The American Lakes to Locks Passage and the corresponding Canadian is a scenic byway in northeastern New York in the United States and in southern Quebec in Canada. The byway unifies the interconnected waterway of the upper Hudson River, Champlain Canal, Lake George, and Lake Champlain; this waterway is the core of North America's first "super-highway" between upstate New York and the Canadian province of Quebec. The initiatives of the Lakes to Locks Passage aim to unify the byway corridor as a single destination. The US portion of the passage is a New York State Scenic Byway, a National Scenic Byway, and an All-American Road. The Canadian portion is a tourist route by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism.
Route description
The byway extends from just north of Albany to the vicinity of the Canada–US border at Rouses Point as a highway and as a waterway. The waterway route continues north into Canada to connect with the St. Lawrence River.
The distinctive influence of French, English and Dutch settlers is still evident today in the communities along the rivers, waterfalls and lakeshore harbors. A series of 32 Waypoint Communities have been designated to "meet and greet" the Lakes to Locks Passage visitor. Community museums and attractions serve as Lakes to Locks Passage Heritage Centers. Nearly every community has a driving, biking or walking tour.
Highway
The Lakes to Locks Passage route extends from the junction of U.S. Route 4 (US 4) and New York State Route 32 (NY 32) in Waterford, located north of Albany, to the intersection of US 11 and NY 9B in Rouses Point, a village adjacent to the Canada–US border. US 4 from Waterford (mi. 14.33) to Whitehall (mi. 73.19) NY 22 from Whitehall (mi. 218.2) to Keeseville (mi. 298.82) US 9 from Keeseville (mi. 288.79) to Chazy (mi. 320.08) NY 9B from Chazy (mi. 0.0) to Rouses Point (mi. 5.7) The route also contains lakeside roads both on Point Au Roche and Cumberland Head, featured as "Scenic Byways."
A border crossing between Rouses Point, New York, and Lacolle, Quebec, is operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency respectively, allowing traffic to continue between the Lakes to Locks Passage and the .
From Lacolle the continues north to the village of Lacolle, then turns east along Route 202. It then branches along both banks of the Richelieu river until reaching its mouth in Sorel-Tracy.
The western branch follows the west bank of the Richelieu north through Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Carignan, Chambly, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, McMasterville, Beloeil, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu and the Tracy part of Sorel-Tracy. This branch mostly follows Route 223, with deviations through the historical centres of Vieux-Saint-Jean and Chambly. The eastern branch crosses the Jean-Jacques-Bertrand Bridge then follows Routes 225 and 133 through Henryville, Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, the town of Richelieu, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Otterburn Park, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Ours and Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel. Most of the eastern branch coincides with the , named for the Richelieu valley's role during the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–38.
Bridges crossing the Richelieu in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, between Chambly and Richelieu, and between Beloeil and Mont-Saint-Hilaire, allow tourists to drive between branches.
Both branches meet again at the northern terminus, at the Sorel‑Tracy Heritage Interpretation Centre on the bank of the Saint Lawrence River.
Waterway
The waterway route extends from the Erie Canal (Mohawk River) at Cohoes, north of Albany and southwest of Waterford, to the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, northeast of Montreal, Quebec. This waterway was North America's first inter-connected waterway that shaped the nation-building activities of the United States and Canada. It provides access to over of diverse historic, natural, cultural and recreational sites along the Champlain Canal, upper Hudson River, Lake George, and Lake Champlain in New York, and the Chambly Canal and Richelieu River in Quebec. Champlain Canal from Cohoes to Whitehall. The canal has 11 locks, numbered 1 to 12 (there is no lock 10). Lake Champlain and Richelieu River from Whitehall, New York, to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec Chambly Canal, bypassing rapids on the Richelieu River from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to Chambly, with 9 locks Richelieu River from Chambly to Sorel-Tracy
