Great Lakes Seaway Trail
518 miles along Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence in Pennsylvania and New York, from Presque Isle to the 1000 Islands.
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length518 miles[1]
- Drive timeSeveral days to fully enjoy it[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsNot verified
- Start and endNear Akwesasne, NY and near Conneaut, OHNearest towns to the ends of the U.S. DOT route line
- Fees and passesNone[1]
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
The Great Lakes Seaway Trail follows the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River through Pennsylvania and New York. FHWA lists Niagara Falls, the 1000 Islands, 29 lighthouses, War of 1812 sites, farms and harbors along the way.
In Pennsylvania, Presque Isle State Park curves into Lake Erie at Erie. In New York, the route passes Niagara Falls, runs along Lake Ontario to Sackets Harbor, and reaches the 1000 Islands at Alexandria Bay.
It's a several-day trip; most people drive one lake at a time.
Stops along the way
-
Presque Isle State Park
Sandy peninsula park on Lake Erie at Erie, Pennsylvania.
Official information · 42.14281, -80.13593 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Niagara Falls State Park
The American side of Niagara Falls.
Official information · 43.08095, -79.0683 · about 0.6 mi from the route line
-
Sackets Harbor
Lake Ontario village with War of 1812 history.
Official information · 43.94618, -76.1191 · about 1.2 mi from the route line
-
Alexandria Bay
Village in the 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence.
Official information · 44.33589, -75.91773 · about 0.3 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Alexandria Bay Farmers MarketAlexandria Bay, NY · about 0.0 mi from the route
- Downtown Country MarketBuffalo, NY · about 0.0 mi from the route
- Ontario Orchards Farms and Farmers MarketOswego, NY · about 0.0 mi from the route
- Curbside Market-Durand Senior ApartmentsRochester, NY · about 0.0 mi from the route · listed as year-round
- Curbside Market-Irondequoit Meadow ReserveRochester, NY · about 0.0 mi from the route · listed as year-round
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Great Lakes Seaway Trail (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Presque Isle State Park (Pennsylvania DCNR) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Niagara Falls State Park (New York State Parks) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).