BLACK RIVER FEEDER CANAL TRAIL:

BOONVILLE-FORESTPORT, NEW YORK

BLACK RIVER CANAL TRAIL:

BOONVILLE, NEW YORK

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Last Updated:       March 28, 2024

Length:                 Black River Feeder Canal Trail; 9.5 miles

                                Black River Canal Trail; 10 miles

Difficulty:             Black River Feeder Canal Trail; Western Section. Easy. Flat stone-dust towpath. Eastern Section; Moderate. Flat hard packed dirt & grass towpath.

                                Black River Canal Trail; Moderate. Flat hard packed dirt & grass towpath. Short section of crushed gravel in Boonville.

Directions:     

To Start from Erwin Park for the Black River Feeder Canal Trail in Boonville [Western End]; 

From Rome follow Route 46 north to Boonville. Turn right on Schuyler St to Route 12. Turn right, south and Erwin Park will be on your left next to Route 12. 

From Utica follow Route 12 north to Boonville. Erwin Park will be on your right next to Route 12.   

To Start from the Boonville Black River Canal Museum for the Black River Canal Trail in Boonville [Northern End]; 

From Rome follow Route 46 north to Boonville. Turn right on Schuyler St then right on Main St. Cross the RR tracks and the museum will be on your left, just before Route 12. 

From Utica follow Route 12 north to Boonville. Turn left on Main St. The museum is on your right before the RR tracks.   

To Start from the Route 46 parking area for the Black River Canal Trail [Southern End]; From Utica follow Route 12 north 17 miles. Look right for a parking area along the road with a sign reading "BREA X-Country ski trail", just before you reach Pixley Falls SP where you can also park.

The 77-mile long Black River Canal was an engineering marvel of the 19th century. Built between 1837 and 1855, the Black River Canal ran uphill, connecting the waters of the Erie Canal with those of the Black River. The Southern Section of the Overland Canal linked Rome and Boonville, a distance of  25 miles. Following the rugged Lansing Kill Gorge, this section of the canal rose 693 feet and required 70 Locks. The Northern Section of the Overland Canal connected Boonville and Lyons Falls, a distance of 10 miles. In addition to the Main Canal, a ten-mile, navigable Feeder Canal from the Black River at Forestport to Boonville was built to maintain water levels in both the Black River and Erie Canals and to provide an adequate supply of water for the mills north of Lyons Falls. The Feeder Canal descended 386 feet and required 39 Locks. A 200-foot dam was built at Forestport, allowing as much as 16,000 cubic feet of water to be channeled down the Feeder Canal, with two-thirds of the water flowing South to the Erie Canal and one-third North to Lyons Falls. The Canal Walkway extends along the Black River Canal South from the Boonville Black River Canal Museum. This walkway, lined with early 20th century street lights, features an original bowstring cast-iron truss bridge patented in 1841 by Squire Whipple of Utica. Although the Whipple design became the standard for the entire New York canal system, this bridge is only one of a handful still in existence.  Boonville once had two bowstring bridges on the Black River Canal: one at Main St and one at East Schuyler St.  

The Black River Feeder Canal Trail [North of Route 12] follows the old towpath of the Black River Feeder Canal North from Boonville, then South to Forestport. The Black River Canal Trail [South of Route 12] travels South along the towpath of the Black River Canal for 10 miles through the beautiful Lansing Kill Gorge, terminating below Pixley Falls State Park at the Five Combines. The Black River Canal & Black River Feeder Canal meet at Route 12, however, North to Lyons Falls the Black River Canal has been covered over. However, 4 miles North up Route 12, you can find the old 4 Lock Combines off a Rest Area. Further North, in Port Leyden, you'll find another old Lock at Port Leyden Community Park, next to route 12. For more information visit; BLACK RIVER FEEDER CANAL TRAIL & BOONVILLE BLACK RIVER CANAL MUSEUM .

Black River Feeder Canal Trail:

Starting from Erwin Park [Western End]; From the parking lot travel through the 1796 covered bridge and turn right. This will bring you to the trailhead. No signs. The partially shaded, wide, stone-dust Black River Feeder Canal Trail travels North alongside the Black River Feeder Canal. Cross Sargent Rd at 0.7 miles and a steel bridge over a spillway a mile. Cross Moose River Rd at 1.4 miles where the trail becomes more isolated as it travels East. Cross Hayes Rd at 2.2 miles. I passed by some yellow Mile Markers that originate from Forestport every 0.5 miles. Cross Hawkinsville Rd in Hawkinsville at 3.3 miles. This was as far as I traveled. The hard packed dirt and grass trail continues South crossing Hayes Rd at 4.1 miles, Williams Rd at 4.7 miles, Millers Woods Rd at 5.1 miles and Edmonds Rd at around 6.2 miles. From here the trail appears to utilize the old dirt Canal Rd another 3.3 miles to Dutch Hill Rd in Forestport where it ends after 9.5 miles at Alder Pond. 

Note; If you head left, East, along Dutch Hill Rd, then right along Pond Ave (dirt road) you'll come to River Rd. Straight ahead is the 200 foot Forestport Reservoir Dam. Turn right and you'll come to the start of the Black River Feeder Canal where it emerges from the Forestport Reservoir (Black River) after 9.8 miles.

Black River Canal Trail:

Starting from the Boonville Black River Canal Museum [Northern End]; Be sure to check out the museum. Very impressive displays. It even has a full size mock-up of a canal barge. Head out the parking lot entrance to Main St. Turn left along the sidewalk to the Black River Canal and cross over Main St (Caution no crosswalk). This will bring you to the crushed gravel Canal Walkway section of the trail between the Canal and gas station. It follows alongside the Canal, crossing a steel bridge and bringing you to the Whipple Bridge. Informational signs here. Cross over the truss bridge and continue South alongside the Canal. The trail turns to grass as you come to a warming hut (BREIA parking lot) for cross-county skiing. A Map Board is located here. The grass lined Black River Canal Trail continues along the old tow path, passing by an old iron bridge over the Canal. Head past the steel gate where the trail becomes isolated. Travel underneath a RR bridge at 0.8 miles. This was as far as I traveled. The dirt & grass trail continues South, crossing Route 46 (Caution no crosswalk) twice. I believe the 2nd crossing of Route 46, near Holmes Rd, takes you past an old Lock. Just past here I believe you can check out Lansing and Bakers Falls, where the Lansing Kill connects to the Canal. The trail now travels South between Route 46 and Lansing Kill. You'll come to PIXLEY FALLS SP (Restrooms/picnic tables) at around 8 miles. MAP . Be sure to check out the falls. The trail briefly continues South, before turning West. After 9.1 miles from the park you'll pass by the Five Combines (Locks 39-43 in a row; unfortunately they are buried in overgrowth). The trail travels down hill as the Canal drops after each Lock. The Lansing Kill flows far below along your left. The Canal is void of water along this section. The trail then ends at the Route 46 parking area after 10 miles from the park. 

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