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(Logo courtesy of Parks & Trails New York)
(Logo courtesy of Parks & Trails New York)

Cycle the Erie Canal this summer

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Mon, Jan 10th 2022 04:20 pm

Registration opens for popular tour across New York, scheduled for July 10-17

Registration is now open for Parks & Trails New York’s 24th annual Cycle the Erie Canal tour, an opportunity to bike across New York on part of the Empire State Trail 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 10-17.

Organizers 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 made the Erie Canal so important to the history of New York and the nation.

“With more than three-quarters of the route off-road on the mostly-flat and traffic-free Erie Canalway Trail, the tour offers unparalleled cycling for all ages and abilities.”

After going virtual in 2020 due to the pandemic, the tour returned in 2021 at reduced capacity. In 2022, the ride has returned to its full capacity of 650 riders, and spots are filling quickly.

Covering between 40 and 60 miles per day, cyclists travel along the Erie Canalway Trail, which is now more than 80% off-road, and since 2020, the east-west axis of the statewide 750-mile Empire State Trail. A recent study showed the Erie Canalway Trail annually receives close to 1.6 million visits and generates an economic impact of $253 million.

Registration for Cycle the Erie Canal includes camping accommodations each evening with restrooms and showers; eight hearty breakfasts and six dinners; two daily refreshment stops stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages; SAG support and baggage transport; daily cue sheets and marked routes; entertainment and historical 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. An eight- and four-day option is available. Registered riders must arrive with proof of vaccination, as defined by the CDC as of July 1, 2022.

The registration fee for the full tour is $975 for adults, $535 for youths ages 6-17, and $675 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 in communities across New York.

For more information on Cycle the Erie Canal, visit www.cycletheeriecanal.com, email [email protected] or call 518-434-1583.

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