Cycling the Erie Canalway Trail 

By Aubrey Schulz

Growing up in Troy, I was unaware of a hidden gem in our town: the lock on the Hudson River. It wasn’t until my late 20s, while on a boat trip with my future father-in-law, that I experienced the Troy Federal Lock firsthand. As we journeyed up the Hudson and into the Waterford Flight of Locks, the rising water lifting the boat higher and higher sparked a newfound fascination. The flight is a set of five locks that raise/lower boats 170 feet between the Hudson and Mohawk rivers. I was captivated and eager to learn more about the Erie Canal, which is celebrating its bicentennial in 2025. 

Fifteen years later, this fascination led my friends and me to plan an epic adventure: cycling the entire Erie Canal Trail, which is part of the Empire State Trail. The idea of pedaling across New York on a mostly flat, car-free path steeped in history was irresistible. On October 5th, we boarded an Amtrak train in Albany, headed for Buffalo. For nine wonderful days, we left behind the decision-making of our daily lives – a reprieve from motherhood, professional life, and household chores. Once we started pedaling, the number of daily decisions was minimal, usually related to meals. 

Day 0 – Saturday afternoon, the four of us boarded the Amtrak train for Buffalo. Six hours later and after sunset, we arrived. With headlights on, panniers and bike bags brimming with our belongings, we navigated the city streets to our accommodations, the quaint Oscar’s Inn, a bed and breakfast. At each of our overnight stays, our bikes were never viewed as an inconvenience. Some places, like Oscar’s Inn, had safe locked garages for our bikes. Other times we wheeled the bikes into our hotel room. After sitting for hours on the train it felt good to walk to dinner. Our group was giddy with excitement for the adventure ahead. 

Day 1 – A satisfying breakfast filled our bellies. We joked we would never leave the comfort and cooking of Oscar’s Inn. Collectively, we decided to begin our journey at the official start of the Erie Canal Trail. However, construction and detours caused us to circle the city creating minor stress as we tried to locate the trail. Once found, it felt good to get into a rhythm and we basked in the warm sunshine traveling alongside the Niagara River. With so many towns along the canal we knew we didn’t have time to stop at them all. Our general itinerary was to ride for 20 miles as we started the day and then find breaks or just pause every 10 miles or so. As such, we passed through Tonawanda with a wave and acknowledgement that we were now traveling eastward. 

Our first stop was Lockport, having heard about the “Flight of Five” locks. This flight is a staircase lock that lifts/lowers a canal boat over the Niagara Escarpment in five stages. I was the most enthusiastic about viewing the locks. Little did I know that the sailboat traveling through the modern locks that day would be one of only two boats we would see. Traveling in October was an excellent choice. The temperature was wonderful, the fall foliage was pretty, mosquitos were not a problem, and the trails were not crowded. However I had hoped to see a bit more boat traffic, but I now realize it was late in the 2024 navigation season, as NYS Canal Corporation closes the locks on October 16. My interest in watching the locks earned me the nickname, Loch Ness.

Fifty-six miles from our starting point, we reached the euro-inspired Hart House Hotel in Medina’s historic district. It was time for the daily ritual of securing the bikes, gathering necessary belongings, washing and hanging our clothes, taking turns showering and stretching. Then we walked to dinner and next to a pub where we celebrated our day’s accomplishments. 

Day 2 – Fortified with coffee and muffins, we headed along the prettiest stretch of trail. We saw over 20 great blue herons lift their wings and take off in flight. Juicy red apples beckoned to us and a trip down the grassy bank rewarded us each with the juiciest, sweetest apple ever. Riding side by side in pairs, we rolled into Spencerport for lunch. 

Refueled, we cycled through southern portions of Rochester. We appreciated the designated bike path, but the road crossings along busy stretches of four lanes of traffic was harrowing. Rarely were pedestrian cross walkways and lights installed. Reaching Pittsford we breathed a sigh of relief. Into our Hilton Garden hotel room went our bikes and the post ride process commenced. Our hotel was a little too far from restaurants, so we got an Uber out to dinner. The driver recommended the New York Beer Project in Victor, instead of the original choice, and we were thrilled with his recommendation. 

Day 3 – The same Uber driver recommended a breakfast spot in nearby Fairport. Five miles later we were at Riki’s Family Restaurant enjoying a hearty breakfast. Fairport is a cute canal town, and we spent a little time exploring before we continued eastward. Wanting to get a little bit of history, we stopped in Palmyra. I had bookmarked the Alling Coverlet Museum as an interesting destination. It was a worthwhile museum, displaying an impressive collection of hand-woven textiles. Pausing briefly in Lyons to check out the locks, we headed onwards to Clyde. 

