Catskills - Catskills

Det Catskills af New York er et "dissekeret plateau", et højland nedslidt i bjerge og dale ved erosion. Stort set landdistrikter og vilde er Catskills et populært feriemål for New York-borgere, men de har også meget at tilbyde den rejsende fra ud af staten. Catskills støder op til Poconos region Pennsylvania.

Regioner

Byer

• 41.925-741 Kingston - New Yorks første hovedstad er lige der, hvor Catskills møder Hudson, hvilket gør det til et ideelt udgangspunkt for udforskning af regionen.
• 41.6536-74.69062 Monticello - Sullivan County-sædet er centralt placeret i Borscht Belt og bevarer den lille byfølelse
• 42.307222222222-74.2522222222223 Windham - En skiby i den nordlige ende af bjergene med New England-charmen fra dens navnebrødre i regionen.
• 42.042778-74.11754 Woodstock - Festivalen blev ikke afholdt nogen steder i nærheden her, men denne by lever ikke desto mindre op til det hippieomdømme, der er fremkaldt af sit navn.

Andre destinationer

• 41.703888888889-74.3447222222221 Shawangunk Ridge

Forstå

Catskills betyder forskellige ting for forskellige grupper af mennesker. Til de fleste beboere i Metro New York sydpå fremkalder de sommerlejre, weekendhuse og de store reservoirer, der leverer rent, rent vand til New York City. For historikere af amerikansk populærkultur er de hjemsted for flertallet af "Borscht Belt" resorts, hvor mange legendariske underholdere finpudset deres færdigheder før overvejende jødiske publikum, og hvor en senere generation trængte til en mælkebedrift i "tre dage med fred, kærlighed og musik "kaldet Woodstock Music and Art Festival. For kunsthistorikere er de de landskaber, der fængslede Thomas Cole, Frederick Church og de andre malere fra Hudson River School, Amerikas første hjemmedyrkede kunstbevægelse. For at flyve fiskere er de vandløb, hvor de første tørfluer blev kastet og bundet i amerikanske farvande, testet af Theodore Gordon og andre legender om sporten. For vandrere og naturforskere er 1.150 km² "evigt vildt" land i Catskill Parks Forest Preserve en miljøskat, det land, hvor den indflydelsesrige amerikanske naturforfatter John Burroughs voksede op, og som inspirerede ham til at skrive nogle af hans mest berømte essays.

Men for alle disse flere betydninger er ingen helt sikre på, hvad "Catskill" oprindeligt henviste til. Måske var det Henry Hudsons besætning, der så bobcats rundt om åen, de stoppede ved, og derefter kaldte den "Catskill", som blev udvidet til de fjerne bjerge. Eller de mange Iroquois-lagre langs flodbredden, som hollænderne kaldte "kats ". Eller digter Jacob Kats, angiveligt en kløgtig landspekulant. Eller Iroquois 'lacrosepinde, et lille hollandsk skib eller en mohikansk chef, der boede i området. Det er så meget mere overraskende, da rækkevidden generelt blev omtalt som Blue Mountains indtil begyndelsen af ​​det 19. århundrede, da Washington Irvings værker populariserede det længe foragtede hollandske navn.

Selv med generel enighed om navnet er det også svært at sige, hvor Catskills begynder og slutter, ud over den meget pludselige grænse skabt af Catskill Escarpment i det nordøstlige hjørne af området, hvor bjerge pludselig stiger til over 3.000 fod (900 m) over havets overflade fra dalbunden. Samfund langt uden for Catskill Parks Blue Line, så langt som bredden af ​​Delaware og Susquehanna-floderne hævder at være eller anses for at være i Catskills. Måske er den eneste rigtige indikator, hvad en mangeårig beboer engang fortalte historikeren Alf Evers: at så længe "der er to klipper for hvert snavs" i jorden, er du i Catskills.

Historie

Catskills begyndte for 350 millioner år siden som et floddelta, der absorberede afstrømningen fra Taconic-bjergene mod nordøst, derefter den højeste på planeten, da vand drænet ned i et lavt indre hav. På et eller andet tidspunkt i løbet af den tid ramte en meteorit, der var 1 km bred, floddeltaet; det resulterende stødkrater dannede til sidst Panther Mountain i det vestlige Ulster County, en af ​​områdets højeste toppe, gennem en proces kendt som "omvendt lettelse." Til sidst eroderede Taconics til, hvad de er nu, og floderne og havet tørrede op. Hvad der havde været deres gulve, blev skifer, sandsten og anden sedimentær sten, der udgør bjerggrunden i området.

