Reply to Where to begin in Buffalo coming via Amtrak

We are looking at attempting part of the trail. We will take Amtrak to buffalo exchange. From there how hard is it to get to the bike trail? How safe if a ride is it? Riding with my 13 year old. Neither of us have done long distance biking before. How’s the weather/bugs in late June early July. We are going to have about 5 days to ride. Any other recommendations or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Getting from Exchange to Canalside is easy, just use google maps and switch it to bicycle travel. It’s about a 5 minute ride, less than half a mile. Of traffic is a bother, you can always use the sidewalks.

Weather should be typical NE USA summer. There are parts of the canal that are swampy and will have lots of mosquitoes if you stop but they are no problem if you are riding (other than swallowing the odd one!). Otherwise you are passing through a lot of farm country.

Do you have a daily distance goal since you stated you haven’t done long distance riding before? Is this and out and back trip or terminating in another town? How do you plan on getting back to Buffalo? Are you staying at hotels/B&B’s or camping which means your are hauling gear? Some of these things will help people on this forum give some good advice.

The one piece of advice I would give you is to get out there and get some miles in before you do this trip. Even though the trail is flat, there’s still a lot of miles to cover. Do 10 miles one day, 20 on another. Take your time and enjoy it but knock out some miles and gradually build up. Do a 20 out and 20 back one day as you get close to your departure day.

Let us know what your plans are…

John

This might be a really dumb question, but where is mile O of the Erie Canal Trail in Buffalo? I keep reading various locations. Is it Canalside in Buffalo, or is that a connecting trail? Thanks for not laughing at me when you answer!

Pretty much Canalside. I believe there is now a kiosk there but it is for the Empire State Trail -- and EST mile 0 is NYC! This is an honor system challenge (if you are making this a challenge), so find a place that looks good and start peddling!

If I recall, the Canal is supposed to start over the water on the bridge at the Commercial Slip which is 42.8773245, -78.8793415 in Google Maps. Good to hear there is a medallion now, I was hoping they would acknowledge that a trail exists there. How do you not have a start and end point?

I hope the EST didn’t mess up the order of the mile numbers. They have a clean slate to number them whatever they want during this rebrand of the trail.

John

Here is the medallion. They are definitely keeping it on the down low.
https://goo.gl/maps/LL2RhVq8UGYDahro9

Google Maps has it marked as a place, too.
https://goo.gl/maps/6ZnrbCaQvcjyHKb39

Go down to the end of Canalside to The Dish and order whatever you want. With all those miles, you deserve it! And get a Big Ditch Hayburner. Brewery named for the canal, brew named for the mules that towed the barges.
https://untappd.com/b/big-ditch-brewing-company-hayburner/754872