19th Annual Erie Canal Bike Tour Buffalo to Albany

Join Cyclists from around the country and the world from July 7th through July 16th. for Parks & Trails New York  19th annual Cycle the Erie Canal bike tour. Each year this event grows in popularity as Bicyclists gather to enjoy this unique cycling experience.

This eight-day fully supported ride across New York from Buffalo to Albany allows riders of all ages and abilities to learn about the people, places and events that shaped the Erie Canal and its connection to the history of the country.

The route follows the legendary Erie Canal as it winds its way through historic villages and rural farm lands.

Included in the tour are:

  • Camping accommodations every evening with showers and toilet facilities.
  • Eight hearty breakfasts and six dinners
  • Two daily refreshment stops stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages
  • Evening entertainment, including historical presentations
  • Guided tours of the Canal, historic sites, museums, and other attractions including the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, Erie Canal Museum and Village, Fort Stanwix National Monument and a boat tour through the Lockport Locks.
  • Kick-off and end of tour reception
  • Cycle the Erie Canal t-shirt and water bottle
  • Baggage transport
  • SAG wagon and mobile mechanical support
  • Daily maps and cue sheets
  • Painted and arrowed routes
  • Pre-departure info packet, including training tips.
  • Recognition as a Cycle the Erie Canal End to Ender
  • Amenities such as fresh daily towels, gourmet morning coffee, tent and air mattress rental and set up and an evening massage are available from  Comfy Campers

If you don’t have the time or ability to complete the entire trip, Parks and Trails NY also offers two and four day options. In addition, if camping isn’t your idea on how to spend a night, overnight stays in hotels or bed & breakfasts are also an option.

The Erie Canal and the towns and villages along it are being rediscovered both by land and by water for their scenic beauty and the role the Erie Canal played in the history of this country.

While the ability to navigate the entire 524 miles of the Canal system by water is complete, The Erie Canalway trail continues to work towards its completion. At 288 miles, the trail across New York State is almost 80% complete.

With the efforts of organizations such as Parks & Trails NY in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation and the Canalway Trails Association New York are working together to complete what will ultimately be a trail that equals the waterway along the Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain Canals.

Maybe as we enter the 8-year long celebration of the bi-centennial of the building of the Erie Canal the same efforts that were necessary back then can be mustered up to complete the Canalway trail system.