Your 2026 Summer Cycling Calendar: 3 Empire State Trail Events to Ride This Year

The Empire State Trail, the 750-mile network that runs from Buffalo to New York City along canal towpaths, greenways, and public roads, has a busy summer ahead. Three multi-day events are happening between now and the end of August, and any one of them is a good excuse to plan a cycling trip through Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.

Here’s what’s on the calendar.

1. Cycle the Erie Canal: July 11-19, 2026

Run by Parks & Trails New York, Cycle the Erie Canal is the longest-running supported bike tour in the state, now in its 28th year. Riders cover roughly 400 miles from Buffalo to Albany over 8 days, averaging about 50 miles a day along the historic Erie Canalway Trail. About 85% of the ride is on off-road trail; the rest is on public roadways with good shoulders.

It’s fully supported: gear transport, rest stops, on-route mechanics, group meals, and overnight camping are all coordinated. Most riders camp at school grounds along the route, but many book private rooms for at least a few of the eight nights, especially through the middle stretch of the tour.

The Mohawk Valley day is Friday, July 17. That day’s leg runs from Rome to Canajoharie and passes right through our area, with on-route stops in Utica, Little Falls (and the glacial potholes of Moss Island), and a tour of Revolutionary War General Nicholas Herkimer’s home. If you want a private room with a real bed and a hot breakfast for that night instead of a camping mat in Canajoharie, Grand Colonial in Herkimer is a short drive from the route.

Information and registration is at ptny.org/events/cycle-the-erie-canal.

2. Cycle the Hudson Valley: August 3-8, 2026

Also run by Parks & Trails New York, Cycle the Hudson Valley is a 5-day supported ride covering 200 miles down the Hudson River corridor on the southern half of the Empire State Trail. Daily distances are 40 to 55 miles. Beautiful scenery, smaller field than the Erie tour, and a different rhythm: more rolling hills, more historic river towns, more river views.

This one stays south of the Mohawk Valley, so it’s less directly relevant for lodging in our area, but it’s worth knowing about if you’re a cyclist planning your summer or thinking about a future ride.

Information and registration is at ptny.org/events/cycle-the-hudson-valley.

3. Beers, Bikes, & Barges Summer Series

A lower-effort, higher-leisure option: the Erie Canal Museum has partnered with cultural sites and breweries across the state to run a series of cycling days along the Erie Canal throughout the summer. Each stop pairs a short canal ride with a brewery, a museum, or both. You can do one, a few, or build a slow multi-day loop visiting several.

Shorter rides, lots of stops, focus on local food and craft beer. Good for couples or small groups who want the trail experience without the multi-day commitment.

Information is at eriecanalmuseum.org.

Where the Mohawk Valley fits

The Erie Canal section of the Empire State Trail runs along the south side of the Mohawk River through Mohawk, Ilion, Frankfort, and on toward Utica. If you’re riding the Cycle the Erie Canal tour, the route comes through our area on Friday July 17, mid-week between the Syracuse and Albany overnight stops.

Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer is on the north side of the river, a short ride south to the closest formal trailhead at the MOVAC building in Mohawk. We host cyclists every summer doing exactly this trip: a supported tour during the day, a quiet historic home for a private room at night.

For a single-day or weekend ride that isn’t part of an organized tour, the Erie Canalway in our area is mostly flat, well-maintained, and easy to access from the Mohawk side of the river.

Why a B&B beats a hotel for a cycling trip

Hotel rooms after a long ride are functional. They’re rarely good. After 50 to 80 miles in the saddle, what makes the next morning easier is: a quiet room, a real bed, breakfast you don’t have to think about, and a host who can tell you what the weather looks like for tomorrow and which way to head.

That’s what we do here. Four en-suite guest rooms in a historic 1890s home. Full hot breakfast included, with the time arranged at check-in so you can be on the trail at whatever hour your day calls for. Off-street parking for your support vehicle. All four of our rooms are pet-friendly if your dog is along for the trip.

For groups riding together, our whole-house option puts the whole team under one roof.

Trail growth in context

A note for context: a new Parks & Trails New York study found that the full Empire State Trail network generates about $1.87 billion in annual economic activity and supports close to 10,000 jobs. That’s a quiet validation of what a lot of small upstate businesses, including ours, have been seeing for years. People are showing up to ride this trail in real numbers.

Plan your Empire State Trail stay

If you’re riding Cycle the Erie Canal or planning a self-supported trip, our Erie Canalway Trail lodging page has the practical details: distances east and west from us, what’s nearby, and the rooms.

For the broader Mohawk Valley trip-type overview, see Hotels in Herkimer NY.

Book your stay direct for the lowest rate plus the $10/night return-guest discount. Call us at (315) 982-5004 to ask about availability for Friday, July 17 during the Cycle the Erie Canal tour, or for any specific date during the summer.