Erie Canal Closes October 14 — Last Day Through Pittsford's Lock E-32 This Season
The Short Version
- Erie Canal Lock E-32 in Pittsford closes at exactly 6:00 PM on Wednesday, October 14 — the hard deadline set by the NY State Canal Corporation.
- The 2026 season is the 202nd consecutive year of navigation on New York's canals; the 203rd season is anticipated to open in May 2027.
- The Sam Patch offers 90-minute narrated cruises through Lock E-32 from 12 Schoen Place — adult tickets are $30, and these are among the last public cruises of the season.
- Watching a locking from the canal-side at Schoen Place is free and takes about 15–20 minutes; the lock chambers measure 328 feet by 45 feet.
- Peak extended hours (8 AM–9 PM) ended September 10; the lock is now on standard 8 AM–6 PM hours through closing day.
Erie Canal Lock 32 in Pittsford — the one you've walked past at Schoen Place — closes for the 2026 navigation season at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, October 14. That's eleven days from now. After that, the lock goes quiet until May.
The Canal Closes at 6 PM on October 14
The Canal Closes at 6 PM on October 14
The NY State Canal Corporation set the hard close: 6:00 PM on October 14, 2026. Per the official notice, "All vessel operators must plan their trips accordingly to ensure they exit the system by that time."
Lock E-32 ran extended hours — 8 AM to 9 PM — through peak season, which ended September 10. Now it's back to standard: 8 AM to 6 PM daily. October 14 runs those same standard hours, and 6:00 PM is the wall.
If you're planning a final trip through the system, arrive at the lock well before 6:00 PM on October 14. The margins are narrow — plan accordingly.
One More Reason to Get Down to Schoen Place
One More Reason to Get Down to Schoen Place
The Sam Patch — a replica 19th-century packet boat operated by Rochester By Water — departs from 12 Schoen Place for 90-minute narrated cruises through Lock E-32. Adult tickets are $30; seniors and veterans pay $28; students $25; children under 3 board free. These are among the last public cruises of the 2026 season.
If you'd rather watch from the bank, it costs nothing. A locking-through cycle takes about 15 to 20 minutes — enough to watch the gates close, the chamber drain or fill, and the far doors open. October light along the towpath at Schoen Place makes it a good reason to get out. There will still be boats moving through this week, not the summer parade, but enough to catch one if you time it.
After October 14, the lock goes dormant until May.
Lock E-32: 202 Seasons of Moving Water Through Pittsford
Lock E-32: 202 Seasons of Moving Water Through Pittsford
The 2026 navigation season is the 202nd consecutive year of travel on New York's canals. Lock E-32 has been part of this rhythm since the Erie Canal first opened through Pittsford — every season, same gates, same water.
The lock chambers measure 328 feet by 45 feet. Those dimensions are visible from the bank at Schoen Place. That scale tells you what 19th-century engineers decided was worth building when they set out to connect the Great Lakes to the Hudson.
The 203rd Season Opens in May
The 203rd Season Opens in May
The Canal Corporation anticipates opening the 2027 navigation season in May — the 203rd season of operation on New York's canals. Specific opening dates come through a future Notice to Mariners; boaters can register for those alerts at canals.ny.gov.
The winter closure gives the Canal Corporation time for maintenance inside the lock chambers — the steady work that keeps a 19th-century structure running on a 21st-century schedule.
October 14, 6:00 PM. Lock E-32 closes for the season.
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11 Comments
Comment from Facebook
Great topic, Adam! I only moved into the Village in October 2025, although my wife has worked here and owned a salon in the Village for decades. In a pretty short amount of time, the canal has become one of my favorite parts of Pittsford. My first story on my page was actually about the chalk drawings along the canal path, and I’ve written about the Sam Patch too. For me, it’s hard to beat grabbing a drink and a bite to eat, listening to some live music and just hanging out along the canal. It really adds to the charm of the Village and is one of the things that makes Pittsford such a great place to live.
Oct 4, 2026 at 3:28 am
View on Facebook ↗Adam Stetzer
Thanks Chris. We couldn’t agree more. We LOVE spending time on the canal. In fact, since you’ve spent some time there you’ve probably seen our very unusual pontoon boat. It is highly recognizable with the all metal pergola and the Adirondack chairs. Most notably, there is no steering console - which endlessly confuses people as to how it is driven. At any rate, we LOVE taking the boat out for slow cruises (it really only goes walking speed - which we feel is historically appropriate) on Friday nights to take in the concerts at Port Of Pittsford, or a Saturday night listening to live music at Lock 32… It was another awesome season.
Oct 4, 2026 at 8:54 am
View on Facebook ↗Comment from Facebook
Pittsford Village Chat did you take it out of the water yet?
Oct 4, 2026 at 5:56 pm
View on Facebook ↗Adam Stetzer
We did. All power washed, cleaned, and covered up for the winter sleep. We generally pull it out by the end of September as the nights get dark early and it gets real chilly….. I’m already excited for next year!
Oct 5, 2026 at 10:53 am
View on Facebook ↗Comment from Facebook
Note: Sam Patch Tour Boat & Colonial Belle have commercial permits to operate until the END of October. You can still go through locks on tour boats. 😎
Oct 4, 2026 at 3:56 am
View on Facebook ↗Adam Stetzer
Great point. We’ve seen this every year. The canal is actually still filled beyond the “official” opening and closing dates. But I think it is officially closed for full navigation.
Oct 4, 2026 at 8:56 am
View on Facebook ↗Comment from Facebook
Pittsford Village Chat Correct. In “our” section of the Erie Canal, the water is kept a bit longer for a very successful fishing program. Creeks/streams that receive water fed from the canal in our area are the Number 2 location in the world for brown trout fishing. This increases fishing tourism & revenue. Due to the water remaining for the fishing program, tour boats in our area are able to obtain commercial permits to be able to operate until the END of October. Captain Tammee Director/CptColonial Bellele Chair, Canal NY Marketing & Business Alliance Discover the NY Canals PresidentCanal Society of New York Statete President, NYS Tour Boat Association Cruise New York
Oct 4, 2026 at 1:01 pm
View on Facebook ↗Comment from Facebook
Are private boats still allowed on the Pittsford canal section after Oct 15 if they don't use the locks?
Oct 5, 2026 at 1:10 pm
View on Facebook ↗Adam Stetzer
Yes. We have used our boat both before and after the official “Closed for navigation” date with no problems in the Pittsford area as long as you don’t want to go through the lock. I feel like the Sam Patch tends to operate after the official closing date as well (don’t quote me). The only real danger is that they may start draining before your boat is out - which is not an issue for day use as it drains really slowly (over many days). I think the Canal Corporation publishes the drain / fill dates also (which are different from the navigation dates).
Oct 7, 2026 at 9:54 am
View on Facebook ↗Comment from Facebook
Adam, thank you for using a photograph instead of the AI slop.
Oct 7, 2026 at 8:11 pm
View on Facebook ↗Adam Stetzer
No problem. My preference is for real photos. But as a volunteer / part-time initiative - it’s hard to do. As always, I welcome any community photos for any of the stories published here (provided they are freely licensed and fully legal to use).
Oct 8, 2026 at 1:57 am
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