|
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
|
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor preserves the canal system, all 524 miles of it, and celebrates its long, 180-year history. New England and the rest of the US were shaped by this canal.
|
 |
The Basics |
 |
|
|
|
| |
| Hours: |
Most towpath sections of the Erie Canalway are open year-round from dawn until dusk.For more information on lock hours of operation contact the NY State Canal Corporation. Be sure to visit the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Visitor Center, located at Peebles Island State Park in Waterford, NY. Peebles Island State Park is open 7:30 a.m. to dusk daily. To contact them by phone or mail:
P.O. Box 219
Waterford, NY 12188
Phone:(518) 237-8643 |
| Season: |
The canal is closed to boat traffic during the winter. |
| Address: |
PO Box 219
Waterford, NY 12188
|
| Phone: |
518-237-7000 |
Click here for a full-sized map of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
|
Directions |
|
|
|
Several interstate highways cross the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The New York State Thruway (I-90) roughly parallels the Erie Canalway route from Albany to Buffalo. Perhaps the best way to explore canal country by car is along state and county roads that hug the water more closely and thread through the hamlets, villages, and cities that grew along the waterways. These are NY Rt. 31 in western New York, NY Rt. 5 and 5S in the east, NY Rt. 481 along the Oswego, ...and a host of smaller roads in between them. The Lakes to Locks Passage along the Champlain Canal and the Mohawk Towpath along the eastern end of Lake Erie have been designated National Scenic Byways.
|
|
Climate |
|
| |
Weather and climate can vary somewhat along the Heritage Corridor. Similar general conditions may prevail, based on the season, but extremes can differ from one end of the Corridor to the other.
|
Link to our Albany/Troy/Schenectady Weather coverage for more information.
|
Seasons |
|
| |
The canal is closed to boat traffic during the winter.
|
|
Fees |
|
| |
No fees.
Boating may require additional fees.
|
|
Things To Do |
|
| |
Over 500 miles of interconnected canals, rivers, and lakes are open to navigation from May 1 through November 15.
On-water activities include cruising, rowing, canoeing and kayaking, motorboating, and fishing. Watercraft from canoes and small rowboats to fully equipped canal cruisers may be rented through the canal system. Waterfront parks in communities and at canal locks across the state offer many opportunities for land-based fun, include bicycling, walking, jogging, picnicking, fishing, playing, or just sitting on the bank and watching the boats. Some sections of the Canalway Trail are suitable for in-line skating. During the winter, the Canalway Trail is a unique place to cross-country ski.
|
|
