Reply to Favorite sections of the Erie Canal Bike Path

I have about 3 days to do various sections of the trail while car camping or hoteling. Any recommendations on which areas of the trail we should be sure to bike.

That's a tough question because we don't know what is of interest to you or where you will be based. However, here's a quick overview.

Buffalo to Lockport (or reverse) is great. You travel along the Niagara River, see downtown Buffalo and the very active Canalside Park in Bflo. From the river to Lockport is paved and certainly the Locks in Lockport (Flight of Five) are worth seeing

Lockport to Rochester is more rural with stretches of nice compacted gravel and you travel through smaller towns along the Canal. Sights like Medina Falls, Middleport, Spencerport and Brockport provide a really nice feel for the ECT's western section. Rochester offers many options off trail.

Rochester going east is again a combination of paved and compacted gravel. You'll pass several locks and smaller townships. However, I wouldn't suggest going further than Clyde as the road section into Port Byron/Weedsport is crappy.

Weedsport into Syracuse is quite interesting. Again a mix of nicely maintained trail surfaces. Going through Jordan, Memphis is quite nice with a delightful refurbished Aqueduct before Camillus. From there, heading into Syracuse is a newly developed section of trail that will take you through a lovely City park and onto several downtown street (separate bike lane).

East of SYR, the trail passes the Canal Boat Museum and Green Lakes SP. The gravel trail now follows the "historic" canalway. Interesting from the standpoint of it is where the original Canal traveled, but frankly overgrown and swampy with Canastota a slight point of interest.

Now -- Rome and eastward. Sections of the trail here are great. You now are following the Mohawk River. Towns & cities along this section are not "Canal" towns like in the western section. Trail surfaces are mixed until around Mohawk where it is paved through to Albany. Advise here is to stay away from the cites (Rome, Utica, etc) and pick any section between them. Fort Plain to Amsterdam is a nice part that travels through Schoharie Crossing SP. As you approach Schenectady the canalway is much more urban traveling through or around suburban areas. It's a fun section that culminates with arriving in Albany -- a fine place to spend some time.

This post should serve others fairly well -- hope others see it.