"Erie Canalway- Tug-Lock" by Duncan Hay , public domain
Erie CanalwayGuide and Map 2023 |
Visitor Guide to Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (NHC) in New York. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
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Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Erie Canalway Map & Guide
Fairport
Launch Your
Canal Experience
C
ome by boat, bike, car, or on foot—you’ll discover a
winning combination of recreational opportunities,
unique regional food and beverages, small town charm,
big city culture, and lots to see and do along the canals that
built New York State and opened the Nation.
2023
When you explore the Erie, Champlain,
Cayuga-Seneca, or Oswego Canals, you’re
following in the footsteps of generations
of families, canal boat workers, and world
travelers who have plied these waters and
walked its towpath since the Erie Canal
opened in 1825. Some of our more famed
visitors include Charles Dickens, Harriet
Beecher Stowe, and Mark Twain.
If you travel the entire length of the
Erie Canal, you’ll join a growing number of
today’s “End-to-Enders” who are enjoying a
big adventure and sense of accomplishment
as they walk, cycle, row, kayak, or cruise
nearly 400 miles from Buffalo to Albany.
But you don’t have to travel the entire
distance to have something to write home
about. You can ride the Canalway Trail for
an hour or two, visit one of the Canalway
Corridor’s premier canal museums and
historic sites, discover the charm of canal
villages, or step onboard a tour boat to get
a sense of how much the Erie Canalway
National Heritage Corridor has to offer.
Wish You Were Here…
Before Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, people sent short messages
to friends and relatives using postcards. As the social media of its
day, postcards were cheap, fast, and fun to receive. Share your visit
with friends and relatives and tag us at @ErieCanalway.
CONTENTS
Champlain Canalway 200th . . . 6
Get on the Water . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Take the Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Canal Boating Basics . . . . . . . . . 3
It’s a Hard Knock Life . . . . . . . . . 7
Hit the Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Canalway Challenge . . . . . . . . . . 8
Erie Canalway Map. . . . . . . . . 4-5
On the Canals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Fort Ann, Frank Forte
Get on the Water
T
he New York State Canal System—which includes the Erie, Champlain, Cayuga-Seneca, and Oswego canals—is the centerpiece
of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. Often billed as the fastest way to slow down, boating here is like nowhere
else. You’ll navigate century old locks; pass stunning stone aqueducts used to carry boats over rivers and streams in the 1800s;
traverse the waterway with tugboats and cruisers; and experience narrow canal channels and wider rivers and lakes. Beautiful scenery,
lively canal waterfronts, and distinctive New York flavor await around every bend.
E
xplore New York State’s extraordinary experiences, people, and places
along the 750-mile Empire State Trail. The trail includes the east-west Erie
Canalway Trail from Albany to Buffalo and north-south trails from New
York City through the Hudson River Valley to Lake Champlain. Whether you like
to cycle, hike, run, or roll, the trail welcomes people of all abilities, from all walks
of life, and all backgrounds.
Niskayuna
Brewerton
Canal Boating Basics
Hit the Trail
• The NYS Canal System is open from mid-May
to mid-October.
• Boating is free and no permit is needed to
go through a lock.
• Lock tenders are on hand to assist you and
make your experience going through locks
easy and enjoyable.
• It typically takes 15 to 20 minutes to go
through a lock.
• Power boats and paddlers share the canal,
so be mindful of speed limits and wakes.
• There are more than 80 public boat ramps
where you can launch a boat.
• The canal is open daily from 7am to 5pm,
but many locks and lift bridges are open on
demand until 10pm.
• Make boating safety a priority. Consult
the New York State Boater’s Guide
for registration, operation, and safety
information: https://parks.ny.gov/boating/.
Find boating resources and Notices to Mariners at www.canals.ny.gov.
Additional information on boating, paddling, rentals, and tours is
available at www.eriecanalway.org.
North Tonawanda
Seneca Falls
Pittsford
Say Hello to a Looper
Boat Tours
Canal Cruising
Vacation Rentals
Paddling
Step on board a canal tour boat for an
hourly cruise, dinner cruise or themed
tour. You’ll find boat tours within an
hour’s drive of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Saratoga. Most boat
tours will give you the unique canal
experience of going through a lock.
