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New York | Monroe and Orleans Counties / Western New York

Erie Canal

Harvester Park, Brockport to Holley Canal Park and return

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 9.16 Canalway miles round trip from Harvester Park to Holley Canal Park
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 3–5 hours depending on current
ShuttleCar shuttle
Erie Barge Canal near the USGS Rochester station, used as same-canal context for the Brockport to Holley route.
Route photoBrockport to Holley Erie Canal route contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

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Route overview

Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 9.16 Canalway miles round trip from Harvester Park to Holley Canal ParkHarvester Park, Brockport to Holley Canal Park and return
DifficultyeasyThe Canalway day-trip description characterizes the canal current as mild and the trip as recreational, but lift bridges, Guard Gate 13, wakes, vertical walls, cold water, limited exits, and changing municipal access still require basic moving-water judgment.
ShuttleCar shuttleNo conventional shuttle is needed for the official round trip. Turn around at Holley Canal Park and plan the return with the canal’s mild eastward current; retain a vehicle-based retreat if weather, access, or energy changes.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified for the day trip. Confirm current Canal Corporation navigation notices, Brockport and Holley park/dock/camping rules, parking, seasonal closures, and any village permit requirements before departure.
CampingOptions nearbyHolley Canal Park’s guidebook listing identifies camping on the south side, while village rules and seasonal availability control whether an overnight stay is allowed. Treat this as endpoint-campground context only: confirm current reservation/permit rules, facilities, and arrival procedures before relying on it.
SeasonMay-OctThe Canalway route is seasonal and affected by canal levels, mild current, lift-bridge/guard-gate operations, storms, weeds, wakes, and changing launch conditions. Check navigation notices, the proxy gauge, and the actual public docks before launch.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A 9.16-mile round-trip Erie Canal Water Trail paddle from the public accessible launch at Harvester Park in Brockport to Holley Canal Park and back. The Canalway day-trip inventory describes mild current and a picnic destination; the guidebook and NYSDEC identify the Brockport low-wall launch, Holley floating dock/kayak launch, park amenities, overnight camping context, and the Holley lift bridge/guard-gate sequence. This remains planning-only because the same-canal gauge is a Rochester proxy and current canal operations and access control the trip.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Brockport Welcome Center / Harvester Park
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The stored coordinates follow Canalway guide and NYSDEC public access-area anchors; dock, wall, parking, gate, and park conditions remain subject to current local operation.

Finish

Take-out

Holley Canal Park floating dock and kayak launch
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Holley camping and docking are controlled by village rules and may require permission or a permit, especially for stays beyond the posted limit. Do not infer camping from the presence of a dock.

Plan this segment

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The stored coordinates follow Canalway guide and NYSDEC public access-area anchors; dock, wall, parking, gate, and park conditions remain subject to current local operation.
  • Holley camping and docking are controlled by village rules and may require permission or a permit, especially for stays beyond the posted limit. Do not infer camping from the presence of a dock.
  • The route is an out-and-back ending at Holley Canal Park; continuing east or west into another Erie Canal segment requires a separate access and hazard review.
  • The Rochester proxy gauge does not measure this canal pool directly. Pair telemetry with visual water level, current, weeds, debris, traffic, and bridge operations.

Watch for

  • USGS 04218700 unavailable, rapidly changing, or inconsistent with the local Erie Canal pool
  • Lift bridges, Guard Gate 13, wakes, motorized traffic, cold water, weeds/debris, vertical walls, private banks, and limited exits
  • Harvester Park, Brockport Welcome Center, Holley Canal Park, village camping/docking permits, parking, seasonal gates, and current navigation notices

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

Erie Barge Canal near the USGS Rochester station, used as same-canal context for the Brockport to Holley route.
Brockport to Holley Erie Canal route contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS station photograph; same-canal proxy context

Score & sources

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteErie (Barge) Canal west of Genesee River at Rochester, NY
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
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WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNo numeric go/no-go threshold published for the Brockport to Holley trip; use USGS 04218700 as same-canal proxy context plus local visual inspection
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named Canalway day tripHarvester Park to Holley Canal Park and return; 9.16 miles; zero locks

    The official Erie Canalway day-trip page publishes the endpoints, mileage, lock count, and mild-current description.

