Registration is open for 'Cycle the Erie Canal'

25th annual tour celebrates Erie Canal heritage

√ Participants experience one of the most scenic & historic trails in America this summer 

Registration is now open for Parks & Trails New York’s 25th annual “Cycle the Erie Canal” tour, what organizers called “an unforgettable opportunity to bike across New York state and take in the rich history of the legendary canal that transformed America.”

The eight-day, 400-mile recreational bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany is scheduled for July 9-16. There is also an option to ride only the first four days from Buffalo to Syracuse. 

A press release said, “ ‘Cycle the Erie Canal’ participants will experience one of the best trails in America as they cycle through historic canal villages and discover the small-town charm of upstate New York. Along the way, canal historians and local experts will introduce riders to the people, places and things that make the Erie Canal so important to the history of New York and the nation. Cyclists will pedal between 40 and 60 miles per day, and visit some of upstate New York’s most iconic attractions, such as the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, and Fort Stanwix in Rome, a full-scale fort recreation from the French and Indian War.”

This tour features the predominantly flat and traffic-free Erie Canalway Trail; the east-west leg of New York state’s longer 750-mile Empire State Trail, which is the longest multiuse trail in the nation. The Erie Canalway Trail is 85% off-road.

Again, the press release said, “ ‘Cycle the Erie Canal’ offers unparalleled cycling for all ages and abilities. In 2022 the tour drew 650 cyclists, ages 10-73, from 40 states and two Canadian provinces. A recent study shows that the Canalway Trail System receives more than 3.1 million visits per year and generates an economic impact of $253 million.”

Registration for “Cycle the Erie Canal” includes camping accommodations each evening with restrooms and showers; eight breakfasts and six dinners; two refreshment stops daily stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages; SAG support and baggage transport; daily cue sheets and marked routes; entertainment and historic presentations every evening; and guided tours of the canal, historic sites, museums and other attractions. Shuttles will be available at the beginning and the end of the ride to transport riders and their bicycles for an additional fee. A four-day option is available, with its own optional shuttle . 

The registration fee for the full tour is $1,075 for adults, $580 for youths ages 6-17, and $750 for non-cycling participants.

Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide advocate working to create a network of parks, trails, and greenways so that New Yorkers can enjoy the outdoors close to home. “Cycle the Erie Canal” supports Parks & Trails New York’s work on the Erie Canalway Trail and on trails in communities throughout New York state. 

For more information on “Cycle the Erie Canal,” visit www.ptny.org/canaltour, email [email protected] or call 518- 434-1583.