Specialty cruises, sailing adventures, and
wine tours are offered on lake and river
sections of the waterway.
Steer your way to fun on the canal for a day
trip, weekend getaway, or full vacation.
The Erie, Champlain, Oswego and CayugaSeneca canals connect the Hudson River
with Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, Cayuga
Lake, Seneca Lake and Lake Erie. You’ll
find amenities and overnight accommodations at numerous marinas and public
docks, many within walking distance of
shops, restaurants, and other attractions.
Vacation rentals provide an idyllic way to
experience the canal at a relaxed pace.
You’ll get lessons in steering, docking, and
locking before heading out, so you can
feel confident on the water even if you’re
new to boating. Rental boats are wellequipped with sleeping quarters, a galley,
and deck space for relaxing; many come
with bikes so you can enjoy the Canalway
Trail too.
Discover great day trips and multiday
adventures along the NYS Canalway
Water Trail. Well-marked with blue and
gold signs and maintained by volunteer
stewards, the 450-mile water trail includes
more than 150 public access points that
make it easy to launch a kayak, canoe, or
stand-up paddleboard. You’ll find rental
outfitters at numerous locations.
2 Erie Canalway Map & Guide
Take a short stroll at most canal harbors and you’ll
see boats from around the U.S. and Canada. Some
use the canals to transit to and from home ports,
while others are completing epic journeys. The
NYS Canal System is part of a 6,000-mile boating
route known as the Great Loop. Boaters traverse
15 states, 100+ locks, and typically take a year to
complete it. Shorter loop options are also available.
Strike up a conversation with “Loopers,” as they
are affectionately named. Find out more about the
journey at greatloop.org
The trail is both accessible and varied,
so you can head out with friends or family
for a few miles, enjoy a full day’s journey
to see the sites, or have an unforgettable
multiday adventure. Lodging, dining, and
visitor services are readily available short
distances off the trail.
The 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail
closely parallels both active and historic
sections of the Erie Canal. You’ll see
unique canal structures like locks and lift
bridges, as well as all types of boats, and
you’ll discover canal communities and
historic sites that are intriguing and fun
cycling destinations. More than 85%
percent is off road. The remaining on-road
sections are designated on the shoulders
of public roadways, intended for experienced bicyclists comfortable riding
adjacent to vehicle traffic.
The 65-mile Champlain Canalway
Trail includes a mix of off and on-road
segments from Waterford to Whitehall.
The trail closely parallels the Hudson River/
Champlain Canal through a region rich in
Revolutionary War history. Forty percent
of the route is off-road trail. At Fort
Edward, the 9-mile off-road Glens Falls
Feeder Canal Trail connects to the Glens
Falls Bikeway and Lake George. North of
Whitehall, the Empire State Trail route is a
110-mile on-road bicycle route running
north through the Champlain Valley to the
Canadian Border at Rouses Point.
Amenities & Resources
Parking areas, restrooms, and
canal amenity centers are
located all along the waterway. Camping is permitted
at designated Hiker-CyclistBoater sites and at many locks
with permission of the lock
operator. Comprehensive
guidebooks, maps, and multiday itineraries are available to
help you plan a trip.
• eriecanalway.org
• empiretrail.ny.gov
• nycanalmap.com
• cycletheeriecanal.org
Adaptive
recreation
There are numerous places along the canals and
Canalway Trail that are accessible and several that
offer adaptive bikes and kayaks. Learn more at:
www.eriecanal way.org/1st-Mile
Erie Canalway Map & Guide 3
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Since its grand opening in 1825, the canals have been enlarged three times to accommodate
larger boats and more traffic. Changes were made to the route and to canal structures like
locks and bridges each time. Explore the many cities, towns, and villages along the waterway to touch history and experience for yourself the canals that transformed America.
e
aw
re
nc
Sa
in
tL
Lake
Champlain
Fort Plain
Lockport
Newark
Chittenango Landing
The Erie Canalway
National Heritage Corridor
in New York State
Ri
ve
r
The New York State Canal System’s exceptional scenery, history, culture, and natural
resources earned the 524-mile waterway and the communities along its shores
Congressional designation as the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in 2000.
The designation recognizes the significance of New York’s canals to the state and nation.