    Source

  • Public endpoint coordinatesHarvester Park 43.216012, -77.936964; Holley Canal Park 43.228046, -78.021456

    NYSDEC and the Canalway guide identify the public launch/dock areas, facilities, and parking context.

    Source

  • Camping and park rulesHolley Canal Park camping context on the south side; current village rules control

    The guidebook identifies camping and facilities, while current village rules govern park, docking, and overnight use.

    Source

  • Proxy live gaugeUSGS 04218700 Erie Barge Canal west of Genesee River at Rochester

    USGS provides same-canal stage/discharge context, not a direct measurement of the Brockport-Holley pool.

    Source

  • Route imageUSGS Erie Canal proxy station image used as clearly labeled same-canal context

    The presentation image is proxy context and does not claim to depict the Brockport-Holley reach.

    Source

  • Same-river proxy gaugeUSGS 04218700, Erie (Barge) Canal west of Genesee River at Rochester, NY

    USGS 04218700 measures the Erie Barge Canal west of the Genesee River at Rochester and is used as a same-canal proxy for this western reach. Canal pool level, local obstructions, wind, wakes, bridge/guard-gate operations, and launch condition can differ materially.

    Source

  • Safety and river conditionsCheck live gauge, recent rainfall, trend, debris, bridges, and access conditions before launch

    Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Western Erie Water Trail and its linked safety material warn that conditions change rapidly and require local inspection.

    Source

  • Image decisionApproved watershed/proxy-gauge context image used for route presentation

    The image is clearly labeled as watershed/proxy-gauge context and does not claim to depict this exact reach.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

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New York route guideBrowse every tracked New York route.Monroe and Orleans Counties / Western New YorkJump to routes in this region.

More on Erie Canal

All 31
Above Lock E25, Mays Point to Montezuma Heritage Park and Richmond AqueductSeneca and Cayuga Counties / Montezuma National Wildlife RefugeModerate · 4.6 Canalway miles round trip from above Lock E25 at Mays Point to Montezuma Heritage ParkAlbion Boat Launch to San Souci Canal Park, Town of MurrayOrleans County / Western New YorkModerate · About 11.9 one-way Canalway miles from Albion Boat Launch to San Souci Canal ParkAlcathy’s Boat Launch through the Waterford Flight to Waterford Point Boat RampSaratoga and Rensselaer Counties / Capital RegionModerate · 2.74 one-way Canalway miles from Alcathy’s Boat Launch to Waterford Point Boat RampAmsterdam to Rotterdam JunctionMontgomery and Schenectady Counties / Amsterdam, Town of Florida, and Rotterdam JunctionHard · About 9.3 official Canalway miles one way from Amsterdam Riverlink Park to Lock E9, Rotterdam Junction upper approach

Nearby routes by distance

Black CreekChurchville Park to Black Creek Park · about 8 mi awayModerate · At least 10.8 straight-line miles between the named public endpoints; exact wetted-channel mileage is not reconciled in the current sourcesBraddock BayBraddock Bay Park hand launch through Braddock Bay marsh toward the Lake Ontario connection and same-launch return · about 13 mi awayModerate · Approximately 2.5 round-trip planning miles from the Braddock Bay hand launch through the protected bay/marsh toward the Lake Ontario connection and back; distance is a conservative mapped exploration estimate, not surveyed mileageOatka CreekNYSDEC Mumford launch to Canawaugus Park / Scottsville · about 16 mi awayModerate · About 8 river miles from the NYSDEC Mumford hand launch to Canawaugus Park in ScottsvilleGenesee RiverTurning Point Park to Port of Rochester Marina / Genesee River mouth · about 16 mi awayModerate · About 1.8 downstream Blueway miles from Turning Point Park to the Port of Rochester public ramp/dock

Quick answers

Erie Canal paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Erie Canal?

Paddle Today watches Erie (Barge) Canal west of Genesee River at Rochester, NY and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this Erie Canal route start and end?

This route starts at Brockport Welcome Center / Harvester Park and ends at Holley Canal Park floating dock and kayak launch, about About 9.16 Canalway miles round trip from Harvester Park to Holley Canal Park on the water.

Is this Erie Canal route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

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