Erie Canal Bike Trail

Has anyone ridden the Erie Canal Bike Trail end to end? Planning to start gravel riding/bikepacking this summer and this trail is the choice for this year's big adventure. Riding from Buffalo to Albany (~360 miles). In a perfect world I'd start in Albany and ride to Niagara Falls, ending on a note of real beauty, but the elevation drops like 400' from Buffalo to Albany and the dominant winds go west to east, so that also makes Buffalo to Albany the better option. This will be my first real bike ride in a long time, so riding downhill with the wind at my back will be a good start. 

We plan on taking 7 days to do it. Train from Albany to Niagara Falls, then start going east. Already booked hotels (my wife is not a camper) along the way, with most days being about 60 miles of riding. 

I've got the free guidebook from NY, and bought a book/map of the trail too, Cycling the Erie Canal, but it doesn't really go into detail about anything. Mainly just maps.

Any info appreciated. 

I believe that's part of the Empire State Trail now. There was a nice article on biking it in the NYT a while back, here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/11/05/nyregion/ny-empire-trail.html?searchResultPosition=1

Ha, that's the article my wife sent me that got the wheels rolling on this trip. Most years she suggests a crazy vacation (hike the entire Appalachian Trail was one). This year I decided to take her up on it since it was bike-based. Now we've gotten new bikes (score!), racks, free panniers, etc. Just trying to plan better for the trip. 

If this year goes well, we plan to ride the Champlain and Hudson Valley trails next summer as one ride. Although it goes a few miles from our house about 50 miles north of NYC, so we'll stay at home the last night and ride lightly into NYC for the last day. That's if this year goes well.

I’ve not done it end to end, but live in the middle and do the section from Rome to Syracuse ALL THE DAMNED TIME.

Anything you want to know about that part, I can help!

Awesome, thanks! 
That will be day 5 of our ride (going Syracuse to Utica). 
Anything of interest to see off the main trail along there?
Anything to avoid? 
Good places for lunch? 

Chris18 wrote:Awesome, thanks! 
That will be day 5 of our ride (going Syracuse to Utica). 
Anything of interest to see off the main trail along there?
Anything to avoid? 
Good places for lunch? 

Be careful what you ask for - I’ve lived here for 53 years, ridden, walked and commuted the canal countless times…and I’m a history nerd, so I could go on for HOURS…😉

From Syracuse, you’ll start out on fairly quiet city streets and then find yourself on the new bikeway down Erie Boulevard. This thing is a godsend - Erie Blvd was unrideable, unless you were insane. Six lanes of commercial traffic. The bikeway actually made it possible for me to bike commute. The intersections are weird, at first, but you’ll get the hang of it.

On Erie, you will find three bike shops within 50’ of the path - Mello Velo, Syracuse Bicycle and Advance Cyclery. If you need anything get it at one of the three. AFAIK, there’s nothing more until Utica, and even then, they’re a long way from the path, in New Hartford.

After you leave that part, you will come to the only “climb” of the route - the overpass over 481. 😁 Back in the canal days this was called “The Long Level” because there were no locks between Camillus and Utica…and they needed a lock if the elevation change was more than 10’, so, yeah - pancake flat.

From there, all the way to Rome, it’s off road, with a few small exceptions. Mostly packed stone dust, with a few paved stretches. Once you get outside the suburbs of Syracuse, you’ll probably have the path mostly to yourself, for miles.

At Chittenango, there’s a restored dry dock and museum. Not sure when it’s open, but even if it’s not, you can walk around and look. You’ll see it on the opposite bank and there’s a bridge across.

Just east of Chittenango, you leave the canal bank and go up a small hill, which puts you on the old West Shore rail bed. About a mile from this, the trail hits Beebee Bridge road…and “ends”. Not really, but it looks like it. Take a left, cross the railroad tracks and you’re back on the canal. (They did this so you can cross the tracks at the grade level crossing). It’s fairly obvious, coming from the west, but coming from the other way it can be VERY confusing.

Next up is Canastota. This is probably your best option for lunch. Within a 1/8 mile of the canal are: The 1856 Tavern (never eaten there, but have heard it’s good), The Three Pines (decent bar food), La Bamba, NY Pizzeria, and China Garden. There’s also the Center Street Market about a block away on…Center Street. It says “bakery” but they did box lunches when the Erie Canal Tour came through that were really good, but I’m not sure whether they do lunches all the time. Hours can be strange for these, especially since the pandemic.

Canastota Canal Town Museum is open on Saturdays, during the summer. Packed full of interesting stuff. Stuff I had no idea existed. Canastota also has the Boxing Hall of Fame, if that’s your thing.


About three miles further, if you go about a half mile out of your way, is Madison Bistro. I’ve only eaten there once - brisket - but it was good. My son eats there all the time.

….and that’s about it for food, until Rome.

