Biking the Erie Canal

A few things are true. 

1. After doing the GAP trail two years ago, I really, really wanted to do another bike tour. 

2. New York has nearly completed a trail along the entire length of the Erie Canal. 

3. Canals are water level things, so canal trails should be easy pedaling. 

 So, I hunted an Erie Canal tour to do. By the time I got busy looking, a whole bunch of supported tours were sold out! However, I found Senior Cycling still had space for theirs, so I signed up! ...and got my sister to come along.

This trip started at Niagara Falls and ended in Palmyra NY, about 25 miles east of Rochester.  There were five days of pedaling.  Three along the canal, and two out-and-backs to Lake Ontario.

Here we go!

For starters, this is a tour that's fully supported by two guides from the area who led us some days and swept up after us on every day.  There were 13 riders in the group, about half came with their own E-bikes and the other half rented gravel bikes from the tour operator.  Surprisingly, the E-bike riders did not ride as fast as the rest of us...

Day Zero.  We arrived at Niagara Falls and there was a group dinner at a nice restaurant a block from the falls.

US falls

Tesla girl and Tesla himself!

Jane and I took a peek at the falls after dinner.

Day one was a ride along the Niagara River down to Lake Ontario.  36 miles or so for the round trip.  Most of this was on a trail, but some was via some town streets.  They led us down, but let us return at our own pace.

The first stop on the day's ride

The Senior Cyclists

Mist from the falls

Canadian Falls

Maid of the Mist heading in

US falls in foreground, Canadian in background

Similar view in 1959 - I was 3!

Trail along Niagara River

Whirlpool

Lunch at the Lake

We pedaled back through Youngstown and stopped for ice cream.  Some War of 1812 action occurred here.

Really good frozen custard!

Dinner was on our own.  We went to Niagara Falls branch of Anchor Bar (of Buffalo).  These guys invented Buffalo Wings. We has some.  They were good.

Day two.  About 34 miles. Tonawanda to Medina (pronounced Med-eye-nah.  Really.)

They loaded the bikes up on the trailer and carted us out to Tonawanda to start riding the canal trail.  The first few miles were not promising.  The trail was mostly paved but bumpy and walled in from the canal by vegetation.  Not much to look at.  Lots of work picking your path along the trail.  Things got much better as we approached Lockport as the trail was fairly new, had a good views of the canals and was easy to ride. 

Lunch was on our own at Lockport and we spent some time view the locks and learning canal history.

1912 - current canal locks on the right.  1862 version of "flight of five" locks on the left

What an original circa 1825 canal boat looked like.

The original five locks were required to get canal up the Niagara Escarpment.  There were originally two sets. One set was replaced in the 1912 modernization (locks on the right)

Statues of 19th century lock keepers from a photograph.

Current canal is used by pleasure boats, primarily.

Here's the short history of the canal.  The original canal was four feet deep and forty feet wide and was so successful, it quickly became clogged with traffic and very hard to maintain.  By 1862, the canal was widened to 70 feet and made seven feet deep and remained a successful freight corridor..  By 1900, the canal was obsolete, having been eclipsed by the railroads.  But, in the early 20th century, the canal was completely rebuilt to accommodate large, motor propelled barges large enough to compete with railroads for freight.  It was now 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep.  This is the canal that exists today, although all the freight traffic dried up after 1960 as the St. Lawrence Seaway opened.  It's primary use is recreational boating.

The "tow path" the trail is on, is actually just the berm of the canal.

Typical canal path east of Lockport

1912 modernization included standard lift bridges over the canal.  Most still remain.

Lodgings in Medina

Day three  Medina to Rochester.  About 48 miles.

Some scenes of Medina.  A sizable town between Niagara Falls and Rochester.  

Medina is in apple country

Building at left is 1860's Opera House

At one point, the canal goes over a road.

Lift bridge in raised position

Arriving lunch spot Jane in the lead.  Me following.

Another lift bridge en route to Rochester

One the way to Rochester, after lunch, we stopped for ice cream in Spencerport. It was good that we stopped as it gave time for a thunderstorm to slide by us to the east without having to get out our raincoats.

Stopping for a look at where the canal crosses the Genesee River

Canal straight ahead.  River flows right to left.

Day Four - Rochester to Lake Ontario and back via Genesee River.  About 28 miles

Breakfast each day was a bit of an adventure.  The tour leaders seemed to favor greasy-spoon diners. No shortage of calories for pedaling!  (I worry about diners with "good food signs.  "Great food" is a bridge too far!)

Rochester from the Genesee River

Heading into the city

Stopping for a look at Interstate bridge

Group shot.  Show-off in tree.

Rose garden in park along route

Genesee River  still has lake boat service.  Cement being unloaded.

Beautiful causeway across a marsh on the Genesee

At Ontario Beach Park

View from the jetty

On the way back, a view of the Lower Falls on the Genesee

...and the Upper Falls in Rochester, proper

Downtown Rochester along the river

Group dinner was in old Lehigh Valley train station, now a Dinosaur Barbeque.

Art Deco do-dad on building

Day Five - Rochester to Palmyra.  A half day.  About 26 miles.

Leaving Rochester, the trail was paved and easy riding

Breakfast was in nice restaurant in Fairport.  Less than 10 miles from our start.  This is the view from the outdoor seating.  Old grain elevator on the canal converted to lofts.

Railfan platform and Conrail caboose in Fairport.  Worth a quick look!

The day ended with lunch in Palmyra.  Old canal and stone arch road bridge.

New locks at Palmyra

Restored standard canal bridge from 1860 canal modernization

Cast iron design was state of the art, then.

Then, it was back to Niagara Fall in the van. It was a really good trip.  Well run.  Good accommodations.  Would I do a Senior Cycling trip again?  Qualified "yes."  For contiguous trips where all lodging is right adjacent to the trail, you don't really need full time, on site leaders and support - just someone to tote your luggage and give you a ride back to start.  But, where there is ferrying to and from trail segments and lodging, these guys do a good job.  I can recommend!

The Erie Canal trail is generally a wonderful thing!  I really want to try another segment.  Maybe some day trips on the east end?