News from the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Exciting plans are underway to develop a 128-mile water trail along the Erie Canal and Mohawk River from Rome to Waterford. Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is spearheading efforts to improve accessibility, designate camping sites, highlight the region’s rich heritage, and promote recreation along this historic route.
While seasoned paddlers have been finding their way to the canal for some time, the new water trail will make it easier for more people to access the waterway in the Mohawk Valley. The water trail will connect the dots between access points, amenities, and accommodations, while also educating paddlers about how to safely navigate the canal system.
Planning for the water trail has recently begun, thanks to funding from the National Park Service, the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc., Rome Community Foundation, Mohawk Valley Collective, Eric Mower + Associates, individual donations, and in-kind services from the NYS Canal Corporation. In addition, the National Park Service Northeast Region – Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) has made an award of staff technical assistance to advance the project.
The Mohawk River and Erie Canal flow through deep valleys, over dramatic drops (now bypassed by locks), through woods and farmland, and past industrial cities and small towns. All of these features will help make this water trail a national treasure.
To make a donation or learn more, contact Erie Canalway Executive Director Bob Radliff at (518) 237-7000 ext. 203, or bob_radliff@partner.nps.gov.
Canalway Trail Times 