"When you come to a fork in the road, take it," said Yogi Berra

This is good advice for Erie Canal cruisers coming to the Genesee River junction near Rochester, NY. You should add it to your itinerary, if just for a short side trip loop. The less than 6-mile round trip is well worth the diversion just for the history and the scenery. Have time to stay for lunch or to dock overnight? Even better.

The junction of the Erie Canal and the Genesee River is easy to miss, as it is virtually unmarked. Genesee Valley Park to port at the junction is a pastoral setting interrupted only by the kayaks on the Genesee Valley River Trail. The park was designed by the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who was also responsible for designing the grounds of New York City's Central Park, the U.S. Capitol in Washington, the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Passing under the Elmwood Ave. Bridge, the University of Rochester takes shape on the eastern shore. Stay at the at Staybridge Suites hotel if you like and enjoy its many amenities, including a great breakfast buffet (1000 Genesee St., 585-527-9110). Check out the most current listings for free dockage & marinas in Waterway Guide Explorer.

A short Uber ride from Brooks Landing will bring you across the river to College Town, offering ample choices for food, shopping and entertainment. Carnivores will particularly enjoy Texas de Brazil steakhouse (22 Celebration Dr., 585-473-2013). Take time to explore the nearby Mt. Hope Cemetery, the resting place for civil rights champions Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Founded in 1836, it is the first municipal cemetery in the U.S., covering 196 acres with 350,000 graves, boasting a larger population than the City of Rochester!

Heading north the quiet river is lined with trees and wildlife. It's is hard to imagine you are just a few miles from New York's third-largest city, which comes into view in a cinematic way. Just after passing under the abandoned railroad bridge, the treed horizon line slides open like a theater curtain to reveal the downtown skyline of Rochester. Have your camera ready!

Passing under the Ford St. Bridge brings you to Corn Hill Landing. This is as far as you can go; the Ford St. Dam is just ahead and High Falls another 0.5 mile to the north. Docking is free at Corn Hill Landing with water and power, but there are no restrooms or showers. If you choose to stay, take a stroll around the restored mansions of the Corn Hill neighborhood. Tony D's at 288 Exchange Blvd. (585-413-3640) is the place to go for coal-fired pizza. Dinosaur BBQ at 90 Court St. (585-325-7090) is less than a 0.5-mile walk from Corn Hill Landing across the Court St. Bridge, providing a close-up view of the Genesee Aqueduct.

Just west of Corn Hill Landing is the original Nick Tahou Hots (320 W Main St., 585-436-0184), home of the famous "Garbage Plate," a mash-up of meats, fries, salads and sauces. The Susan B. Anthony Museum and House is nearby at 17 Madison St. (585-235-6124) with artifacts displayed in the former house of the famous Suffragette.

North of High Falls, the Genesee Brew House is housed in an old packing center and features interactive exhibits, multimedia content, gift shop, pilot brewery and pub-style restaurant (25 Cataract St., 585-263-9200). Tour the museum, sample craft beers and enjoy a spectacular view of the High Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in NY State. Famous professional jumper and daredevil Sam Patch met his fate here on Friday, November 13, 1829, when attempting his second High Falls jump. Patch had just successfully jumped at Niagara Falls when he set his sights on the High Falls. The second jump was touted as his "last jump of the season" but it proved to be his last jump ever.

For a day trip, figure on a 2-hour trip back to the Erie Canal junction. Timing is important if heading east because you will need another 2 hours to navigate Locks 33 and 32 at the Village of Pittsford. If heading west, it's less than 2 hours to Spencerport, where there is plenty of free docking east of the Union St. Lift Bridge.

Whether you just take a short side trip or stay over, this section of the Erie Canal offers a lot to see, do and learn. Heed Mr. Berra's advice and take the fork. You will be glad you did.

A couple of cautions

If the river is rain-swollen, the current can run fairly fast. Driftwood is abundant in flood time and some navigation buoys may be off station. Be aware of shoaling on the northeast corner when turning north on the Genesee River at the Erie Canal junction. The channel here runs closer to the west shore. Stay in the channel and depths should be nominally 10 feet. You may see Canal Corp tugs and a dredge stationed there, a sure sign of deep water. There has been very little attention to dredging at the Corn Hill Landing wall so deep-draft vessels should be aware and approach with caution. Depths as low as 3 feet MLW have been reported dockside.

Side Notes:

The Genesee River wasn't part of the original Erie Canal, which cut through downtown Rochester over an 800-foot-long aqueduct. Today that structure stands as the base of the Broad St. Bridge. When the N.Y. State Barge Canal was completed in 1918 and routed around the city, this section of the river connected the city with the new canal route. The Ford St. Dam maintains the water level on this canalized river section.

As a point of interest, the junction of the Erie Canal and the Genesee River is named "Curtis Point" in honor of Ted Curtis, a visionary and early ambassador for Rochester's waterways and founder of Corn Hill Navigation.

###

Capt. John "JJ" Johnston is our Waterway Guide Cruising Editor for the Erie Canal and NY Sate Canal System. He's navigated all 4 canals, 524 miles, 57 locks and visited many of the 200 communities along the way. You may see him on his 29 C Dory, Penguin, or at his home port in Fairport, NY. He's happy to share information and meet new friends.