FEEDER CANAL LETTERBOX

FEEDER CANAL LETTERBOX:

HUDSON FALLS, NEW YORK

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Planted: June 29, 2004

Length: Old Champlain Towpath; 2 ¾ miles total.

Fort Edward to Letterbox; 2 miles

Feeder Canal Trail (including on-road detour); 7 ½ miles

Feeder Dam to Letterbox; 7 ¼ miles

Feeder Canal Park (Five Combines) to Letterbox; 0.6 miles

South Glens Falls Bike Trail; 1 mile. On-road detour from the Feeder Canal ; 0.4 miles

Difficulty: Easy. Flat, stone dust trail. One on-road detour (sidewalks).

Directions:

To start from Fort Edward ; Take Route 4 to Fort Edward . Take a right on East Street , then a left up Wing Street . Go around McIntyre Park to McIntyre Street to a parking lot next to the park. The trail starts across the road from the park.

To start from the Feeder Dam in Glens Falls ; Take exit 18 off of I-87 to Corinth Road and head east. Turn right down Richardson Street and take to its end at the Feeder Dam parking lot.

To start from Feeder Canal Park (Five Combines); Take Route 4 through Fort Edwards and into Hudson Falls . Take a right down John Street , then a left onto Burgoyne Ave. (Route 37). The park and parking lot will be on your right where the Feeder Canal crosses.

Construction of the old Champlain Canal began in 1817 and open to boat traffic in 1822. It provided access from Lake Champlain in Whitehall to Fort Edward , on the Hudson River , completing an inland route from the St. Lawrence River to New York City . The first Feeder Canal was dug in 1822 in Fort Edward to direct water from the Hudson River to the Champlain Canal . A flood destroyed part of the dam across the Hudson , so in 1824, a new dam was built in Glens Falls and a new Feeder Canal was begun. In 1832, the Feeder Canal was improved and 13 Locks were constructed. The present-day Champlain Barge Canal replaced the old canal in the early 1900's and runs for 60 miles between Waterford and Whitehall . For more information visit; FEEDER CANAL .

Starting from Fort Edwards ; The trail begins across the road from McIntyre Park next to a brown sign for the old Champlain Canal Towpath and runs through a meadow, crossing over a pond. You cross a road and travel alongside remnants of the old canal to your left. This part of the canal is very overgrown and the trail a bit rough. After ¾ miles a short on-road section along a back road takes you less then a ¼ mile to a nice wide, smooth, stone dust trail. You come to the start of the Feeder Canal after 1 ¾ miles.

Note; The Champlain Canal continues north and is more distinct with the added water from the Feeder Canal . You'll pass by an old stone bridge abutment just past 2 miles and encounter a change in the trail surface to hard packed dirt close to 2 ½ miles. The trail ends after 2 ¾ miles next to an old footbridge across the canal spillway. If you take a short side trip down a path next to a field, it will bring you to an active rail line. Here the tracks cross over the canal and if you look due east you can see where the canal meets up with the new Champlain Canal .

Back at the start of the Feeder Canal , you cross over the bridge to Lock #1. A picnic table is located here. You then pass by the overgrown Locks 2 & 3. Between Lock 3 and the next Lock 4, at a ¼ mile, look to your right for a long log next to the trail. In the middle of the log is a two-trunked tree. This is 9 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) back from a wooden mile marker sign with a 7 on it. Go to the backside of the log, next to the tree and under some bark (There was a rock on top at one point, if you find one please place it on top) is the Feeder Canal Letterbox. Continuing along the trail you pass by Lock 4 and come to a reclaimed landfill on your right near the unseen Lock 5. This begins the only hill climb on the trail. You pass by the descending Locks that form the Five Combines, Locks 6-10. At the top you reach the Feeder Canal Park and a parking lot at 0.6 miles. Historical signs here. Cross the road to Lock 11 where the sluiceway begins. This brings extra water down along the canal via its own channel. Pass by Lock 12, then Lock 13 at 1.1 mile. Cross over Maple Street for a short paved section that doubles as a road for driveway access. The trail returns to stone dust at 1 ½ miles. You then cross over Martindale Ave. where the trail continues on the opposite side of the canal next to a linear park and parking lot. At 2 ¼ miles, the canals sides become concrete. You come to a busy road crossing across Route 254 at 3 ¼ miles. No cross light. You pass under the first of 3 bridges at 3 ¾ miles. The second bridge is a railway bridge and the third is a footpath over the canal. The Glens Falls Portland Cement plant will be to your left. The trail ends at 4 ¼ miles. At one time there were 83 lime kilns along the canal and if you look left you can see some of the stone work ruins.

Note; From here you can access the western end of the Feeder Canal via an on-road detour, as well the Warren County Bikeway. See; Warren County Bikeway Letterbox. Turn right and head up Shermantown Road . Turn left on Warren Street .

Note; Across the street after ¼ mile will be Platt Street . That will take you to the Warren County Bikeway.

Continuing straight down Warren Street you pass an historic armory, now used by the National Guard. You'll come to Glen Street (Route 9) after a mile, turn left here. You cross over the canal at 1 ¼ miles. The Feeder Canal Trail picks up again across the street.

Note; From here you can also get to the South Glens Falls Bike Trail less then ½ a mile away. To do this cross over the Glens Falls Bridge into South Glens Falls . Notice at the bottom of the falls in the Hudson River the rock formation known as Cooper's Cave, a site made famous in James Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans. Cross the road and look for a sign that reads South Glens Falls Historical Park. Turn right down this road. This brings you to the park and a gazebo. The South Glens Falls Bike Trail starts at the top of the parking lot. The trail runs alongside the Hudson River and brings you to South Glens Falls Beach after a mile. Very scenic and includes a viewing platform on the rivers bank.

Heading west along the remainder of the Feeder Canal you start out next to the Hudson River and Glens Falls . You'll pass by an old stone bridge abutment at 0.9 miles and come to the Bush Street Bridge just shy of 1 ½ miles. This road takes you to the Haviland's Cove Park, along the banks of the Hudson River . You come alongside the river again and the trail finally ends at the Feeder Dam and Lock 14 after 1.9 miles. Cross over the footbridge to the parking lot.

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LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

APRIL 12, 2008

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