New York to Host Cycle the Erie Canal 2016

Registration is now open for Parks & Trails New York’s 18th annual Cycle the Erie Canal tour, 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 10-17, 2016.

Cycle the Erie Canal participants will experience one of the best trails in America as they pedal 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. With more than three-quarters of the route off-road on the mostly-flat and traffic-free Canalway Trail, the tour offers unparalleled cycling for all ages and abilities.
 
In 2015, the tour drew 600 cyclists, ages 2 through 91, from 37 states and Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Registration for Cycle the Erie Canal includes camping accommodations each evening with restrooms and showers; eight hearty breakfasts and six delicious dinners; two refreshment stops daily 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. Registration fee is $725 for adults and $395 for youths ages 6-17 and non-cycling participants.

Erie Canal Trailblazers, who commit to fundraise to help Parks & Trails New York close the gaps in the Erie Canalway Trail, pay only $100 and receive special recognition on the tour.

For riders with less time, four-day options are available from Buffalo to Syracuse and from Syracuse to Albany. Two-day weekend options are also available from Buffalo to Pittsford and from Canajoharie to Albany.

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. Cycle the Erie Canal supports Parks & Trails New York’s work on the Erie Canalway Trail and in communities across New York State. For more information, visit www.ptny.org.

The New York State Canal Corporation, the agency charged with operating, maintaining and promoting New York’s Canal System and the Canalway Trail, is the Premier State Sponsor of the Cycle the Erie Canal. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is the event’s Heritage Sponsor.

For more information on Cycle the Erie Canal, visit www.ptny.org/canaltour, email eriecanaltour@ptny.org or call 518-434-1583.