How To Bike The Erie Canalway Trail In Six Days (And Where To Stay!)
Have you wanted to ride alongside the entire Erie Canal? Do you want an adventure spanning across multiple notable cities (Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester) and incredible little historic villages?
Welcome to The Erie Canalway Trail. Spanning across nearly the entire state, this section is the longest of the three Trail segments, connecting westward Buffalo to Albany, the capital city.
You'll see nature at its best as you ride along rail trails, off and on-road paths, college towns, rich historical areas, and the Finger Lakes.
Note: Since some sections are on-road with high-speed vehicle traffic, we recommend this six-day journey for experienced bikers only.
What You'll Need To Bike The Erie Canalway Trail
What you'll carry will depend on whether you'll be camping or dining along the way in restaurants and staying in hotels. Basic gear you'll need for any bike touring trip includes:
1. A Bike & Helmet
You can use a road or a mountain bike but you'll need to set up your bike as needed for speed and comfort. For instance, when using a mountain bike, you need a cycling pad designed for long hours. Much of the trail is on-road, so a thinner tire is recommended.
We'd recommend a gravel bike – our favorite is this REI Co-op Cycles ADV 2.2 Bike, the hybrid between an on-road bike and a mountain bike. The bike has a road bike frame with wider tires set for the unpaved trails.
2. Bike Touring Bag
You can either carry a saddlebag, panniers, or handlebar bags depending on what you want to bring to the trip.
Other items you will need include:
First Aid Kit
A water bottle and cage. The Schwinn Water Bottle with Holder comes with its own cage so you don't have to worry about your holder not fitting into your bottle
Food
Sunscreen, insect repellent, and personal care items
Identification, insurance, and money
A hydration pack
Head and tail lights
A Lock
A GPS, cell phone, camera, and a portable charger
Straps, bungee cords, and duct tape
If you plan to camp, you'll need:
Sleeping bag and pad
Tent or camping hammock
Stove, fuel, and a cook set
Your six-day itinerary
Visit our online Outfitters Shop for any gear you need:
How To Bike The Erie Canalway Trail
Day 1: Buffalo to Albion
6.5 to 8.5 hours, 62 miles
Your day will be filled with beautiful canalside views! Start off with a gorgeous City of Buffalo 8-mile trail alongside the trail's namesake, the Erie Canal. Buffalo is rich in history and beautiful water. Continue 8 more miles along the Shoreway Trail to get to Tonawanda. Then alongside the Erie Canal with gorgeous views of the water and country life until you get to the incredible "Five Locks" park in Lockport. Services and street parking are available here.
The next 13 miles will be a peaceful trail from Lockport to Middleport – but be prepared, because as the Empire State Trail website says, "Public services are available in Lockport, Gasport, and Middleport (there are no services between the three villages)." End your day with continued views of villages, canalways, and nature on the 16-mile trail to the Village of Albion. Public services are available in Middleport, Medina, and Albion, but not in between.
Where to stay:
Once you arrive in Albion, you can check for a short-term rental or hotel, such as the Comfort Inn & Suites or the Dollinger's Motor Inn – or stay in one of two campsites a bit further up the road: Hickory Ridge Golf & RV Resort or Red Rock Ponds RV Resort.
Day 2: Albion to Newark
5.5 to 7.5 hours, 68 miles
Prepare for another beautiful day and a potential stop in Rochester for some sightseeing! Once you leave Albion, you'll travel 14 miles to Brockport, with public services in Albion, Holley, and Brockport. Continue to Rochester, 19 miles of views of canal boats, bridges, and gates – and a switch to asphalt. Take the trail across the beautiful Genesee River, and continue east towards Syracuse. If you want to take a short detour into downtown Rochester, take the Genesee River Trail north into the city.
Continue towards Fairport in 14 miles on a trail with multiple parks and service centers, and then 12 miles to Palmyra – with some of the most scenic views of the Erie Canal and its woodlands and wetlands. Pass through historic villages that provide services – Fairport, Macedon, and Palmyra. End your day going through the "Wide Waters" of the Erie Canal into Newark, 9 miles from Palmyra – these are the only two service towns in this stretch.
Where to stay:
For your night in Newark, enjoy the Finger Gardens Bed & Breakfast or The Yorkshire Inn. A campground is available a bit up ahead: the Whispering Winds Campground.
Day 3: Newark to Syracuse
5 to 6 hours, 59 miles
Enjoy a shorter day going into one of the biggest towns on the trail: Syracuse, NY – home of the Orange sports teams and university. For the first 20 miles, you'll go off and on-road for the first time since Buffalo. These sections are for experienced bicyclists only, but have beautiful views of rural countryside.
Services are only available in Newark, Lyons, Clyde, and Savannah. Next, 10 more miles of on-road cycling next to vehicle traffic, partially through the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge. Once you make it to Port Byron, the majority of the next 20 miles are off-road, built on the towpath of the 19th Century Erie Canal. Camillus boasts some beautiful tourist adventures if you'd like to boat through canals and aqueducts. Finally, ride 9 more miles to beautiful Syracuse, including some on-road sections leading to the stunning Loop the Lake Trail on Lake Onondaga's shoreline.
