Seaway Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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| Route information | |
| Length | 518 mi (834 km) |
| Existed | 1978–present |
| Major junctions | |
| West end | Ohio–Pennsylvania state line west of Erie, PA |
| East end | US–Canada border at Seaway International Bridge near Massena, NY |
| Highway system | |
The Great Lakes Seaway Trail, also known as the Seaway Trail, is a super long road trip route in the northeastern United States. It stretches for about 518 miles (834 km)! Most of it is in New York State, but a small part is in Pennsylvania.
This special route follows a series of roads and highways along the Saint Lawrence Seaway. This means you'll drive next to amazing bodies of water like Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence River. The trail starts at the Ohio state line in Pennsylvania. It then goes through many cool cities and towns, like Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester. The journey ends at the Seaway International Bridge near Massena, close to the border with Canada. A group called Seaway Trail, Inc. helps take care of this route.
The Seaway Trail was first created in 1978. Back then, it was only about 80 miles (129 km) long. It stretched from the Seaway International Bridge to the Thousand Islands Bridge. In the mid-1980s, the trail got much longer, extending across New York. In 1996, it even reached into Pennsylvania! Both New York and Pennsylvania recognize it as a special scenic byway. In 1996, the New York part became one of the first roads in the whole country to be called a National Scenic Byway. The Pennsylvania section joined in 2005. In 2010, the trail officially changed its name to the Great Lakes Seaway Trail.
Contents
Exploring the Great Lakes Seaway Trail
The Seaway Trail is 518 miles (834 km) long. It covers 64 miles (103 km) in Pennsylvania and 454 miles (731 km) in New York. You'll travel through 11 counties in total. Only one of these, Erie County, Pennsylvania, is in Pennsylvania. The rest are in New York: Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence.
Pennsylvania's Scenic Seaway Trail
The Seaway Trail starts in Pennsylvania at the Ohio state line. It quickly joins Route 5. This route takes you all the way to the New York border, except for a few turns around the city of Erie.
Along this part of the trail, you can visit the city of Erie. Don't miss Presque Isle State Park, a cool peninsula that sticks out into Lake Erie. You can also check out Erie Bluffs State Park and have fun at Waldameer Park and Water World. The Erie Maritime Museum is also here. If you like grapes, the North East winery region is a fun stop.
New York's Lakeside Journey
Chautauqua and Erie Counties' Adventures
When you cross into New York, Pennsylvania Route 5 becomes New York Route 5. The Seaway Trail continues on this road. Near the Erie County line, the trail leaves Route 5 to follow Old Lake Shore Road. This road stays closer to Lake Erie. The trail then rejoins Route 5 in Hamburg and heads north into Buffalo. Buffalo is the biggest city you'll see on the Seaway Trail!
In Buffalo, the Seaway Trail leaves Route 5. It heads north through downtown, then follows Route 266 along the Niagara River. This takes you through Tonawanda and into the city of Tonawanda. The trail then switches to Route 265 to cross into the next county.
In Chautauqua County, you can see the Barcelona Lighthouse in Westfield. There's also Lake Erie State Park and the city of Dunkirk. Nearby, you can explore the Chautauqua Institution and Midway Park amusement park. In Erie County, besides all the fun in Buffalo, you can visit Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park. There are also three museums in East Aurora. Hamburg has a visitor center right on the Lake Erie shore. The famous Erie Canal starts near Tonawanda Creek.
Niagara County's Water Wonders
Crossing into North Tonawanda, the Seaway Trail follows Route 265 and Route 384. These roads run very close to the Niagara River. The trail then curves towards Niagara Falls. In the city of Niagara Falls, the Seaway Trail joins the Robert Moses State Parkway. This parkway stays super close to the river.
The trail then uses Quay Street to get to Rainbow Boulevard. This road leads to Route 104 (Main Street), near the Rainbow Bridge to Canada. The Seaway Trail continues north on Route 104 to Route 18F in Lewiston. Route 18F takes you through Lewiston and Youngstown. North of Youngstown, Route 18F gets very close to where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario. It then turns east, following the Lake Ontario shoreline. Finally, the trail joins Route 18 for almost 30 miles (48 km) through the rest of Niagara County.
Of course, the biggest attraction here is Niagara Falls itself! You can also visit Artpark in Lewiston. Don't forget the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum in North Tonawanda and Fort Niagara in Youngstown. Golden Hill State Park in Somerset is another great stop. There are also many historic lighthouses along this route. You can even take Erie Canal tours from the city of Lockport.
