Erie Canal Trail
This tour is pure cycling ecstasy offering over 363 miles of cycling along the Historic Erie Canal with dozens of lovely lift bridges, aqueducts, locks, canal parks and more. Not to mention the beautiful and scenic countryside of Upstate NY, the Revolutionary War history of Central NY, and the amazing beauty of the Mohawk Valley and the Capital Region!
Half Tour Options: Don't have the time to ride the full Erie Canal Tour? Our half tour options let you ride either the WEST HALF - Buffalo to Syracuse; or the EAST HALF - Syracuse to Albany.
On Demand: This tour is also available for custom dates for groups of 6 or more. Please call to discuss dates, details and availability.
TOUR PRICING
Per Person Double Occ: $2989 Single Occ: + $700
A deposit of $500 per person is required at time of reservation. You will be invoiced for balance, including any discounts or adjustments, in 2 separate installments. Final balance due 90 days prior to tour.
THE ESSENTIALS
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Total Miles: 363 Avg. Daily Miles: 40 - 50
Meals: 6 Breakfasts; 2 Lunches; 1 DinnerTOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Arrive Buffalo
The tour begins with orientation at our hotel in Buffalo where we’ll make introductions and review what’s ahead for the next 9 exciting days of adventure on the remarkable and historic Erie Canal.
Day 2: Buffalo to Medina (41 Miles)
We have a short shuttle to the ECT trailhead Tonawanda where we’ll cycling along the beautiful Niagara River before reaching the Tonawanda Harbor and the Gateway to the Erie Canal. We’ll stop for lunch in lovey Lockport where you’ll have time to explore the famous Flight of Five Locks, the engineering marvel of its time, before cycling on to wrap up the day in charming Medina.
Day 3: Medina to Rochester (45 miles)
We depart from our hotel this morning as we head out for historic Rochester. Along the way, we’ll stop to visit lovely Holly Falls park and drop the kickstands in quaint Spencerport for a lunch stop. While we won’t want to rush the day, we don’t want to dilly-dally either, since in Rochester you’ll have to opportunity to visit the Susan B. Anthony House, the wonderful Eastman Museum, or find other things to explore in this vibrant and diverse city.
Day 4: Rochester to Newark 38 miles
Today just relax and enjoy the ride. In just shy of 5 miles, you’ll cycle right up to one of the largest REI Stores in the Northeast, well worth a visit. Continuing on, we’ll cycle through the colorful canal towns of Pittsford and Fairport where you can grab a fabulous coffee and a treat from one of the local cafés, or pop around in the charming shops. Also in Fairport you can jump in a kayak for a little paddling if you’d like to experience the Erie from the water. We’ll stop for lunch in quaint Palmyra before continuing on to Newark, our stop for the evening.
Day 5: Newark to Syracuse (45 or 60 miles)
Leaving Newark we’ll cycle to our first stop in the tiny village of Clyde where you’ll have the option of jumping in the van for a 15 mile shuttle over the hilly road section which drops the day’s mileage down to 45. But whether you take the jump or cycle the hills, we all regroup at super cool Port Byron Erie Canal Heritage Park. The park has great interpretive exhibits, and boasts the largest drydock that existed along the Erie, which has been wonderfully restored. From Port Byron we continue on cycling past several canal parks including Jordan Aqueduct Park and Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct which has been historically reconstructed to its original beauty. We end the day in Syracuse, where a visit to the Erie Canal Museum and historic Clinton Square are a must.
Day 6: Syracuse to Rome (48 miles )
There’s plenty of great cycling between Syracuse and Rome as you cruise effortlessly along the trail reaching Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum in 17 miles, and definitely worth exploring. From the Landing we continue on, cycling past and over many aqueducts and awesome Lock 21, before stopping for a trailside picnic lunch. In Rome we’ll visit remarkable Fort Stanwix before cruising the last few miles to our hotel.
Day 7: Rome to Little Falls (40 miles)
It’s easy, beautiful cycling as we venture out for charming Little Falls. Along the way, we’ll stop for a picnic lunch at lovely Fort Herkimer Church Historic Site. After lunch you’ll have the option to take a 90-minute, well narrated, scenic cruise on the Erie Canal ($$$), or just head for Little Falls where you can explore the cool antique and artisan shops.
Day 8: Little Falls to Schenectady (60 miles)
Don’t be intimidated by today’s 60 miles, the downhill is in your favor! Enjoy the easy glide as we cycle to Schenectady offering beautiful natural scenery as well as Revolutionary War History. Very short distances from the bike trail are Oriskany Battlefield, Herkimer Home, and Schoharie Crossing Historic Site. We’ll stop at a local farm and produce stand for lunch and ice cream, before reaching historic Schenectady. In the evening we’ll gather for our Au Revoir Erie dinner social where we can look back on and share experiences from our fabulous adventure on the Erie Canalway Trail.
Day 9: Schenectady to Albany (30 miles)
It’s our last day on the ECT as we cycle through the Capital Region stopping for a quick visit to beautiful Cohoes Falls before dropping the kickstand in Albany, the end of this incredible adventure!