You Had to Be There! Scenic Places (not Urban)

The most beautiful and remarkable place we ever visited were the Erie Canal Locks at the beginning of one October many years ago.This was the first barge lock canal in the United States. The Canal was a key opening for Immigrants and Easterners to the West. But in person you forget the history because the Waterford, N.Y. locks and area is so beautiful! We took a public bus from Albany where at the time we were living. The ride is about ,45 minutes and one can take one bus up the western side of the Hudson River or take two buses up the eastern side to reach the small old town of Waterford. The canal locks  join the upper Mohawk River to the lower Hudson River. Just before they join there is normally a ten story drop zone the Mohawk Falls. The locks were built about 2000 feet to the side of the steeply sloping hill from this river joining. On this slope cows grazed and as you walk up the "Spillway Park " path on one side of you is this wondrous Pastoral vision and on the other side of you the rushing waters of the spill water path along the right locks. We saw a barge towed by a small boat ascending to the canal from the Waterford Hudson River basin. The Erie Canal at the heights starts to wend it's way toward Lake Erie through Western N.Y. and it is also beautiful and peaceful with many small farms and parks along the way. Across the way from Waterford is Cohoes site of a water energy generating plant,a site where many textiles factories still weave  linens and towels with outlet stores. My grandmother was born here and raised to the age of eleven when she came to live in Brooklyn. The trip there is breathtaking and the area a great place to visit especially by car! It was one of our favorite excursions.

This sounds like a fantastic spot, Stuart. I hope to see it someday...my family has deep roots in the Mohawk Valley and I want to get there and see it in person.

Phil Stevens wrote:This sounds like a fantastic spot, Stuart. I hope to see it someday...my family has deep roots in the Mohawk Valley and I want to get there and see it in person.

. It is Phil! The walk up is so breathtaking!The Mohawk valley is very gorgeous! If you go up to Schenectady there is a park and a little historic quarter where Thomas Edison built his light bulb factory.This is along the Erie Canal.There is a bridge across the Mohawk from Schenectady to Scotia easily walkable or bike-able and you can find going up the canal several streets that lead you to a nice view of the canal and Mohawk Many people stop at Stewart's for a soda and ice cream and there used to be some super- duper clothing consignment shops but that is some years ago. At Auriesville near the Mohawk by Amsterdam there is a beautiful Shrine of the North American Matyrs where the Lily of the Mohawk,St.Kateri Tekawitha is also honored ( her American Shrine is at Fonda but her tomb is near Montreal on Native territory).Enjoy!