The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor invites New Yorkers to take part in a special winter fitness challenge, the FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge. Participants pledge to complete 15 miles by walking, running, hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing during the month of February to earn a 15-Miler badge. Participants can choose to log miles at national, state and local parks, on the Canalway Trail, or in their own neighborhoods. Any location within the boundaries of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor counts.

“With the upcoming Olympic Games and a focus on physical fitness, we hope the FEBRUARY 15 Challenge will provide an incentive for people to get up, get out, and get active to achieve their own fitness goals,” said Bob Radliff, executive director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “Getting out this winter is an excellent way to explore the canalway corridor’s seasonal beauty and start a fitness habit that can last all year.” 

“There’s a special beauty about New York’s Canals in the winter, and the FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge is the perfect opportunity for New Yorkers to get outdoors and appreciate the bucolic landscapes and exceptional history of this storied waterway,” New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said. “I encourage New Yorkers to take on the challenge and experience firsthand the tremendous opportunities for recreation that the Canalway Trail and our state and national parks have to offer.”

Four national parks, 24 state parks and nine New York State historic sites are within the boundaries of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The corridor encompasses 23 counties and spans 524 miles across the full expanse of the upstate New York. It includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego and Champlain canals and their historic alignments.

Registration is free and open to individuals, teams, and organizations. Sign up at: www.canalwaychallenge.org.