The Canalway Challenge: 360 miles of history
One of the markers of the Erie Canal’s historic integrity is the fact that it is still fully navigable, with boaters and paddlers able to make the entire 360-mile journey without leaving the water.
The Erie Canal is the great connector, linking communities across New York State from Buffalo to Albany, and even further, connecting waterways from the Great Lakes down to New York City once it reaches the Hudson River. The Erie Canal, and the entire NYS Barge Canal system, helped make New York the Empire State, and it has had a profound and lasting impact on the communities that grew alongside it.
One way to really experience all that the canal means for New York is to get out and explore it — on foot, by bike, by boat, or kayak. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor sponsors the Canalway Challenge to encourage people to do just that.
Whether you are an avid cyclist or a family looking to get more active, set your sights on adventure and fun along the 524-mile NYS Canal System and 365-mile Erie Canalway Trail. Reach your one-of-a-kind, personal mileage goal – whether cycling, paddling, running, hiking or walking – and discover all you can do along New York's canals!
The Canalway Challenge is just one example of how people are actively using and enjoying the canals, and it demonstrates the importance of protecting this valuable historic resource for everyone using it today and those who will continue to use it in the future. By listing the NYS Barge Canal System as one of our current Seven to Save sites, we are affirming our commitment to protecting the canals and continuing to raise our voice in support of this New York treasure. But don’t just take our word for it. We asked two Canalway Challenge end-to-enders to share their own thoughts about the experience of traversing the length of the Erie Canal. One made the trip by bike and the other paddled his way from Buffalo to Albany. In our next two blog posts you’ll hear from them. They may offer you a new perspective on the importance of the canals. They might even inspire you to make the journey and take up the Canalway Challenge yourself.
Read: Paul Comstock on paddling his way to becoming an Erie Canal “End-to-Ender”