NYS Canal Corporation

10/16/2026

Wander into Fall Migration! Inclusive Birding Hikes in Central NY 🍂🦅

Join the Montezuma Audubon Center for Inclusive Birding Hikes this fall. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. These walks are free and family friendly! 👀

Each outing takes place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and offers a chance to explore fall migration along the Erie Canal with guides who make birding accessible to all.

Upcoming dates:

✔️ Oct. 17 in Port Byron
✔️ Oct. 24 in Pittsford
✔️ Oct. 31 in Port Byron
✔️ Nov. 7 in Savannah

Experience On the Canals, a free program from the NYS Canal Corporation and New York Power Authority.

🔗 Learn more and register: https://onthecanals.com/central-new-york-activities/

10/14/2026

As the sun sets on the 2026 navigation season, we want to extend our gratitude to every boater, cyclist, paddler, lock enthusiast, waterfront visitor and canal‑side community that made this year extraordinary. 🛶

What a way to continue our third century… and our first season with Director Ben Walsh at the helm! We’re already excited for everything next navigation season will bring.

Have a favorite moment from this year? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to hear it. And check out a few of our own highlights. 📸

From Lock C-12 to Lock E-34/35 and all of them in between, thanks for making the journey with us. See you next spring.

Note: Some tour companies and commercial vessels may operate slightly beyond the public navigation season under special permits.

10/13/2026

Happening Next Month! Make Your Own Mini Canal Barge 🛶

Join 2026 Erie Canal Artist‑in‑Residence Z Behl for a hands‑on concrete casting workshop on Saturday, Nov. 14, 12–2 p.m.

Learn the basics of small‑scale concrete casting, then create your own 9" relief sculpture inspired by historic concrete barges. Pigment, gloves and dust masks are included. (Concrete sets in 48 hours, so pick yours back up after the workshop.)

The workshop is open to adults and offered through our collaboration with the Erie Canal Museum.

Registration required & limited to 15 participants: https://eriecanalmuseum.org/events/

Questions? Call 315‑471‑0593 or email [email protected]

10/12/2026

Fall Fun for Families! Join Adventures with Alyssa Rose for Erie Canal Explorers Guided Family Hikes this October 🍂 🥾

These gentle outings are designed for kids and families who love discovering nature and history along the canal. Families are welcome and registration is free.

Upcoming dates:

✅ Tuesday, Oct. 13 at Enlarged Erie Canal Lock 60
✅ Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Swift’s Landing Park

Wear comfortable shoes or hiking boots and bring a water bottle. The program runs rain or shine (there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong gear, right!?). Hikes will only be canceled for unsafe winds or thunderstorms.

Experience On the Canals, a free program from the NYS Canal Corporation and New York Power Authority.

🔗https://onthecanals.com/western-new-york-activities/

10/12/2026

We are proud to share that the NYS Canal Corporation has been selected to participate in the New York State Council on the Arts Fellowship! 🎨

This is our first year involved, and it offers a meaningful new way to showcase Canal Craft and the ingenuity that defines our system.

The Fellow will spend a year exploring the craftsmanship behind canal operations, the traditions of canal towns and the people who keep the waterways moving.

Help spread the word:

📆 Applications are open until Wednesday, Oct. 21
🔗 Details are available at https://arts.ny.gov/SOAfellow

10/11/2026

🎬 From the Erie Canalway Trail to the big screen!

After recently completing an incredible journey along the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail in his power chair, Ian and his team have another milestone to celebrate!

Today, Good Moment, a documentary sharing their inspiring story, makes its world premiere at the SOHO International Film Festival in New York City! 🎥

Ian’s Ride is about so much more than miles traveled. It’s about breaking barriers, creating connections and showing what’s possible when recreation is accessible and inclusive for all — a mission we proudly share here at the NYS Canal Corporation.

We were honored to cheer Ian and his team on along the Erie Canal, and now we’re cheering them on all the way to NYC!

🗽 NYC friends: Looking for something meaningful to do this afternoon? Catch the premiere at 2 p.m.

Learn more and watch the trailer:
https://www.goodmomentfilm.com

Congratulations, Ian and team! 💙

🎬 THIS SUNDAY!