Lake
Champlain
Waterford
Middleport
Locks
Lift Bridges
Heritage Sites and Visitor Centers
1800s Erie Canal
Movable Dams
Canal Communities
Locks are elevators for boats, lifting and lowering
them as they travel along the waterway. Get an
exceptional side-by-side comparison of locks used
in the 1800s and locks used today in Lockport.
Built between 1905 and 1918, 15 lift bridges still carry traffic
over the Erie Canal in western New York. When boats need
to pass, a bridge operator stops traffic on the roadway
and raises the deck of the bridge 15 feet to give clearance.
Visit local museums to learn about people, places, and
innovations along the canals. Find information about
attractions and amenities at canalfront visitor centers.
Find a rewatered stretch of the 1800s Erie Canal running
through Central New York. See stone locks, aqueducts,
and other structures formerly used to operate the canal at
museums and parks from Montezuma to Amsterdam.
12
Eight movable dams between Schenectady and Fort Plain
regulate water flow on the Mohawk River. Dam gates
are lowered to form navigable pools during the summer
but are pulled up in winter to clear the way for ice and
debris-filled floodwaters.
Waterfront festivals, concerts, and events are the hallmark
of summer along the canals. Be sure to sample local fare—
microbreweries, wineries, farmers markets, and ethnic
restaurants will give you a great taste of the region.
81
TO MONTREAL
8
30
Lake
George
Whitehall
CHAMPLAIN CANAL
Oswego
Fort Ann
149
Albion
Nia
Tonawanda
Batavia
14
63
ve
r
77
5
Canandaigua
ne
North
0
20
Oneida
5
Canastota
173
Utica 5S
ERIE CANAL
Frankfort
Ilion
FayettevilleChittenango
90
St. Johnsville
92
5
29
Little Falls
Herkimer
Syracuse
167
28
20
80
Dresden
Canal lock;
details: www.canals.ny.gov/maps
9
40
R
r
i ve
67
Fonda
Aurora
Fort Plain
13
Stillwater
30A
5
30
Mechanicville
Rexford
Vischer
Ferry
Cooperstown
414
Montour Falls
10
34
Cortland
13
N E W
81
Y O R K
28
12
VT
Amsterdam
Canajoharie
Ithaca
Watkins
Glen
32
29
Schenectady
Keuka
Lake
86
Schuylerville
Saratoga Springs
20
e
Lak
Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor
L a ke
4 Erie Canalway Map & Guide
P
Seneca Falls
a
Cayug
Canandaigua
Lake
14
Navigate to
nycanalmap.com
to discover sites
of interest and
plan your trip.
Oriskany
SH
Canal
90
Seneca
19th-century canals
Camillus
4
Great
Sacandaga
Lake
89
40 Miles
Canals operating
today
Ol d E r i e
Onondaga
Lake
Auburn
Cayuga
Waterloo
Geneva
40 Kilometers
0
90
CAYUGA–SENECA CANAL
see
Ri
20
Ge
LAKE ERIE
Port
Byron
Montezuma
390
er
Buffalo
Lyons
Palmyra
NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY
Jordan
12
46
31
Liverpool
Weedsport
Clyde
Newark
31
Cross
Lake
365
k
aw
oh
Riv
90
5
Macedon
414
Fort Edward
87
M
ga
ra
Fairport
Pittsford
78
Baldwinsville
21
490
North
Niagara Tonawanda
Falls
190
Rochester
Oneida
Lake
48
34
Rome
Waterford
Cohoes
Troy
Albany
k
98
Brockport
Spencerport
Brewerton
46
ree
Niagara
Falls
Lockport
31A
Phoenix
104
8
Cleveland
Sylvan
Beach
49
eC
TO TORONTO
481
259
63
Medina
31
Fulton
ari
Middleport
19
oh
Holley
Glens
Falls
13
OSWEGO CANAL
Sch
ERIE CANAL
104
Minetto
LAKE ONTARIO
18
3
88
90
Oneonta
TO NEW YORK CITY
87
MA
Erie Canalway Map & Guide 5
Take the Kids!
Celebrate the Champlain
Canal’s 200th Anniversary
• Glens Falls—View masterpieces at
Hyde Collection; cycle on the 9-mile
trail along the Glens Falls Feeder
Canal; and top off your trip with a visit
to a brewery or restaurant in the heart
of town.
