Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway
The Mohawk Towpath Byway is a series of local, county and state highways that follow the historic route of the Erie Canal between Schenectady and Waterford/Cohoes in upstate New York. As one travels the Byway you unlock the story of the Mohawk River, Erie Canal, the waterway west and the part our communities played in the westward expansion of the country and the Industrial Revolution.
Travel Conditions: Good
What to experience…
- Check out the flow over Cohoes Falls from upland snow melt;
- The Flight of Locks is now closed to navigation, but this is a great time to explore the engineering that makes the locks work;
- The Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve and recent wildlife tracks in the softening earth; and
- Study the landforms. Look for depressions where there might have been former cellar holes, wells, stone walls or other historical manmade or animal made features.
Byway Tours
There are stops along the Mohawk Towpath Byway where you will discover our local communities and the role they played in the westward expansion of the country and in the Industrial Revolution. The communities include the villages, hamlets and neighborhoods within the Cities of Cohoes and Schenectady, and the Towns of Clifton Park, Colonie, Glenville, Halfmoon, Niskayuna, and Waterford.
“A short Byway with a long history”
– Brad Cownover, Scenic America
