Biking New York: The Erie Canal Trail - Buffalo Shoreline Trail

[@keithbuckley1847]

I just learned/read about this trail last night. So, today I was excited to find that you had reviewed it! Thanks for helping me plan my trip out east!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Glad we could help! This is only a small section of the Erie Canal Trail, but it is a great ride along the Niagara River right into BUF. We hope you have a great trip!

[@paulakaleta1619]

Buffaloian here. This is along my daily ride. After the canal ends, you turn left along the river. River road follows the path. About 1/2 mile down the path and across the road on the left is Mississippi Muds. About 1 block later, Old Man River. Both local favorites. Charbroiled dogs, burgers, rings, etc.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for the eating tips. We will have to check them out the next time we take a ride on this trail. Thanks for watching.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

That is an adventure! Thank you for sharing. That waterfront is so much nicer than it was back in the 1970's!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for watching!

[@FollowThomas]

Erie Canal Trail is gonna be my next out of state bikepacking adventure 👍😎

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Can't wait to hear how you liked it. Thanks for watching.

[@michaelbrummett9244]

Any one not sure of the area please note that biking on the paths in the Navel and Serviceman's park is not only prohibited but unsafe. People will walk out in front of you from out of nowhere. Hike a bike there. There were two buildings at Canalside under construction. One now houses a restored carousel, originally built In North Tonawanda, and the Longshed, where a reproduction canal boat is being built. Most of the trail you rode has been repaved, and the Niagara Street separated bike lane completed. I ride this trail a dozen or more times a year.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for sharing this update.

[@donweber4992]

Happy New Year to you. Looking forward to more adventures....and hopefully we may join you on some of them.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi Don. Thanks for your support!

[@toridas]

I live right across the street from niawanda Park I love riding over there

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Yes. This is a great trail with lots of options to have as long or short a ride as you want. Thanks for watching and we will see you on our next ride.

[@meandjulio]

Very helpful, thank you! I'm biking Lockport to Buffalo soon so any information helps!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi John -- Thanks for watching! We also have a video from Lockport to Tonawanda that you might like. That trail is mostly paved and when you hit the park that is where we started this ride. Happy trails!

[@hahahahagrin]

Your videos are intelligent and well done. Kodos! QUESTION: What arrangements do you make for overnights as well as what do you do with you car when taking long mile trips?

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi. Thank you for your kind comments. Up to this point, our rides have been round trip -- we park the car, ride the trail as far as our batteries will let us, and then ride back to the car. This summer we are going to ride the GAP and take the train back to our starting point. "See" you on our next adventure.

[@ShirleyMathis-x9f]

Perhaps only interesting to folk proud to have grown up along the canal (City of Tonawanda) and history junkies... *the section of canal in the video along Ellicott Creek Park and the City of Tonawanda is technically Tonawanda Creek, the only natural waterway that was "canalized" *It's a shame the tour guide did not get video in Tonawanda of the "jacknife" railroad drawbridge over the Creek/Canal- designed/built by the bridge firm owned by Joseph Strauss, the booster and driver of Golden Gate Bridge fame- built as a drawbridge in 1918 in anticipation of increased barge traffic- bridge was lifted just once to test it and never opened again- New York Central trains used these tracks, now CSX and Amtrak *the Long Homestead, at the confluence of the Tonawanda Creek/Barge Canal and Ellicott Creek, pre-dates the Canal and is one of the oldest dwellings in Western NY- local historical society does tours in the summer *Time your ride to go to a concert (lots of tribute bands and singers) or event at the Riviera Theater in North Tonawanda- an old movie palace from the late days of silent movies with their original Wurlitzer theater organ- lovingly restored by a nonprofits' hard-working volunteers. Peddle about another mile to the Carousel Museum and see where they were made, complete with a working antique carousel you can ride, at the turn of the 20th century (think craftsmen hand-carving the carousel animals) *From Tonawanda (where the canal empties into the Niagara River) through Buffalo the original canal has been filled in- lovely Niawanda Park is actually where the canal bed was located, going under the South Grand Island Bridge, and then buried under the I-190 (near the Colonel Ward Pumping Plant is a canal-era bridge abutment remnant where the roadway crosses over the I-190, once canal bed) *the ride around/through Unity Island on Buffalo's West Side is mighty confusing, the signage (as of 2022) horrible- but the dedicated bike lanes on Niagara Street are completed, paved and very safe *catch a glimpse of Buffalo's might industrial past and continue riding beyond Canalside through South Buffalo, across the Buffalo River and to the new State Park along NY-5- ride past and smell the General Mills plant (on the day we did they were making Cherrios, on other days it might be Wheaties) The Buffalo section might leave an uneducated viewer thinking rot and rust- yeah, there is that, but Buffalo is a diamond in the rough with lots of culture- find a downtown hotel and spend a few days exploring- they are more than just chicken wings and the Bills.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for the additional information and for watching.

[@petek2832]

Logistically, once you got to the terminus, did you just turn around and ride the route back to the park? Or get back by some other means? I am section riding the canal. Based out of Rochester, my only real option is to park somewhere ride out, then ride back. However, that cuts the length of each trip in half.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi Pete. We also rode the canal in multiple sections. We rode out and back from where we parked. The only ride we've taken where we didn't go out and back from where we parked the car was our trip on the Great Allegheny Passage this past June. We paid a service to take us and our bikes the 150 miles from Cumberland back to Pittsburgh.

[@ShirleyMathis-x9f]

How about returning on Amtrak?

[@joesmith7427]

Tell us what the restaurants name is that u liked so much, im not a mind reader!!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

I'm not sure what restaurant you are referring to? At 4:54 on the video we did talk about a restaurant and showed the outside where the name was clearly displayed -- the River Grill. Was there another restaurant somewhere in the video we talked about?

[@joesmith7427]

Its ella-kit creek!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for watching.

[@zootopia8586]

Will this take a person downtown?

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi. Not sure where you are trying to go downtown, but the trail ends at Canal Side which I think people would say is part of downtown Buffalo. I don't know if you can put your bike on the trolley to go further away from the canal/river/lake.

[@zootopia8586]

@@Adventuresonebikes It's ok. I looked it up. Thanks for your reply.

[@webpainter61]

@@zootopia8586 There is a bike ferry that will take you across the lake to the outer harbor at canalside for a dollar, if you are up to check that out. Nice paths along the lake on the outer harbor. There are other ways to get over there, but if you are not from Buffalo you might be better taking the ferry.

[@ShirleyMathis-x9f]

You are at what locals call the "foot of Main Street"- take the Metro Rail with you bike up Main Street, if anything to get a sense of what Downtown Buffalo used to be (bustling) and it's slow resurgence. Metro Rail goes underground- you can get off at the LaSalle Station and work your way west through the Parkside neigbhorhood through Delaware Park (the Zoo, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin house, H.H. Richardson's Buffalo State Hospital building)- there is a dedicated trail that follows Scajaquada Creek back to Niagara Street and the path along the Niagara River. Or, from the LaSalle Station weave your way a few blocks to the start of the Tonawanda Rail Trail, about 5 miles back to the City of Tonawanda (if you do this, you must stop at Anderson's on Sheridan Drive for some homemade ice cream or some Beef on Weck- just off the trail).