Biking the Erie Canal Trail

Make a stop in Little Falls, NY and stay at the Inn at Stone Mill

The village of Little Falls, New York is fortunate to be situated along the Erie Canalway Trail and is a popular stopping point for two-wheeled adventurers throughout the warmer months. At Little Falls, the trail passes through Lock 17– the highest lock in the canal–as well as a series of scenic gorges along the Southside district.

Many riders choose to use Little Falls as a destination, starting point, or stopping point on their cycling tours. The town has the advantage of offering quality shopping and dining at our locally owned establishments. Visitors also enjoy natural attractions like Moss Island (popular with rock climbers), Buttermilk Falls, and the nearby Herkimer Diamond Mines. Renting a kayak or canoe is a great way to explore the newly revitalized Canal Harbor and Rotary Park. Guests at the Inn at Stone Mill also enjoy the best hospitality Little Falls has to offer.

Become an Erie Canal End-to-Ender

You and your traveling companions may decide to earn the title of End-to-Ender by traveling the entire route between Albany and Buffalo, a great way to enjoy the full experience and get your names on the End-to-End Honor Roll.

Popular section routes of the Erie Canalway Trail include Syracuse to Little Falls and Little Falls to Albany. Information about the many towns & attractions along these routes can be found at the handy Cycle the Erie Canal website.

Join us for the Erie Canal Bike Tour

Every year, the non-profit Parks & Trails New York hosts its annual Cycle the Erie Canal Bike Tour. This year, it begins in Buffalo on July 7th and finishes Sunday, July 14th in Albany. The varied and scenic ride takes cyclists past rolling hills, locks, the famous Erie Canal Lift Bridge and several waterfalls in Rochester, Seneca, Cohoes, and Little Falls. There’s also an optional visit to Niagara Falls on the day before the tour begins. Participants make stops along the way to enjoy shopping, animal sanctuaries, boat rides, museums, and a variety of historical sites. Riders can sign up for the entire tour or opt for 2 or 4-day trips. (The cost of the full tour is $835 for adults and $455 for kids.)

Riders who choose not to join the official tour will nevertheless find the Cycling the Erie Canal Guidebook to be a valuable resource with its 152 pages of helpful information for hikers, boaters, walkers and auto travelers, including 42 full-color maps. Also available is the Cycling the Hudson Valley Guidebook. Both books are put out by Parks & Trails New York.

Answer the call of the open road for yourself and discover the many reasons that bicycle enthusiasts of all ages and levels are drawn to this beautiful route. We hope you will opt to include Little Falls and the Inn at Stone Mill as part of your Erie Canal adventure!