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New York | Wayne County / Finger Lakes–Erie Canal

Erie CanalWidewaters Canal Park / Newark to Lyons Southside Canal Park

A 7.2-mile one-way Erie Canal Water Trail section from Widewaters Canal Park near Newark through the Port of Newark and the Lock E28B/E28A working-canal corridor to Lyons Southside Canal Park and Lyons Dock. The official stewardship inventory identifies this as Section 12 with Port of Newark, Abbey Park, and Lyons access; the guidebook documents the Newark marina, lock and dry-dock activity, Abbey Park’s launch facilities, Lyons terminal docks, and the Taintor Gate Dam boundary. This remains planning-only because canal operations and local access are not represented by the 04218700 proxy gauge.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 7.2 official Canalway miles one way from Widewaters Canal Park to Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons Dock
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 4–6 hours depending on current
ShuttleCar shuttle
Erie Barge Canal west of the Genesee River at Rochester, New York, used as same-canal proxy context for the Newark to Lyons section.
Route photoNewark to Lyons Erie Canal route and same-canal proxy 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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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 7.2 official Canalway miles one way from Widewaters Canal Park to Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons DockWidewaters Canal Park / Newark to Lyons Southside Canal Park
DifficultymoderateThe route is protected canal flatwater but includes Lock E28B/E28A portage and clearance controls, an active Lyons Dry Dock with workboats and dredges, bridge and vertical-wall sections, wakes, limited legal egress, cold water, and a mandatory take-out before Lock E27/Taintor Gate Dam.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at confirmed Lyons Southside Canal Park or Lyons Dock, then drive to Widewaters Canal Park or Port of Newark. Allow extra time for lock portages, dry-dock workboats, Newark/Lyons events, park carries, and a conservative take-out before Lock E27.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is identified by the Canalway guide. Confirm current Canal Corporation lock/bridge procedures, municipal park and dock rules, marina permission, parking, dry-dock workboat controls, spillway exclusions, and Lyons access before departure.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed for this public-access reach. Widewaters explicitly prohibits camping, and Port of Newark provides marina amenities rather than an assumed campsite; use separately verified managed lodging or campground options and confirm permission directly.
SeasonMay-OctThis Newark-to-Lyons canal reach is seasonal and sensitive to canal levels, lock and dry-dock operations, bridge clearance, high recreational traffic, wakes, spillways, and changing park access. Check current Canal Corporation notices, the same-canal proxy gauge, and every access before departure.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A 7.2-mile one-way Erie Canal Water Trail section from Widewaters Canal Park near Newark through the Port of Newark and the Lock E28B/E28A working-canal corridor to Lyons Southside Canal Park and Lyons Dock. The official stewardship inventory identifies this as Section 12 with Port of Newark, Abbey Park, and Lyons access; the guidebook documents the Newark marina, lock and dry-dock activity, Abbey Park’s launch facilities, Lyons terminal docks, and the Taintor Gate Dam boundary. This remains planning-only because canal operations and local access are not represented by the 04218700 proxy gauge.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Widewaters Canal Park
Open mapDirections to put-in

The stored coordinates follow official Canalway guide and public access-area anchors; dock, ramp, wall, parking, carry, bridge, lock, dry-dock, and park conditions remain subject to current local operation.

Finish

Take-out

Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons Dock
Open mapDirections to take-out

Widewaters, Port of Newark, Abbey Park, and Lyons provide documented access contexts, but Lock E28B/E28A and the Lyons Dry Dock are working navigation controls. Confirm legal public water entry and a usable carry before relying on any intermediate point.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
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Access planner

Choose your launch and take-out

This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance7.2 miMixed access
On-water timeAbout 4–6 hours depending on currentFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Widewaters Canal Park to Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons Dock is about 7.2 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The stored coordinates follow official Canalway guide and public access-area anchors; dock, ramp, wall, parking, carry, bridge, lock, dry-dock, and park conditions remain subject to current local operation.
  • Widewaters, Port of Newark, Abbey Park, and Lyons provide documented access contexts, but Lock E28B/E28A and the Lyons Dry Dock are working navigation controls. Confirm legal public water entry and a usable carry before relying on any intermediate point.
  • Widewaters prohibits camping, swimming, and wading; Abbey Park prohibits swimming. Do not infer shoreline access or overnight rights from the route map or marina amenities.
  • The route ends at Lyons Southside Canal Park/Lyons Dock before Lock E27 and Taintor Gate Dam. Continuing east into the official Section 13 Lyons-to-Seneca County Line corridor requires a separate route and access review.