Orleans County's Quiet Charm
The Seaway Trail continues east on Route 18 through Orleans County. About halfway through the county, it switches to the Lake Ontario State Parkway. This parkway stays very close to the Lake Ontario shore as it heads east into Monroe County.
Orleans County is mostly countryside. You can visit the Cobblestone Society Museum in Childs. The Historic Courthouse Square in Albion is also interesting. Check out Point Breeze and two state parks: Lakeside Beach State Park and the Oak Orchard State Marine Park. A bit south, you'll find the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
Monroe County's Lakeside Views
The Seaway Trail stays on the Lake Ontario State Parkway until it ends in Rochester. The trail then crosses Lake Avenue and goes over the Colonel Patrick O'Rorke Bridge above the Genesee River. Now on Pattonwood Drive, the trail quickly enters Irondequoit.
The Seaway Trail winds along Lake Shore Road through northern Irondequoit. It passes Durand–Eastman Park and Sweet Fern Drive to Culver Road. The trail takes Culver Road south, away from Lake Ontario, to go around Irondequoit Bay. At Empire Boulevard, the trail heads east again. It follows Route 404 and Empire Boulevard along the bay. Then, it follows Bay Road, staying close to the bay, until it reaches Lake Road.
In winter, you can take a shorter route on Culver Road. You can cross the seasonal Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge to Lake Road. This avoids a longer trip around the bay and lets you see Seabreeze Amusement Park and the jetties.
Either way, Lake Road carries the Seaway Trail east along the northern edge of the town of Webster to the county line.
While the trail only goes through a small part of Rochester, the city itself is close by with many attractions. Near the trail, you can visit Hamlin Beach State Park, more lighthouses, and Seabreeze Amusement Park. South of Rochester, you'll find the Genesee Country Village and Museum, the New York Museum of Transportation, and Mendon Ponds Park.
Wayne, Cayuga, and Oswego Counties' Highlights
From County Line Road, the Seaway Trail continues on Lake Road. You'll pass the Ginna Nuclear Generating Station and reach Sodus Point on Sodus Bay. Here, the trail takes Route 14 south to Ridge Road. "The Ridge" goes east through Wolcott to Route 370. Route 370 takes the trail north to Route 104. Then, Route 104A picks up the Seaway Trail. Route 104A heads north toward the lake, through Red Creek, then turns northeast towards the county line.
The Seaway Trail enters Cayuga County on Route 104A. It soon enters Fair Haven on Little Sodus Bay. Route 104A turns east towards Sterling, then north, and then northeast again. It runs about two miles (3.5 km) from Lake Ontario. A mile later, Route 104A reaches the county line. It then ends at its parent route, Route 104. Route 104 carries the Seaway Trail northeast, getting closer to the lake, until it enters Oswego. After crossing the Oswego River, Route 104 continues east.
Just before New Haven, the Seaway Trail turns northeast onto Route 104B. Route 104B gets close to the lake as it heads towards Texas. This route ends at Route 3 east of Texas. The Seaway Trail follows Route 3 northeast, then north, crossing the Salmon River at Port Ontario. Route 3 continues north across the county line.
Wayne County is mostly rural. Here, you can see the Sodus Point lighthouse and go boating on Sodus Bay. Chimney Bluffs State Park is also a cool spot. South of here is Palmyra, where the Latter Day Saint movement began in 1830. Cayuga County is thin near Lake Ontario, so the trail passes through it quickly. Fair Haven Beach State Park is nearby. In July and August, you can visit the Sterling Renaissance Festival for some medieval fun! The city of Oswego in Oswego County has several attractions, including Fort Ontario. There's a lighthouse at Port Ontario, and the village of Pulaski is close by.
Jefferson County's Island Views
Route 3 continues to carry the Seaway Trail north along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. East of Sackets Harbor, Route 3 turns east. The Seaway Trail instead turns north along Route 180. North of Dexter, the trail turns northwest along Route 12E. Route 12E goes through Chaumont and turns west around Chaumont Bay. Then it turns northwest again to Cape Vincent. Here, Route 12E turns sharply northeast, very close to the St. Lawrence River. Canada's Wolfe Island is just across a narrow channel. Route 12E continues northeast along the river. Route 12E ends at its parent route, Route 12, in Clayton. Route 12 continues to carry the Seaway Trail northeast to the county line, passing through Alexandria Bay.