The Champlain Canal continues to serve as a north-south connector,
welcoming visitors to experience the history and scenic beauty of the region.
• Whitehall—Boaters heading
to or from Lake Champlain can
tie up near Lock C12 to visit
Skenesborough Museum.
Located in a 1917 canal terminal
building, the museum displays
artifacts related to Whitehall’s
history as a center for transportation and defense.
Go Fish! Cast your line in the canal itself,
or in streams and lakes throughout the
Corridor. Common catches include walleye,
northern pike, small and large mouth bass,
and panfish. In the fall, the NYS Canal
Corporation releases water from the Erie
Canal into Lake Ontario tributaries in
Western New York to create outstanding
angling conditions.
• Champlain Canal Stories: 200 Years from
Waterford to Whitehall (exhibit) through
12/23, Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls
• Champlain Canalway Trail Family Bicycle
Celebration, 6/3, Fort Edward to Fort Ann
6 Erie Canalway Map & Guide
Please touch! Experience Hands on
History. Most canal-related history
museums offer special programs, handson displays, and family-friendly events.
Check museum websites for events and
kid-friendly activities.
Follow in history’s
wake to these
sites along the
Champlain Canal.
Bicentennial Events
• Stillwater—Walk, cycle, or drive
the 10-mile tour road to explore
Saratoga National Historical
Park where the most decisive
battles of the American Revolution were fought in 1777.
Nearby, visit other parts of the
park at Victory Woods, Saratoga
Monument, and the country
home of Revolutionary War
General Philip Schuyler.
Cycle on the Erie Canalway
Trail. The off-road trail is a
great, safe place to ride. From
budding two-wheelers to teens
ready for a multiday trip, the
trail offers options to suit every
skill level.
• Champlain Canal History Tour & Paddle,
7/14, Whitehall to Comstock and back
• Paddle the Canals: Champlain 200!,
Saturday, 7/29, Fort Edward to Schuylerville
• Waterford—Located at the confluence of
the Erie and Champlain Canals, Waterford
is a hub for canal commerce and recreation.
Stop by the Waterford Harbor Visitor
Center to get oriented, stroll the canal
promenade, rent a kayak, connect to the
Canalway Trail, or enjoy the Sunday
morning Waterford Harbor Farmers Market.
• 17th Annual Cardboard Boat Races:
Magical History Tour, 8/12, Fort Hardy
Park, Schuylerville
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder.
Enjoy swimming, hiking, and
nature study at state parks,
nature preserves, and National
Natural Landmarks. You’ll find
dramatic waterfalls, beautiful
lakes, extensive trails, and vast
wetlands full of bird life. Some
great picks include: Moss Island
National Natural Landmark,
Little Falls; Green Lakes State
Park, Fayetteville; Buttermilk
Falls State Park and Robert H.
Treman State Park in Ithaca,
and the Montezuma Audubon
Center in Savannah.
• Champlain Canal Bicentennial Concert
with the Albany Symphony, 10/8, Albany
Find details and more events at:
Kids on the Canal in the 1800s
Picture walking along a dirt path, the smell of animals
mixed with that of laboring men—day after day, mile after
mile, through hot sun and driving rain—and the life of a
mule driver on the canal begins to come into view. What’s
harder to imagine today is that many mule drivers were
children.
The demanding job of the mule driver was often held
by boys (and occasionally girls) as young as eight-years old.
They walked 15 to 20 miles each day, typically completing
two six-hour shifts as the canal boat traveled to its destination. At the end of the day, no hot shower or soft pillow
awaited. Boys often slept with the animals and tended to
their needs in stalls onboard the canal boat.
Some mule drivers worked alongside their families,
pitching in as expected to run a family-run canal boat
business. Others were orphaned immigrants. Children
whose parents did not survive the transatlantic journey
were sometimes sent north from New York City to work
on canal boats. Low wages and rough conditions marked
the life of the mule driver.
Gear Up for Your Canal Adventure!
