OLD CHAMPLAIN CANAL TRAIL LETTERBOX:
WATERFORD, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: June 29, 2005
Length: Old Champlain Canal Trail; 2.6 miles
Letterbox; drive-by
Difficulty: Easy. Flat, hard packed dirt and stone dust trail.
Directions:
Take I-787 north to Route 787 north to Route 32 (Saratoga Ave.) across the Mohawk River into Waterford. Look to your right for a round Canalway Trail sign just past a retail plaza. Turn right here down Fulton Street. Cross an iron bridge over the canal and turn right along the dirt road. This will take you to a dirt parking lot next to the cement dam across the Mohawk River and the beginning of the Champlain Canal on your right. There is also parking located on your left after crossing over the iron bridge.
The trail follows the tow path of the early 19th century Champlain Canal. The original 25-foot-wide Champlain Canal flowed from Waterford to Lake George and on into Lake Champlain. For more information visit; OLD CHAMPLAIN CANAL TRAIL . You can ride another section of the old Champlain Canal in the town of Halfmoon. See; Halfmoon; Old Champlain Canal Trail .
In front of you lies a dam
across the
Mohawk River. To the left are some rocky falls on the river and
Goat Island
beyond them. To your right is the old
Champlain
Canal. Look for the old canal lock with the wooden bridge crossing over it. The Canal
Trail starts here, but first, cross over the bridge on foot. Right will take
you up some stairs to an Historical Society Museum, but you go left along
the canal for 22 paces (2 steps = 1 pace). This will take you to the end of a
cement block along the canal. At the end of this cement block, take a step down
towards the water and look to your left under the cements lip. Here you will
spot 2 bricks next to each other. Behind these bricks lies the Old Champlain
Canal Trail Letterbox. As you can see, the canal ends at the cement dam,
although I believe it used to continue further before the dam was built.
Starting from the old
lock; The trail follows the canal
northwards along its east bank, passing by the iron bridge you previously
crossed over. This hard packed dirt and stone dust trail can be narrow at times
as it travels through well shaded woodland. At 0.4 miles, you pass below an old
abandoned bridge over the canal. After a couple of small road crossings you come
to where the Champlain Canal crosses the
Erie Canal
at 1.1 miles. There is no bridge over the
Erie Canal
to where the Champlain Canal continues, so you must turn right
for a very scenic detour. This brings you to Lock 2, a working
lock on the
Erie Canal. If you’re lucky, you can watch the lock in action as it raises or lowers a
boat in the lock. Continue on by taking the dirt path to the right of the lock
down to South Street, where you may cross over to a sidewalk. This will then take you over the canal
via the 4th Street
Bridge. Some great views from the bridge of the locks massive gates as well as
views down stream of the Waterford Visitors Center and the old railroad
bridge over to Peebles Island State Park. Head down the winding, narrow
path to the brick lined Canal Walkway at 1.3 miles.
Note;
The trail continues right, but first I would suggest a quick detour to your left
to visit the Waterford Canal Harbor Visitors Center. (Note;
You can also take a detour from the Visitors Center to check out the old Waterford
Train Station or to access the Uncle Sam Trail on the other side of the Hudson River in
Troy. See; Uncle
Sam Trail Letterbox for directions.) There is a map board
here, restrooms and info center on the lower level. You can get a Mohawk-Hudson
Trail map here that also includes the Champlain Canal Trail. A small
museum is located in the upper section, which you can access by going around the
Center. The Erie Canal
runs into the
Mohawk River
here and it's only a tenth of a mile down the walkway to where the Mohawk
runs into the
Hudson River. Great views.
Note;
Another nice diversion from here is to go up and over the old railroad bridge
that crosses over the Waterford Canal Harbor to Peebles Island State
Park. This 1913 railroad bridge now has one lane for cars and one pedestrian
lane. After crossing over this bridge, there are walking trails that start on
your right and a pavilion over looking the
Hudson River
on your left. Just ahead to the right is the Peebles Island State Park
Visitors Center. See; PEEBLES
ISLAND STATE PARK .This is only a ¼ mile from the Waterford
Visitors Center.
Starting back where you first entered the Canal Walkway after crossing over the 4th Street Bridge, head up along the Erie Canal. This will bring you to the Waterford Sidecut, these were locks that were built to bypass the crowded urban ports along the main canal. Two small bridges cross over this sidecut to Lock 2. There are interpretive sign boards here as well. A parking lot is located at the top of the sidecut, where the old Champlain Canal picks up again. Follow the canal right along 5th Street, where you then cross over a busy road as the trail heads back into the woods. At 1.7 miles, you'll pass an interpretive sign describing the former weigh station that used to be located here on the canal. That's why the canal briefly splits ahead. The trail passes below a railroad bridge and soon a large marsh appears on your right. The canal starts to choke up with vegetation at 2.4 miles and currently ends at 2.6 miles at an old lock. There is another interpretive sign here. This is the end of the stone dust trail as well, although it continues north along a rough dirt trail where the canal disappears at what appears to be an old trash mound.
HH
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
OCTOBER 11, 2009
TO EMAIL A VERIFICATION
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING