Cayuga-Seneca Canal
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CAYUGA-SENECA CANAL The Cayuga-Seneca Canal is the gateway to the Finger Lakes, connecting the Erie Canal MONTEZUMA NATIONAL at Montezuma to 92 miles of canalized rivers WILDLIFE REFUGE and lakes, including the Seneca River and Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. The region US 20 includes Seneca Falls, celebrated as the Seneca Falls NY 13148 birthplace of the women’s rights movement, (315) 568-5987 Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, and the fws.gov/refuge/montezuma/ Finger Lakes Region, renowned for its natural The lower 5.5 miles of the Cayuga- beauty, elegant architecture, wine country, Seneca Canal run along the edge of and world-class cultural and recreational Montezuma NWR, from the Erie Canal attractions. to the NY 89 bridge. This 9,800-acre The canal follows the Seneca River wetland complex is a premier waterfowl upstream from the Erie Canal to the outlets watching site. Warbler and songbird of Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake. This guide migration peaks in mid-May. Mid- includes sites on the canal but not the lakes, September to mid-November is peak which are each about 38 miles long. viewing of up to 50,000 Canada geese and 150,000 ducks. Watch for great blue herons, ospreys, eagles, and swallows all summer long. FOR MORE INFORMATION: More information about things to do in the Cayuga-Seneca Canal area is available from visitfingerlakes.com and fingerlakes.org. For excellent information about the Finger Lakes region, check IlovetheFingerLakes.com. 206 NEW YORK STATE CANALWAY WATER TRAIL GUIDEBOOK | eriecanalway.org Cayuga-Seneca Canal–Montezuma CS Mile 0.01 43.002883 -76.731922 CS Mile 2.97 42.962970 -76.737948 Kipp Island Bridge S1, Freebridge (US 20 and NY 5) This triangular island marks the junction of the Erie Canal and the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. CS Mile 3.03, west side 42.962040 -76.738740 PADDLING NOTE: As you enter the Cayuga- Montezuma Boat Ramp Seneca Canal, you are paddling through the US 20, opposite Montezuma NWR entrance Montezuma NWR. The extensive marshlands Tyre, NY 13148 and Lake Montezuma are visible on the west side. FACILITIES: Portable toilet. Concrete ramp; The western end of the Seneca River seasonal floating dock. Parking for 10 cars. Crossing Canals Historic District begins here; Distance from parking about 20 yards. the eastern end is in the Town of Montezuma. Overnight parking allowed; 24-hour limit. The district includes the Enlarged Erie Canal DEC fishing access site. prism (dating 1849-1857) and remnants of the original Erie Canal. The district was listed on CS Mile 4.00 42.956551 -76.737731 the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Just before Lock CS1, the river divides into two channels. Stay to the east to reach the lock. The western channel ends with a dam. CS Mile 0.54 42.997946 -76.730918 Bridge S1A, New York State Thruway (I-90) CS Mile 4.04 42.947979 -76.734389 CS Mile 2.53, west side 42.970228 -76.737120 Lock CS1, Cayuga 6869 River Road Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Cayuga, NY 13034 Dock (315) 253-7523 Tyre, NY 13148 LIFT: 7.5 feet. FACILITIES: The Seneca Trail leads from floating dock to outdoor exhibits, wildlife FACILITIES: Tie up at the east wall on the observation tower, restrooms, and refuge south side of the lock or use the boat ramp at visitor center. Follow it to the north and then the southern end of the wall on the east side. west to reach wildlife viewing areas, including Overnight parking is permitted. an observation tower (0.2 miles) overlooking PADDLING NOTE: Turbulence from the dam the Main Pool of Lake Montezuma. Continue enters the canal below the lock on the west on the trail to reach restrooms (0.3 miles) and side. The area outside the channel is shallow the visitor center and Lodge Nature Store and vegetated. Exercise caution. (0.4 miles). To enter Cayuga Lake, continue straight The refuge loop road is open to one-way ahead from the southern end of the lock. To vehicle traffic during daylight hours. Pedestrian enter the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, turn to the and bicycle access is prohibited during west. The large red and green buoy about certain times of the year to avoid disturbing 600 yards from the southern end of the lock is nesting wildlife. a good reference point for finding the canal. Pass it to starboard (right) to enter the canal; eriecanalway.org | NEW YORK STATE CANALWAY WATER TRAIL