Watch for

  • USGS 04218700 unavailable, rapidly changing, or inconsistent with the local eastern Erie Canal pool
  • Lock E28B/E28A, Lyons Dry Dock, tugs, dredges, bridge clearances, wakes, working vessels, cold water, weeds/debris, Taintor Gate Dam, and private banks
  • Widewaters Canal Park, Port of Newark, Abbey Park, Lyons Southside Canal Park, Lyons Dock, parking, carries, event closures, no-swimming/no-camping rules, and current Canal Corporation notices

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

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Gauge

Recent trend

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Erie Barge Canal west of the Genesee River at Rochester, New York, used as same-canal proxy context for the Newark to Lyons section.
Newark to Lyons Erie Canal route and same-canal proxy contextPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
USGS station photograph; same-canal proxy context

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

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.

  • Distinct Canalway sectionNewark to Lyons; approximately 7.2 miles; official Section 12

    The official Erie Canalway stewardship inventory identifies the section, Widewaters/Newark start context, Lyons finish, and Port of Newark/Abbey/Lyons access chain.

    Source

  • Public water-entry chainWidewaters Canal Park, Port of Newark, Lock E28B/E28A controls, Abbey Park, and Lyons Southside Canal Park/Lyons Dock

    The official Rochester-to-Syracuse guidebook supplies access coordinates, facilities, lock/dry-dock activity, Lyons launch context, and downstream dam boundary.

    Source

  • Newark access and logisticsPort of Newark free marina with bulkhead, floating dock, services, showers, laundry, and free parking

    The guidebook documents the Port of Newark water-access and facility context; confirm current marina and event conditions.

    Source

  • Lyons access and safetyAbbey Park gravel ramp and Lyons Southside/Lyons Dock terminal access before Lock E27/Taintor Gate Dam

    The guidebook documents Lyons-area access, no-swimming rules, working dry-dock traffic, and the downstream boundary.

    Source

  • Navigation safetyLocks, dry-dock workboats, bridges, wakes, cold water, and mandatory Lyons take-out

    The guidebook and Canalway safety guidance supply route-specific navigation and access precautions.

    Source

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

    USGS provides same-canal proxy context only; local canal pool, traffic, debris, locks, dry-dock activity, and bridge operations remain decisive.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby managed basecamp only; Widewaters prohibits camping

    Confirm current lodging/campground rules directly and do not infer camping rights from marinas, parks, or canal banks.

    Source

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

    The presentation image is proxy context and does not claim to depict the Newark–Lyons 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. Canal pool level, local weeds/debris, wind, wakes, bridge clearance, lock/dry-dock operations, spillway hydraulics, and launch condition can differ materially; the gauge does not authorize lock passage.

    Source

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

    Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Rochester-to-Syracuse 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.

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Keep exploring

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Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

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Nearby routes within 75 miles

Ganargua CreekSwift’s Landing County Park to Norsen Bridge Park · about 3 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 12.6 river miles from Swift’s Landing to Norsen Bridge ParkCanandaigua OutletLittleville to Manchester (Shortsville Run) · about 9 straight-line mi awayHard · About 2.3 river miles from Littleville to ManchesterFlint CreekOrleans to Phelps · about 9 straight-line mi awayHard · Approximately 6.7 river miles from the Waddell Road/Orleans access to the Phelps take-out; American Whitewater also publishes a longer 11-mile reach with alternate Wheat Road start contextCayuga-Seneca CanalOak Island Park, Waterloo to Locks CS2–3, Seneca Falls · about 17 straight-line mi awayModerate · 4.4 Canalway miles from Oak Island Park in Waterloo to Locks CS2–3 in Seneca Falls

Quick answers

Erie Canal paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Widewaters Canal Park / Newark to Lyons Southside Canal Park route on the Erie Canal?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Widewaters Canal Park / Newark to Lyons Southside Canal Park route on the Erie Canal start and end?

This route starts at Widewaters Canal Park and ends at Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons Dock, about 7.2 official Canalway miles one way from Widewaters Canal Park to Lyons Southside Canal Park / Lyons Dock on the water.

Is the Widewaters Canal Park / Newark to Lyons Southside Canal Park route on the Erie Canal suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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