• Locktoberfest Fort Edward, 10/14, Canal
Street Marketplace, Fort Edward
eriecanalway.org/explore/events
Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse
• Fort Edward—The Fort Edward
House Museum complex shares
the history of Fort Edward and
the Champlain Canal. Exhibits at
nearby Rogers Island Visitors
Center tell stories of the area
from the earliest Native Americans through the Revolutionary
War. Fort Edward has several boat
launches and is a good place to
begin a paddling trip.
• Schuylerville—Take your family to see
a lock in action at Lock C5 and explore
neighboring Hudson Crossing Park,
which offers more than two miles of
waterfront trails, picnic sites, children’s
play garden, boat access, and self-serve
kayak rentals. You can also enjoy a
scenic cruise with Mohawk Maiden
Cruises, which boards near Lock C5.
Take a Boat Trip. Kids especially
love the experience of going
through locks or under lift
bridges. If you’d prefer to stay
on land, visit one of the canal
system’s 57 locks to watch
boats go by.
Palmyra
Just as canal proponents had hoped, the connection of Lake Champlain with
the Hudson River enhanced the value of northern New York and Vermont. Iron
ore, lumber, pulpwood, and farm produce from New York’s North Country,
Vermont, and Canada flowed south. Profits from trade also diverted south from
Canada, as New York City grew to become the nation’s largest port.
pending special time with family or friends is a favorite pastime of any child.
There are lots of ways to share a fine afternoon or an entire vacation along
the canals. Here are our top five things to do with kids:
Rochester
T
wo years prior to the auspicious opening of the Erie
Canal, the Champlain Canal was fully operational
from Troy to Lake Champlain in 1823. In its first year,
one hundred boats made the 63-mile journey.
S
It’s a Hard
Knock Life
shop.eriecanalway.org
Find shirts, hats, fleece vests, and
more in a variety of styles and
designs. All net proceeds support
Erie Canalway programs.
Erie Canalway Map & Guide 7
GET UP, GET OUT, AND
GET ACTIVE!
Discover fun and fitness
along the canals with
the Canalway Challenge.
This free program lets you choose your own personal mileage goal and then walk,
run, cycle, or paddle on the Canalway Trail and NYS Canal System to achieve it.
You’ll earn mileage status and a recognition sticker, magnet, and set of postcards
when you finish to show off your accomplishment.
Select 15, 90, 180, or 360 miles; people with disabilities
are welcome to begin with the 1st Mile Challenge. You can
complete the Canalway Challenge in one big trip or many
small ones. Participation is free and registration is open to
individuals, teams, and organizations. Sign up today!
www.canalwaychallenge.org
FREE ACTIVITIES,
ALL YEAR LONG
On the Canals is a year-round program of free activities along
the waterways and trails of the NYS Canal System, brought to
you by the NYS Canal Corporation. From kayaking, biking and
hiking, to painting en plein air and snowshoeing, there is so
much to do every season. More fun is added throughout the
year so get weekly emails at the QR Code below.
Through partnerships with selected providers, this year’s lineup
of On the Canals recreation and arts experiences across New
York State can be found online where free reservations are a
breeze. Several activities have accessible equipment available.
Come autumn, the program offers world-class fishing on
several Western NY tributaries that flow to Lake Ontario,
enhanced with water from the Erie Canal.
Enjoy all the New York State’s canals and
trails have to offer…Free…On the Canals.
Canals.ny.gov/
onthecanals/
Macedon, Neil Sjoblom
Many thanks to our generous tourism supporters:
The New York State Canal System
is operated by the New York State
Canal Corporation, a subsidiary of
the New York Power Authority.
1-800-4CANAL4
public.info@canals.ny.gov
canals.ny.gov
Dolgeville, NY
sprucecreekcampground.com
® I LOVE NEW YORK is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission.
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves our
extraordinary canal heritage, promotes the Corridor as a worldclass tourism destination, and fosters vibrant communities
connected by more than 500 miles of historic waterway.
8 Erie Canalway Map & Guide
518-237-7000
erie_canal@nps.gov
eriecanalway.org
Enter the
Erie Canalway
Photo Contest
Submit up to three photos of your
favorite places, views, and people
enjoying the canals for a chance
to win a spot in the 2024 Erie
Canalway calendar. Find an entry
form and tips on our website:
eriecanalway.org/getinvolved/photo-contest
Deadline: August 25, 2023
NOTE: Images must be horizontal
format.