Where to stay:
There are a variety of options for staying in Syracuse, including The Parkview Hotel & HomeTown Inn by Red Roof East Syracuse. Campgrounds are not available until much further down the trail at Green Lakes State Park.
Day 4: Syracuse to Utica
5 to 7 hours, 61 miles
Start your day with a ride in a natural forest garden with a thick canopy of spring leaves in your 15-mile journey. You'll then ride along the 4.8-mile Onondaga Creekwalk trail that beautifully links to different facilities like a shopping center, neighborhoods, and Syracuse's Armory Square. As you ride several miles East along Genesee Street out of the city, you'll get to view the 36-mile Old Erie Canal State Historic Park, a segment of the old Erie Canal infrastructure dating about 200 years ago.
The journey from DeWitt to Rome is a long stretch that has beautiful nature views and wildlife. You'll move from a paved trail to crushed stone which is still easy to traverse. The waterways along the way are teaming with action with jumping fish, and families of geese, foxes, deer, blue herons, and more. After 25 miles, you'll get into the homely Canistota town with several cafes like The Toast, where you can grab some breakfast. Your next stop will be in Rome, where you can visit Copper City Brewing to refill your water or down a couple of beers to refresh. After Rome, you'll have 16 more miles to get to Utica where you can refresh with some incredible dinner and cocktails in fine restaurants like Motus, Ocean Blue, and The Tailor and The Cook.
Where to stay:
Relax in La Quinta Inn or the Red Roof Inn in the city of Utica. For campgrounds, you'll need to go much further up the trail to Ilion at the Ilion Marina & RV Park.
Day 5: Utica to Canajoharie
3.5 to 5 hours, 41 miles
The first 3.5 miles will be a refreshing off-road trail with stunning views of Erie Canal, ending at Dike Road. You'll then enjoy a smooth on-road ride for about 7.5 miles east to the Frankfort village. The road section ends 1 mile east of the Frankfort Village, opening up an 11-mile off-road trail. As the trail winds its way east to Little Falls, it passes through picturesque villages and rural landscapes, providing stunning views of the river and picturesque villages.
You'll then ride 19 miles from Little Falls, with some paved sections, passing by woodlands, wetlands, streams, and river views to the beautiful Canajoharie, the city with beautiful parks and falls. You can find visitor services in Frankfort, Ilion, Mohawk, Fort Plain, and Little Falls.
Where to stay:
For hotels, you'll need to stay about 15-20 miles outside of the city, so plan accordingly which direction that is in (west = earlier on the trail; east = further up; north or south = out of the way and added onto next day's travels). Two close-by hotels are Microtel Inn & Suites (12.68 miles) and The Meadowlark Inn in Cherry Valley (13.16 miles). Thankfully, this is your shortest day of traveling, so it shouldn't be too hard. For campsites, The Lock 15 Fort Plain at Old Station Rd will do (it's a bit before the city, so plan accordingly).
Day 6: Canajoharie to Green Island
5 to 7 hours, 60 miles
Your bright morning begins with a ride on an abandoned rail bed that passes by woodlands, farmlands, wetlands, and river views. After 22 miles, you come to a trailhead parking area in South Amsterdam, an incredible bike-pedestrian gateway bridge across the Mohawk. You'll then ride 17 miles off-road through beautiful woodlands, farmlands, wetlands, and river views to the City of Schenectady. You can find visitor services in Fultonville and Amsterdam. Your next ride will be an 11-mile, mostly off-road ride from Schenectady to Lions Park in Niskayuna, where you can take a break in the parking and restrooms.
A 10-mile ride from Lions Park takes you through a mostly off-road trail heading east into Colonie, with stunning views of the Mohawk River and woodlands, wetlands, and residential areas up to the western end of Alexander. From there, you'll ride one mile East at the Intersection of the Veterans Memorial Drive and Cannon Street in Green Island. You can finally take a rest in the rich city of Greenland while enjoying top-rated tourist attractions such as beautiful wildflowers and breathtaking terrain.
Where to stay:
For hotels, you can travel down the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail towards Albany to spend the night or Amtrak back. Two hotel options in Albany: Motel 6 Albany NY or the Hilton Garden Inn. For campgrounds, slightly northwest of the end of the trail is Lock 6 Waterford at 77 Flight Lock Rd.
Enjoy Great Scenery, History, And An Unparalleled Outdoor Experience
A ride along the Erie Canalway Trail is to welcome adventure, large and small cities, and amazing communities. Prepare yourself well, as you may not find services in-between many villages. And again, since there are on-road sections next to high-speed vehicle traffic, this should only be taken on by experienced bikers. There are trail markers and wayfinding signs that make following the trail and connecting off-road and on-road segments easy. There's so much to explore on the Erie Canalway Trail, so get your bike and gear up and get going!