I found the trail again in Oriskany. The bike paths on the Eastside of Syracuse were great. Stayed at the Courtyard Marriott and walked to Apizza for really good pizza.

Day 4 - 57 miles to Newark. The Westside of Syracuse had none of the nice city bike paths, it was just road biking for the first 7 miles then back on the trail near Amboy. Nice trail riding for 20 miles until Port Byron when it was back on the road riding Route 31. The Empire State Trail route is all on Route 31, but I followed the interactive map and turned left on Route 89. The distance looked the same, but where Route 31 has wide shoulders and a good bit of higher speed traffic and trucks, the route 89 (Armitage Road to Tyre Road) had very little traffic (maybe saw 5 cars) and no trucks. Stayed at the Newark Garden Hotel. It looks like it needs to be torn down, but the room was clean and quiet. Walked to Craft 120 for dinner, great food, nice people.

Day 5 - 70 miles to Albion. Really great Erie Canal Trail riding. Crushed stone trail along the canal into Fairport, Pittsford, and Rochester. Stayed at the Dollinger Motel in Albion and walked to get a pizza at Avanti Pizza, both were ok.

Day 6 - 60 miles to Buffalo. More great Erie Canal Trail riding through Medina, Gasport, and Lockport. Stopped to watch a boat being lifted in the lock and had a lemonade at Steamworks Coffee shop. There was a detour in Tonawanda at Ellicott Creek that was not well marked. Then it was mostly really nice trails heading South along the Niagara River to Buffalo with a couple spots where you get put on Niagara Street for a short span as some of the trail was under construction. After getting to Buffalo, it was a little confusing trying to stay on the trail. Don’t be tempted to take the pedestrian bridge at LaSalle Park, keep working the trail along Lakefront Blvd until it reaches Canalside, then it is only a few blocks to the Amtrak station at Exchange Street.

It was a great trip, thanks to the forum for trip planning ideas and the interactive map and trip planner here was so helpful.

I'm riding your 'Day 6' section tomorrow - thank you for the detour information!

Thanks for the Trip Report. Sounds like a nicely planned trip with not too much wrong. Not sure what happened on Day 3, but I've always ridden West --] East and never had a problem. Then, in SYR, there is a new route and you shouldn't have been on city streets for 7 miles. Something went wrong there. The new route is great with a nice mix of center lane trail, a few downtown city blocks on well marked bike lanes, up and through a pretty city park and then out and around the NYS Fairgrounds.

Being from the Buffalo area and not minding any city street biking -- I'm really not sure how well marked the trail is coming into Buffalo. Not surprised that it was a bit sketchy, but it's easy enough to just plug in Amtrak Station into a GPS and get there. Glad you had a nice ride.

Great news about the parking at Exchange Street!

That spot at Barnes Ave is tricky for people going in either direction. We rode a hefty ways out into the swamp when we went through. Happens to lots of people.

Thanks for the report!

I got flummoxed with the trail at Barnes Avenue near the end of the day riding east and decided to stay in Utica. Found myself at the Utica Club Brewery a few blocks from the end of Barnes Ave, then stayed at the Rosemont Inn B&B only a few more blocks from the brewery which was bike friendly, and offered a much appreciated massage. Turned out to be a pleasant ending to the day.

I rode the canal trail late last June. I agree that the trail on the canal is great. My disappointment was that there was so much road riding. I guess I'm spoiled, I have ridden the GAP and CO tow path many times and thought the canalway would be similar. Also thought the signage could have been a lot better.