There is a convenience store in Durhamville, just as you cross the aqueduct and cross Rt 46. There is another - New London Food Mart - at the intersection of Rts 46 & 49 - it’s about 1/4 mile off the path, accessible via Circle Drive, via a sort of gap in the fence!

At New London, they kick you off the old Erie Canal and route you along the “Barge Canal”. You cross a lock to get to it. You may or may not get to see a boat or two lock through.

Once you hit Rome….you’re on your own.

One thing I would suggest is getting all learned up about the Erie Canal. It can be just “a skanky ditch full of dirty water and carp” -as I thought of it as a kid - unless you realize just what a game changer it was. It opened up the whole upper midwest, and arguably made New York City what it is today. It wasn’t unheard of for 500 boats a day to come through. As soon as they opened it, they realized it was too small for the volume of traffic and basically doubled it over the next ten years.

Someone did an amazing amount of work and went and laid the entire canal over Google Earth - the original and the improved versions - then mapped every bridge, every aqueduct and every culvert - oh and the lateral canals, too! You can turn features on and off and there are pictures of features that are still extant: Rabbit Hole Warning. 


…and that’s the SHORT version….😉

That's GREAT! Thank you so much!!! 
I'm a biologist/environmental scientist and I've done some work on the Canal looking for freshwater mussels. I got to know a bit more about it than the average person, so I do appreciate its values as an engineering feat, an economic boon, and a societal help. But I don't know enough. I may stay away from that rabbit hole though of Google Earth though, as I'm sure to spend some work hours looking at it. 😂
Info greatly appreciated! 
Now if I can just find someone like yourself in each leg of our journey... 

I'm actually going to Buffalo next week and am going to stop into a few of the LBS around the start area and ask for some tips/info. I'll post anything they let me in on afterwards, and of course, I'll add pics and info after my trip. 

Chris18 wrote:Ha, that's the article my wife sent me that got the wheels rolling on this trip. Most years she suggests a crazy vacation (hike the entire Appalachian Trail was one). This year I decided to take her up on it since it was bike-based. Now we've gotten new bikes (score!), racks, free panniers, etc. Just trying to plan better for the trip. 

If this year goes well, we plan to ride the Champlain and Hudson Valley trails next summer as one ride. Although it goes a few miles from our house about 50 miles north of NYC, so we'll stay at home the last night and ride lightly into NYC for the last day. That's if this year goes well.

Heh!

I live right near the Hudson Valley part of it, so if you eventually need some beta for that. I can supply some. 

Jumbo wrote:

Heh!

I live right near the Hudson Valley part of it, so if you eventually need some beta for that. I can supply some. 

Thanks! I'm in the lower HV (Putnam County), so will be doing some warmup rides on that this summer for our Erie trip. 

Next winter I'll start my research on the HV section. (I'm lying. I'll probably start it the day we get back from this summer's trip. 😂)

Chris18 wrote:That's GREAT! Thank you so much!!! 
I'm a biologist/environmental scientist and I've done some work on the Canal looking for freshwater mussels.

Oh, well, in that case, just east of the Beebee Bridge road crossing, there’s a place along the south bank of the canal where the old landfill leaches into the canal. The bank is neon orange. I’m sure you’d find some new species there. Fill your water bottles too - it’ll probably give you super powers or night vision. 🤨

Chris18 wrote:I may stay away from that rabbit hole though of Google Earth though, as I'm sure to spend some work hours looking at it. 😂

Coward! Seriously though, that might give you an idea where to look for extant structures. One thing I slowly figured out was that they didn’t do stone work for no reason. If there’s a wall, there’s a reason it was there. Case in point - just east of Canastota there’s a tumble down section of rocks where we used to fish, as kids. We called it “Snake Rock”, because, well, there were always snakes there. Only recently I found out it was a bridge abutment where the O&W railroad crossed the canal. Kids. 🙄

What time frame are you thinking? 



Info greatly appreciated! 
Now if I can just find someone like yourself in each leg of our journey... 

I'm actually going to Buffalo next week and am going to stop into a few of the LBS around the start area and ask for some tips/info. I'll post anything they let me in on afterwards, and of course, I'll add pics and info after my trip. [/QUOTE]

Ha, I've done work in NJ. Believe me, I've seen some orange soil, etc. It wasn't discolored but I did some work in the Mohawk around Utica and the guy I was with flipped our canoe. It was 5 years ago. My field backpack still has the distinct Mohawk smell... It's not pleasant. It lives in the shed. And may well be alive after that. It's got a hard bottom so I can't really wash it. I throw it out in the rain now and then and pour Simple Green on it. 

I'll keep an eye out for structures, although funny enough for a biologist, I hate snakes. 😂

I know one of the mechanics at Campus Wheelworks has ridden it a bunch.  His name is Pat Meszler and he usually works at their Elmwood Ave location.

