Planning Trip

I am planning a 3-4 day ride on the Erie Canal Trail this summer. We'll be driving from Churchill, PA, which is about 10 miles east of dowtown Pitttsburgh. My husband will be my support in our car, shuttling me and my bike and our luggage. I would like to bike around 20-25 miles a day. We'll want to stay in B & Bs or hotels/motels. We'd like to have some time to enjoy towns we are staying in. I'll be using this website to help in the planning.

At the moment I'm thinking of driving to Buffalo, enjoy a few sights there. The next day drive to Tonawanda, and start my ride there. Bike to Lockport. Second day bike from Lockport to Medina. The third day bike from Medina to Holley. That would be the end of the trip.

My two questions for now are:

1. Is there one or more books that are helpful for planning Erie Canal biking trips?

2. Any recommendations on an itinerary would be welcome, including a good starting point.


Thanks in advance for your help.

Try to find a copy of the book: Cycling the Erie Canal, Revised Edition: A Guide to 400 Miles of Adventure and History Along the Erie Canalway Trail (Parks & Trails New York) Spiral-bound – August 1, 2015.

I believe it may be out of print, and only used copies are available on Amazon: it is pricey.... but it has all of the detail and info you need. I have a copy.... it is worth it.

You can find the table of contents of that book by clicking on the "Table of Contents" button at https://sunypress.edu/Books/C/Cycling-the-Erie-Canal-Revised-Edition

Biking the canal is a life goal for many people. If you get a copy of this book, you'll be able to pin-point sections of the canal that may be most interesting to you... and just bike those sections... if you have a car and bike rack.

Since you live near Pittsburg, there is another bike trail that you might consider: the bike trail from Fort Erie, Ontario to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario along the Niagara Parkway that goes along the Niagara river starting from the Peace Bridge the links Buffalo to Ft Erie. It is a seldom traveled route... and very, very scenic. It is safe, and there are parking lots along the way to park you car and start biking.... that takes you along the Niagara River on the Canadian side to the Canadian Niagara Falls ... a true wonder of the world... then, to Niagara on the Lake... and then all the way to Lake Ontario. Check it out on Google maps. As long as you are in the area... it is a must-see, must-do sort of thing. THere are many bike rides that are good that aren't along the canal.


I recommend that pricey book, and looking at the https://www.alltrails.com/ web site. The web site is good, but the book is definitive with much more detail.

If the price of the book bothers you, you'll be able to sell it on Ebay with little problem.

Thanks, this is very helpful.

This website and Google Maps are great resources.

Your itinerary looks good to me.

In Tonawanda, Niawanda Park looks like a nice starting point, and it lets you see the river, which is cool.

We stayed at a BnB in Medina, but the Hart Hotel would have been preferred, since it's right in town.

Thanks Bill, the Hart Hotel in Medina looks like a place we'd enjoy. They even have a Churchill Room!

Have I seen your posts on the bikecando.com site? I love biking there, and will be training for my Erie Canal ride on the Jail Trail.

Free Map

https://empiretrail.ny.gov/request-map

Yes, Cathy, we also rode the GAP portion of C&O and have been active over on that forum. Ray runs good sites. :)

You DEFINITELY need to stay in the Churchill room. :)

If you make it all the way to Holley, Barber's Grill and Taproom would be a great place for a celebration dinner.