The main office for Seaway Trail, Inc. is in Sackets Harbor, where you can find the Seaway Trail Discovery Center. There are many lighthouses along this part of the trail. The famous Thousand Islands resort region starts here! The city of Watertown, not far from the trail, also has many attractions. Nearby state parks include Southwick Beach State Park, Westcott Beach State Park, Long Point State Park, Burnham Point State Park, Cedar Point State Park, Grass Point State Park, Wellesley Island State Park, Keewaydin State Park, and Kring Point State Park.
St. Lawrence County's Final Stretch
The Seaway Trail enters New York's largest county on Route 12, heading northeast. It passes through Chippewa Bay and Oak Point before reaching Route 37. The trail continues northeast along Route 37 to just outside Ogdensburg. There, it follows Route 68, which runs closer to the St. Lawrence River. After crossing the Oswegatchie River, the trail leaves Route 68 and goes through the western part of the city. It eventually reaches Route 812 to get back to Route 37.
Route 37 continues northeast and starts to turn slightly eastward. It passes through Waddington. At Route 131, the trail switches to Route 131. This route goes north of Massena. Past the city, Route 131 turns south to meet Route 37 again. Route 37 then carries the trail to Rooseveltown in the town of Massena. This is where the Seaway Trail ends, just before the Franklin County line.
At the end of the trail, you can cross into Canada on the Seaway International Bridge. You'll pass through a small part of Quebec before reaching Cornwall, Ontario. This is where New York's northern border becomes a straight line instead of following the St. Lawrence River.
Along this final part of the Seaway Trail, you can visit Singer Castle. There's also the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, which features art by Frederic Remington. Don't miss the Eisenhower Locks on the river near Massena, which are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway. You'll also find a few more historic lighthouses. State parks in this area include Jacques Cartier State Park, Eel Weir State Park, Coles Creek State Park, St. Lawrence State Park, and Robert Moses State Park. The Thousand Islands resort area continues through this region.
History of the Seaway Trail
The idea for the Seaway Trail came from William E. Tyson in 1978. His hard work led to New York State officially naming the trail in 1980. At first, it was an 80-mile (129 km) byway. It connected the Thousand Islands Bridge to the Seaway International Bridge, following highways along the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Signs for the trail were put up soon after. In 1983, it was named a New York State Scenic Byway.
On September 19, 1996, the Seaway Trail became one of the first 20 byways in the entire country to be called a National Scenic Byway. In the same year, Seaway Trail, Inc., the group that takes care of the byway, agreed to extend the route into Pennsylvania. This added another 50 miles (80 km) southwest to the Ohio state line. This made the trail a total of 518 miles (834 km) long! The Pennsylvania part became a scenic byway in 2003 and a National Scenic Byway in 2005. This made the Seaway Trail the first and only interstate byway in the region. In October 2010, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company even called it one of the "Top 50 Most Comfortable Touring Drives" in the nation.
Since 1978, the signs for the trail were white-on-green with footprints and the words "Seaway Trail." But on June 22, 2010, the Seaway Trail got a new sign design and a new name: the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. The president of Seaway Trail, Inc., Teresa Mitchell, said they changed the name because people thought "Seaway Trail" was only about the Saint Lawrence Seaway, not the Great Lakes. They wanted to make it clear that the trail covers both! There was talk in 2000 about extending the trail into Ohio, but Ohio decided to create its own trail, the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail.
The area along the Seaway Trail was a very important place during the War of 1812. Back then, Canada was a British territory, and battles often happened on the waters between the United States and Canada. As you travel the Seaway Trail, you'll see 42 special brown-and-white "War of 1812" markers. These signs point out important spots from the war.
Major Road Connections
The Seaway Trail connects to these important highways:
- I-79 in Erie, Pennsylvania
- NY 394 near Westfield, New York
- New York State Thruway (I-90) near Silver Creek, New York
- US 62 via NY 75 near Hamburg, New York
- I-190 in Niagara Falls, New York
- NY 98 in Carlton, New York
- NY 390 in Greece, New York
- NY 590 in Irondequoit, New York (near Rochester)
- NY 14 in Alton, New York
- NY 481 in Oswego, New York
- NY 13 near Pulaski, New York
- NY 3 near Watertown, New York
- I-81 at the Thousand Islands
- NY 26 in Alexandria Bay, New York
- NY 812 in Ogdensburg, New York
- NY 56 in Massena, New York
