Amsterdam sits on the Erie Canalway Trail, the 360-mile route that traces the old Erie Canal across New York State from Albany to Buffalo. The crushed-stone path is mostly flat, well-marked, and runs directly along the south bank of the Mohawk River through Amsterdam, with restored lock structures, interpretive panels, and easy access points on the edge of town.
For visitors with bikes, the section through Amsterdam and east toward Schenectady is one of the prettier stretches in the central Mohawk Valley, with farmland and quiet riverside woods. A trailhead with parking sits at the south end of the Gateway Overlook bridge.