GUIDEBOOK 207 Cayuga-Seneca Canal–Cayuga pass it to port (left) to enter the lake channel. CS Mile 4.45, east side 42.942119 -76.733103 Look for buoys R54 and R56 to be sure Cayuga Marina Outfitters you’re in the canal; look for buoys G33 and 6721 River Road (NY 90) R34 to be sure you’re in the lake. Cayuga, NY 13034 This lock is popularly known as Mud Lock (315) 252-5754 because it was built on the soft soil of the cayugamarinaoutfitters.com Montezuma marsh. FACILITIES: Electric, water, restrooms, showers. Boat launch. Private marina with RV camping. Fee for 42.896088 -76.753365 parking and day use of boat ramp. Cayuga Lake State Park 2678 Lower Lake Road CS Mile 4.63, east side 42.939443 -76.732740 Seneca Falls, NY 13148 (315) 568-5163 Lockview Marina parks.ny.gov 6655 River Road (NY 90) Cayuga, NY 1303 Cayuga Lake State Park is about two (315) 255-2936 miles south of the breakwater on the lockviewmarina.com west shore. It has a boat ramp, swim- ming beach, showers, picnic pavilions, FACILITIES: Electric, water, restrooms, rental cabins with lake views, and a showers. campground. Private marina. CS Mile 4.63 42.942549 -76.738822 CS Mile 4.16, east side 42.946370 -76.733681 Enter the Seneca River/Cayuga-Seneca Canal. Look for buoys R54 and R56 to be Lock CS1/Mud Lock Boat Ramp sure you’re in the channel. For the next mile, Aurelius, NY 13021 the canal takes you through the wetlands of FACILITIES: Portable toilet, no camping. the Cayuga Lake State Wildlife Management Ramp. Parking for five cars. Distance from Area. Combined Locks CS2 and CS3 are four parking about 20 yards. Overnight parking miles upstream. allowed; call (315) 253-7523 for more information. CS Mile 5.70 42.939117 -76.760809 DEC fishing access site. Bridge S3 (NY 89) CS Mile 4.17 42.944759 -76.734329 CS Mile 5.99 42.937290 -76.765378 Soon after the Mud Lock Boat Ramp, the Bridge S4, Finger Lakes Railway (FGLK) channel widens into a large triangular area. The FGLK is a short-line freight railroad with To enter Cayuga Lake/Cayuga-Seneca Canal, 167 miles of track serving six counties in the continue south; to continue on the Seneca Finger Lakes region. River, bear west. 208 NEW YORK STATE CANALWAY WATER TRAIL GUIDEBOOK | eriecanalway.org Cayuga-Seneca Canal–Cayuga Oak Orchard Marina 90 ERIE and Campground Montezuma .-, E Mile 203.67 Lock E25, Mays Point Montezuma E Mile 203.11 Heritage Park Movable Dam ml89 Montezuma Anchorage Paddle CampMC CANAL E25 E Mile 200.00 AY LD UW NA THR DO Richmond Aqueduct RD E Mile 200.82 STATE YORK Kipp Island—Junction with F U L NEW Cayuga-Seneca Canal L E E Mile 201.38 R .-,90 Montezuma 90 ml L National A R A Wildlife Refuge W A Y R D Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Dock CS Mile 2.53, west side R Montezuma D 89 Boat Ramp ml CS Mile 3.03 5 L ml A 20 RD N 0/ RD A KE RNPI TU C Lock CS1, Cayuga 318 Taintor Gate Dam CS Mile 4.04 ml CS1 N R U Lock CS1/Mud Lock Boat Ramp B U CS Mile 4.16 A ECA SEN Cayuga Marina Outfitters D e CS Mile 4.45 - m o 5 n ml 5 20 ml t 0/ C 90 Lockview Marina re ml T 20 e k S CS Mile 4.63 0/ A G T C U Y A Seneca C ST RD Falls WEST GENESEE ml89 Cayuga CS2 Cayuga Lake Breakwater CS3 Locks CS2-CS3, Seneca Falls CS Mile 5.96 CS Mile 8.01 Cayuga D R D E Lake R Seneca Falls Hydroelectric K A E L P Plant (1916 FERC P-2438) R R O E H W 0 1 Miles T O L Cayuga Lake State Park ml90 0 1 Kilometers eriecanalway.org | NEW YORK STATE CANALWAY WATER TRAIL GUIDEBOOK 209 Cayuga-Seneca Canal SENECA FALLS Carl Crumley Trinity Episcopal Church, Seneca Falls The historic village of Seneca Falls is a good July 19 and 20, 1848 the first Convention on example of how canals brought cross-currents Women’s Rights was held at the Wesleyan of industry and social change together in Chapel on Fall Street in Seneca Falls. Orga- the 19th century. Seneca Falls was a major nized by Jane Hunt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, industrial center, with factories that made Mary Ann M’Clintock and others, it was the pumps and fire engines, textiles, and a wide birth of the Women’s Rights Movement. range of iron products. The elegant houses of Today the Elizabeth Cady Stanton House, the Seneca Falls reflect the prosperity generated Wesleyan Chapel, and other sites are part of by manufacturing and canal transportation. the Women’s Rights National Historic Park. Seneca Falls was also a center for social Seneca Falls hosts Women’s Rights reform. The Abolitionist movement and the Convention Days in July and a three-day Underground Railroad were strong forces; so Locktoberfest in October.