The Genesee Canal (from Cycling Along The Canals of New York State.)
The Genesee Valley Canal stretched 125 miles south from the Erie Canal in downtown Rochester to the Allegany River near the Pennsylvania border. By reaching the upper Allegany River, canal builders created an important linkage between the Erie Canal and the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. Construction was authorized in 1836. By 1841, the canal was open to Dansville, fifty-two miles away and a climb of a mere 174 feet. The difficult task was ahead. Fifty locks (Locks #11 to #60) would be required in just nineteen miles to climb to an 1132-foot level. And yet another thirty-seven locks would be required to reach the 1489-foot summit level at Cuba. Then the canal descended to the Allegany River at Olean, 107 miles from Rochester, at an elevation of 1422 feet. All this was completed by 1862. By this time, rail transportation had become far more efficient over hilly, if not mountainous terrain such as this, and the Genesee Canal closed to traffic in 1878 — a very short life span indeed.
The Genesee River flows south-to-north from Pennsylvania all the way to Lake Ontario. Once a major thoroughfare of the powerful Seneca Nation, it became an integral part of the design of the Erie Canal. It fills the Erie Canal across the Great Embankment high above the Irondequoit Valley and provides water eastward from Rochester all the way to Montezuma. The present barge canal still relies on Genesee waters that now flow all the way to Oswego on the Oswego Canal.
A great deal of the old canal towpath has been opened for bicycling and hiking — between Rochester and Cuba, more than seventy-five miles of unpaved, off-road trail lies atop the old canal bed. Called The Genesee Valley Greenway, the trail is perfect for off-road mountain bikes, but too rough for narrow-tired road bikes. However, on-road bike tourists and explorers will find excellent local roads to follow the course of the canal. Although there is no numbered bike route to guide you, there are many good options to choose from.
The Genesee Greenway Trail is great for hybrid and mountain bikes. Louis Rossi
The Genesee Valley Canal passed through the southern end of Letchworth Gorge. Seeing the gorge, among many other reasons, makes a cycle trip here worthwhile. Unlike many of the other canals of New York, the Genesee was rural — and the area remains that way. There are no big cities along the way, only pastoral scenes that make exploring this canal a delight.
Following the Genesee Valley Canal is a multi-day venture. Probably New York’s most successful trail project, the Genesee Valley Greenway, makes this one of the easiest canals to uncover. The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway is truly an impressive volunteer group. Check out their website (See the Resource Guide) to find the latest trail information, maps, photos, descriptions, and for the opportunity to get a question answered.
After closing in 1878, most of the Genesee Valley Canal was sold by the state and converted into a railroad (a branch line of the Pennsylvania Railroad) back in the late nineteenth century. Like many of the railroads you’ve encountered elsewhere, the PRR used this line to move coal (soft, bituminous coal) northward. Anthracite coal, which is only found in eastern Pennsylvania, was once the main source of home heating fuel throughout the northeastern United States and Canada. Bituminous coal, much more common and cheaper, was an industrial fuel. The PRR brought this coal to the industries of Rochester.
Then, after the railroad was abandoned in the mid-twentieth century, a utility company, Rochester Gas & Electric, preserved its route. Finally, just a few years ago, the company sold the corridor back to the state. So, while it is a complex story with many histories, we are very fortunate to see this historic route come full circle. It is today one of the very best preserved, long-distance, off-road trails in New York. It is almost 100 percent unpaved and conditions vary. There are gaps in some spots, especially river crossings, but nearly all of the 113 miles of the old canal are open to explore — quite an accomplishment.