Hi from Bellville,TX,
Just want to thank CHRIS 18, Two Wheeler & those that have added to this thread as it is great info. I am new to the forum but get a real kick out it. I have been riding gravel in my area about 1.5 years and love getting off the paved roads. (Salsa Fargo is the current bike)

So to the point, my brother is moving to Hudson, NY, in a few weeks and we have already been planning a trip from Niagra Falls back to Hudson so this info is spot on. I have his bike (old trek singletrack w new components, racks panniers etc.) set up for touring and got a new to me, REi Co-Op ADV 3.1 set up as well. We have been going thru the "Cycling the Erie Canal" book extensively.  What I was going to ask folks is related to our not being able to do our big ride until mid-September of this year. So this is a weather related question, What might we expect for Sept. 21 or there abouts ? 
We can handle the warm stuff (ok, Hot) but I am a litte concerned about us pushing back too far into October and approaching cold/snow etc. Thanks for any help on this. 

clarksonxc wrote:I know one of the mechanics at Campus Wheelworks has ridden it a bunch.  His name is Pat Meszler and he usually works at their Elmwood Ave location.

Thanks. I don't think I'll be near that location but it's good to know. 

Which shops are you planning on going to?

texaspete wrote:What I was going to ask folks is related to our not being able to do our big ride until mid-September of this year. So this is a weather related question, What might we expect for Sept. 21 or there abouts ? 
We can handle the warm stuff (ok, Hot) but I am a litte concerned about us pushing back too far into October and approaching cold/snow etc. Thanks for any help on this. 

September & the first half of October is my favorite time of year to be outdoors in NH&VT.  I’d expect the canal route to be similar, maybe a bit warmer.  Typically sweatshirt weather morning and evening, t-shirt weather midday.  Low humidity, no bugs, water still warm enough for swimming.  It’s a great time to be out on a bike!

Hey Angstrom, greatly appreciate your comments. Sounds like a we may be about right in our gameplan. Your note sounds like good guidance and understand the best laid plans....etc. I know folks are excited to see the leaves change and we will get those rides in at some point but I think West to East E.C. ride will give us a good adventure to start with. Best to you from central Texas

texaspete wrote:Hi from Bellville,TX,
Just want to thank CHRIS 18, Two Wheeler & those that have added to this thread as it is great info. I am new to the forum but get a real kick out it. I have been riding gravel in my area about 1.5 years and love getting off the paved roads. (Salsa Fargo is the current bike)

So to the point, my brother is moving to Hudson, NY, in a few weeks and we have already been planning a trip from Niagra Falls back to Hudson so this info is spot on. I have his bike (old trek singletrack w new components, racks panniers etc.) set up for touring and got a new to me, REi Co-Op ADV 3.1 set up as well. We have been going thru the "Cycling the Erie Canal" book extensively.  What I was going to ask folks is related to our not being able to do our big ride until mid-September of this year. So this is a weather related question, What might we expect for Sept. 21 or there abouts ? 
We can handle the warm stuff (ok, Hot) but I am a litte concerned about us pushing back too far into October and approaching cold/snow etc. Thanks for any help on this. 

I'll let you know how our trip goes, places to see, etc. 

You probably shouldn't have to worry about snow that early in the year, but temps do fluctuate a LOT in the northeast that time of year. You could be sweating your butt off at noon and then have it drop to uncomfortably cold at night. Anything you wear should be sweat wicking and be prepared to pack some layers. I guess it largely depends on an individual's cold resistance and how hard you're riding, but if I was going that time of year I'd pack some warm stuff to wear when you stop. Maybe a change of clothes too.

Depending on how long you want to ride each day, your bigger concern may be daylight hours. We plan on doing about 60 miles most days, which I figure will take us around 5-6 hours of riding. One of our main reasons for going in late June is the maximization of daylight. Sept 21 you're looking at 12 hours of daylight, dropping to 11 hours in late Oct. That sounds like a ton but if you get a late start in the day and have a sit down lunch, you may find yourself pushing to make it to your next hotel. If you're camping that probably wouldn't be too bad, but if you've got hotel reservations (like we do) it could be a pain. 

You got me curious, so I looked up the historical average temperatures for Syracuse, which is roughly the midpoint of the canal.  September month average high 73, low 53.  October month average high 60, low 42.

clarksonxc wrote:Which shops are you planning on going to?

I'm going to be in Amherst this weekend, so I was thinking of stopping by the Campus Wheelworks there for the heck of it, and probably also Dick's Cyclery since it's close to the Falls, which I want to visit. If I see other shops I'll stop in. I want to try to get a broad range of info on the trail, what to expect, etc. I was thinking of trying to get in a short walk along the path if possible, but I may be too busy this weekend for anything like that.  I also wanted to check out the area around Dick's Cyclery because we're starting our riding trip at the Falls, so we'll miss that lower part of the official trail. 

Do you work at one of the stores or something?