Posted in New York March 28, 2023 by Christy Articola

The Scenic Drive Along The Black River Trail Scenic Byway Is Almost As Beautiful As The Destination Itself

If you love New York and you love scenic byways, then you’ll love driving along the Black River Trail Scenic Byway. This 95-mile route goes from Rome, near Utica, all the way up north to Dexter near Sackets Harbor on the eastern end of Lake Ontario. Along the way, you’ll pass right between the western edge of the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau as you follow the Black River. This is a great scenic byway in New York that everyone should try. Read on to learn more about it.

Everybody loves a good road trip! For this one, we'll start off in Rome, a city of 32,000 people in Oneida County. From there, head north on Route 46.

As you head north, you'll pass Delta Reservoir near Westernville.

Continuing, you'll pass the beautiful Buck Hills State Forest on your right.

You'll also pass through Pixley Falls State Park. Be sure to pull over and check out the falls.

Boonville is the next town you'll pass through. It might be a good spot to stop for lunch or a snack. The Byway continues on Route 12 here.

The Black River Canal was built to connect the Black River to the Erie Canal. It had 109 locks over 35 miles; you can see the remains of one of them along this route.

The town of Lyons Falls has another great waterfall to view.

Next, you'll pass through Lowville, and then you'll take a right on Route 410, and a left on Route 126. You'll pass by the Beartown State Forest, shown here.

You'll go through a few more pleasant small towns along this route, like Carthage. Get on Route 3 here.

The town of Black River is named after this river that the route has been following for a while.

Eventually, you'll come to Watertown, which will feel like a big city after all those small towns!

Finally, you'll end up in Dexter, where the Black River Trail Scenic Byway comes to an end. You'll be right on the shores of Black River Bay here.

Just go a bit further to Sackets Harbor and enjoy the tremendous views and a perfect sunset over Lake Ontario.

The Black River Trail Scenic Byway is lovely! You’ll really enjoy driving its entire length. Without stops, it will take about two hours to complete – but be sure to make plenty of stops and enjoy the beauty of this part of New York. Safe travels!

If you’re looking for another scenic byway in New York to try, check out this post: These 8 Beautiful Byways In New York Are Perfect For A Scenic Drive

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Address: Rome, NY, USA

Address: Dexter, NY, USA