We are a few days away from the world premier of our documentary, Good Moment. A lot of work, love and time has gone in to this beautiful film.

It will be premiering in New York City at the SOHO International Film Festival NYC (SohoFilmFest) on October 11 at 2:00PM.

⭐If you or anyone you know will be in NYC on that day, please check it out or encourage others to go and experience our story. You will not be disappointed. We want to fill p that theater so any help you can offer is much appreciated.

Trailer, teaser and more information can be found here: https://www.goodmomentfilm.com

10/09/2026

A big move on the Erie Canal this week! ⚓

A 200,000 lb. condenser built in Batavia traveled to Albion by road before crews lifted it onto a barge for a smooth trip east along the canal and down the Hudson to Quonset Point, RI, headed to America's Navy.

It is the third Navy‑bound condenser to ship by canal after moves in 2022 and 2023, and once again it showed why the canal remains one of the most reliable and sustainable routes for oversized freight in the region.

Commercial shipments like this keep heavy trucks off local roads and support jobs in canal communities while giving manufacturers an efficient and cost‑effective way to move large equipment.

The canal system continues to play a behind‑the‑scenes role in New York’s economy and we are proud to help carry cargo that keeps industry moving.

10/05/2026

Happening Tomorrow! Take an Autumn Walk to the Meeting of the Waters 🍂🍁⛵

Join naturalist educator Arianna Alexsandra Collins of the Hoosic River Watershed Association tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. for The Nature of the Confluence, a guided walk to the point where the Hoosic and Hudson Rivers meet. Learn about the beings that live in the water and along the shore as you explore this unique riverine ecosystem.

The trail is rocky and narrow in spots but opens to a beautiful full view of the confluence. Touch the meeting of the waters.

Families are welcome and (free!) registration is required. A caravan option is available for travelers from Vermont and Massachusetts.

Experience On the Canals, a free program from the NYS Canal Corporation and New York Power Authority.

🔗 Register for free: https://hoorwa.org/event/the-nature-of-the-confluence-2/ https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/hoorwa.org/event/the-nature-of-the-confluence-2/__;!!MQuuhw!2Qxdule0uA1O6pDuGYqwyUqTtIK_SyRzft7UygZv_DLWBELux8oZ40_GM3plGWZsVqLbR8zOF-0VKYg5Y6SLdPU$

10/05/2026

Fall colors are coming in across New York State, and some of the best views are right near our facilities.

Here's where to catch the season near us:

🍂 Catskills: Our Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center (now closed for renovation, but our next door neighbor Mine Kill State Park is open!) in Schoharie County sits among the hills of the northern Catskills, a scenic stop for a fall drive.

🍂 Central New York: The NYS Canal Corporation System winds through some of the region's prettiest countryside. The canalway trails are a great place to walk, bike or paddle while the leaves turn.

🍂 Adirondacks region: The Champlain Canal runs along the eastern edge of the Adirondacks, with water views framed by fall color.

🍂 Coming soon: As the season moves west and north, keep an eye on Niagara Power Vista in Lewiston and our St. Lawrence-FDR Visitors Center in Massena.

I LOVE NEW YORK volunteers update the report every Wednesday afternoon, so check back to plan your weekend around peak color. Share your fall photos with us! 📸

Check out the latest updates here: https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/fall/foliage-report/

10/02/2026

Happening Tomorrow! Make Your Own Mini Canal Barge🛠️🛶

Join 2026 Erie Canal Artist‑in‑Residence Z Behl and collaborator Kim Moloney for a hands‑on concrete casting workshop on Saturday, Oct. 3, 1–3 p.m.

Learn the basics of small‑scale concrete casting, then create your own 9" relief sculpture inspired by historic concrete barges. Pigment, gloves and dust masks are included. (Concrete sets in 48 hours, so pick yours back up beginning Oct. 7.)

The workshop is open to adults and offered through our collaboration with the Erie Canal Museum.

🎟️ Registration required & limited to 20 participants: https://www.simpletix.com/e/skill-share-workshops-tickets-254314

Questions? Call 315‑471‑0593 or email [email protected]