Day 4 – In this region, we experienced large stretches of road riding, but with wide shoulders and pavement in good conditions, it was smooth travel. During these segments, it made me appreciate the off road sections even more. About 87% of Erie Canalway Trail is off-road, with the western section featuring surfaces predominantly stone dust and gravel and the eastern portions more likely to be paved. The efforts undertaken to make the route more bike-friendly are appreciated!

Riding through the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse was a novelty. However, that delight was soon replaced with stress as we navigated through the suburbs of Dewitt. Upon reaching the peaceful Butternut Creek Trail, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. The busyness and congestion of Syracuse was behind us. Four more miles to the comfort of the Craftsman Inn in Fayetteville. Here we had the luxury of laundry and their fabulous on-site restaurant, Craftsman Wood Grille & Tap House. This was perfect because we avoided the soaking afternoon rain that would have dampened our spirits and our belongings. We were lucky. In almost every instance we were rewarded with good weather and rain showers somehow avoided us.

Day 5 – After a hotel breakfast, we were underway on our longest day – 60 miles to Utica. It was cloudy, with a chilly breeze in the air. Our usual chatty mood was muted, and silence surrounded us. Later that night we agreed that it was the hardest day mentally. At mile five, I was wondering how I was going to bike 60 miles. A mental pep talk was needed. Just keep pedaling. A 20+ year history of endurance activities and mental toughness had to kick into gear. Highlights to break up the day, were a stop at the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, The Blend in Oneida for lunch, and later Fort Stanwix National Monument in Rome. Upon reaching the Hampton Inn in Utica we were grateful for the warmth of hot showers. 

Day 6 – Spirits were high this morning! The sun was shining, and we were giddy with the prospect of only traveling 23 miles to Little Falls. For me, having the large cities behind us was a relief. Two hours later, we arrived at The Inn at Stone Mill. After an amazing pizza at Mangia Macrina’s, we wandered around town enjoying the vibe of Little Falls. Later that evening while having beer at Rock Valley Brewing, we met two other sets of bike travelers like us. One trio pulled up chairs and we gleefully shared stories. 

Day 7 – Keeping with our vibe of taking recommendations seriously, after breakfast we rode 20 miles to Canajoharie to another rider’s suggestion of the Keep Right Café – a fabulous spot that I’m glad we didn’t bypass. Under sunny skies and amidst the ever improving fall colors we made our way to Amsterdam. We splurged on the final night, with a stay in the Amsterdam Castle, a unique hotel that was formerly an armory. We wandered to Lorenzo’s Southside for drinks and a snack, enjoying the lazy nature of our afternoon. 

I have a tradition of celebrating my athletic achievements and noteworthy races with a burger and a beer for dinner. With 40 more miles to go on our last and final day, it seemed fitting to celebrate tonight. As luck would have it, we were in town during the Wish Festival and the evening concluded with a firework display enjoyed from the steps of the castle high on the hill. 

Day 8 – Our luck with the weather seemed to have run out. The radar showed a massive blob of green covering the area between Amsterdam and Waterford. With no way to avoid it, we just had to get on our bikes and ride. Bundling up in warm clothing, we bid farewell to the castle and set out on our last morning of riding. We stopped in Schenectady’s historic Stockade district for a quick pick me up of hot chocolate, avocado toast, and a warm building at Arthur’s Market. Then, we soldered on for the last 20 miles. We really did get lucky – the heavy rain never materialized. While the temps were in the low 40s, it could have been so much worse. 

At Peebles Island State Park in Waterford, we met our waiting family members for pictures and congratulations, before we headed off in separate directions to transition back into the real world. Our group signed up for the 360-mile Canalway Challenge, and we were rewarded with fun swag, after completing our miles and uploading a photo of our finish: eriecanalway.org.

Since returning home, our group chat has been buzzing with ideas for our next cycling adventure. Now that we’re all geared up, I’m eager to start planning. Not only did we conquer 375 miles in eight days, but we also managed to enjoy each other’s company the entire time. No canal-side squabbles, no roommate drama – we even survived sharing a single bathroom! 

While I’m not sure if I’d repeat the exact same trip (there’s still so much more to explore!), I wholeheartedly recommend the experience. We averaged a comfortable 10 miles per hour, covering about 47 miles a day – a manageable pace for many cyclists. For me, the highlights were escaping the daily grind, soaking in the scenery, and strengthening friendships. It was truly an unforgettable journey.

Aubrey Schulz (aubs15@gmail.com) lived in Troy for 30 years before relocating to Granby, Conn. Her passion to get out and play hasn’t wavered. She loves trail running, cycling, swimming, snowshoeing and hiking.