RIDING ALONG THE HISTORIC ERIE CANALWAY TRAIL
Cycle the Erie Canal follows the route of the historic Erie Canalway Trail, now a part of of New York’s 750-mile Empire State Trail, between Buffalo and Albany. Riders cover about 50 miles a day on mostly flat terrain. About 85% of the ride is on off-road trail, with the remainder on public roadways with good shoulders. Most days, the route follows the canal along level ground, although there are some rolling hills and two steeper climbs to reach our overnight camping locations. Along the way, the route passes both defunct and still operating locks and aqueducts, and winds through urban centers, historic canal towns, and rural farmlands.
Turn-by-turn routes are typically released a week before the tour begins, in order to provide the most accurate route and account for any last-minute construction or trail changes. NOTE: provided routes can change depending on trail/road conditions. Riders should always follow official route markings and cue sheets.
2025 RIDEWITHGPS ROUTES
DAY BY DAY PREVIEW
Saturday 7/11/26
GATHERING & CHECK-IN DAY
Nichols School
1250 Amherst Street, Buffalo
- Explore Downtown Buffalo or take a trip up to stunning Niagara Falls with one of our two guided pre-ride options
- Enjoy our welcome reception featuring a wine tasting, live music, a community dinner and our opening welcome and orientation program
- Camp for the night to get rested for the week’s ride!
Sunday 7/12/26
Buffalo to Medina
Medina Central Schools
1 Mustang Drive, Medina
- Ride along the powerful Niagara River from Buffalo.
- Take a boat ride through canal locks, developed to allow boats to navigate the different elevations along the canal.
- At Lockport, explore the historic downtown and the “Upsidedown Bridge” as you begin to ride along the Canalway Trail through charming villages and rolling farmland.
- Spend the night in Medina, a lovely village known for its sandstone architecture and reminiscent of the historic era of the original canal.
Monday 7/13/26
MEDINA TO FAIRPORT
Center Park West
1100 Ayrault Road, Fairport
- Relax at rest stops in friendly “port” villages such as Holley, Brockport, and Spencerport, where a unique “lift bridge” carries Main Street over the canal.
- Take a short excursion along the Genesee River bike path into downtown Rochester, with its spectacular waterfalls.
- Stop in Pittsford and visit Pittsford’s popular Schoen Place, where you’ll find boutiques, galleries, and cafes.
- Finish the day in Fairport and visit Packett’s Landing Wharf
Tuesday 7/14/26
FAIRPORT to SENECA FALLS
Elks Lodge
2221 River Road, Seneca Falls
- Watch bridge tenders raise and lower the famous Erie Canal lift bridges as you cycle through quaint canal towns.
- Take a refreshing break at the historic Peppermint Museum and learn why Lyons was once considered the peppermint capital of the world.
- Leaving the rest stop in Clyde, we come off the Erie Canalway Trail and head south towards Seneca Falls on rolling country back roads. Look for the Amish families that sell baked goods and ice cream every year.
- At the end of your day, tour Seneca Falls, birthplace of the modern women’s movement. Visit the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Elizabeth Cady Stanton home. Dinner on your own—enjoy the local eateries.
Wednesday 7/15/26
SENECA FALLS TO SYRACUSE
Burnet Park
577 Burnet Park Drive, Syracuse
- Keep an eye out for osprey and eagle nests as we ride through the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.
- Cool down in the Visitors Center at the Old Erie Canal Heritage Park at Port Byron, then pedal through the authentic enlarged Erie Canal Lock 52 to the c. 1895 Erie House Saloon, Blacksmith Shop, and Mule Barn.
- Take a break in the Village of Jordan and visit the Jordan Historical Society Museum, enjoy the flower gardens in the bed of the old canal, then continue on the towpath on an original aqueduct over Skaneateles Creek.
- Follow the canal towpath to Camillus Erie Canal Park and stop by the park’s Sims Store, a re-creation of a 19th century general store. Take a boat ride on a restored aqueduct.
- End the day by exploring Syracuse’s iconic Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
Thursday 7/16/26
SYRACUSE TO ROME
Fort Stanwix
200 North James Street, Rome
- Spend a leisurely day riding along the serene Old Erie Canal State Park.
- Visit the dry docks at Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum and the Canastota Canal Town Museum.
- See the location where the first shovel of dirt was turned for “Clinton’s Ditch” in Rome
- Tour Fort Stanwix National Monument, a restored fort where local battles shaped the outcome of the American Revolution.
- In the evening, enjoy food and other vendors and live music at the Rome Block Party, a celebration of the trail, of Cycle the Erie Canal, and of the community held in downtown Rome.
Friday 7/17/26
ROME TO CANAJOHARIE
Canajoharie High School
136 Scholastic Way, Canajoharie
- Pop off the trail in Utica to get your caffeine fix and discover the stunning architecture of Union Station.
- In Little Falls, explore the glacial potholes of Moss Island, a National Natural Landmark, and shop at Canal Place.
- Tour Revolutionary War General Herkimer’s home.
- Experience some of the tour’s most beautiful landscapes, riding through fields of wildflowers and gently rising hills.
Saturday 7/18/26
CANAJOHARIE TO SCHENECTADY
Schenectady Jewish Community Center
2565 Balltown Road, Schenectady
- Ride alongside the scenic Mohawk River, the only water-level passage through the Appalachian chain of mountains.
- Stop at Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, featuring sections of all three alignments of the Erie Canal.
- Tour historic Schenectady and toast your fellow riders at a celebratory dinner and program.
Sunday 7/19/26
SCHENECTADY TO ALBANY
Quackenbush Square
25 Quackenbush Square, Albany
- View Cohoes Falls, one of the most powerful falls east of the Rockies and a major challenge for Erie Canal engineers.
- Visit Peebles Island State Park. During the Revolutionary War, American forces prepared defenses here to make a final stand against the British.
- Ride along the Hudson River and finish your tour in downtown Albany, New York State’s 300-year-old capital.
- Celebrate your accomplishment at the Finish Line Celebration!
- The shuttle back to Buffalo departs around 1pm.