Kontinental drift og pladetektonik dannede Appalachian Mountains. I stedet for at bryde op i mindre bjerge og bakker, steg Catskills op som en enkelt landform, en proces, der er synlig i den dramatiske stigning i Catskill Escarpment fra Hudson Valley-gulvet i Greene County. I løbet af de næste æoner skar vandløb, der dræner opløftet sten, dybe huller ud. Catskills er således i geologiske termer et "modent dissekeret plateau" snarere end ægte bjerge, selvom man ville blive tilgivet, hvis forskellen gik tabt, når man kørte rundt dem.

I de sidste millioner år har de forskellige isperioder formet bjergene yderligere. Gletscherne selv var tykke nok til at dække alle bjergene, med undtagelse af 1.277 m glid i Ulster County by Shandaken, områdets højeste top. Skuren under isens århundreder havde nogle virkninger, hvoraf den mest betydningsfulde har været at fjerne kul, der måtte have slået sig ned der. Men det var søerne, der blev efterladt, da gletscherne smeltede, hvilket efterlod os med rækkevidden, som vi kender det i dag, de farende smeltevande, der udskærer de dramatiske huller som Stony Clove Notch og Kaaterskill Clove.

De første mennesker, der kom, fortsatte. Mens Iroquois, der bosatte sig i det sydlige New York, fandt ruter gennem bjergene til resten af ​​deres nation og jagede der, fandt de Hudson Valley et mere behageligt sted at bosætte sig på grund af dets mere frugtbare jord og mildere klima. Det var der, de mødte Henry Hudson og besætningen på Halve Maen, rejser op ad floden, der blev opkaldt efter ham i 1609.

Krige mellem hollænderne og englænderne holdt de fleste bosættere for at vove sig ud i bjergene i resten af ​​århundredet. Det var først i 1708, godt efter at den engelske styre var blevet etableret, at Lord Cornbury, den koloniale guvernør, tildelte Hardenbergh-patentet, der dækkede det meste af det, der i dag betragtes som Catskills. Underopdeling og salg af jorden viste sig imidlertid at være vanskelig. Iroquois, såvel som de få krigere i regionen, forstyrrede undersøgelsen til det punkt, at den var upålidelig, og da århundredet gik, var der stigende spørgsmål om gyldigheden af ​​aftalen i betragtning af Cornburys velfortjente ry for korruption og patenter 'vilje til at berige sig selv ved at sælge aktier på trods af alle disse problemer. Det tog indtil midten af ​​århundredet, før hele landet blev opdelt, og bosættelsen begyndte.

Ikke desto mindre blev Catskills opmærksom på den bredere offentlighed, hvis kun gennem videnskabelig forskning. Den svenske botaniker Peter Kalm passerede gennem regionen på sine rejser til Niagara Falls og bemærkede nogle af de arter, han fandt. Den ene var "balsam af Gilead gran", i dag kendt som balsamgran og findes for det meste kun på højere topmøder i området. Philadelphia-botanikeren John Bartram gik til området North-South Lake med sin søn for at samle nogle frø af træet til korrespondenter i London. Hans 1753-beretning om turen, En rejse til Ye Cat Skill Mountains med Billy, blev meget læst både i kolonierne og England.

De fleste tidlige bosættere var lejere, der holdt deres lande under en kvasifeudal aftale kendt som "tre-lejekontrakten", hvorved en far, søn og derefter barnebarn teoretisk kunne tage ejendomsretten til deres jord, hvis de tre generationer var i stand til at betale for det. I praksis skete dette sjældent, og selv efter at en pro-britisk lejeropstand mod deres uafhængighedsindstillede udlejere blev lagt ned i begyndelsen af ​​revolutionskrigen, fortsatte de mange anti-rent-krige, indtil en ny statsforfatning afskaffede disse lejekontrakter i 1840.

Da regionens politik endelig var afgjort, begyndte økonomien at ryste ud. Det blev bygget omkring to industrier - turisme og tanbarking - der ville forme det til det 20. århundrede. Den første begyndte med Catskill Mountain House-hotellet nær North-South Lake i Greene County-byen Hunter. Hotelier Charles Beach markedsførte den spektakulære udsigt over dalen fra Escarpment efter at have overtaget enekontrol i 1820'erne, og af borgerkrigspræsidenterne besøgte kunstnere og andre besøgende dignitarier og berømtheder "America's First Wilderness", hvor andre hoteller, nogle på bjergtoppe, var også bygget.

Dybere i bjergene gik barkpeelers ind i de rigelige skove på udkig efter de mange store lunde i det østlige hemlock. De søgte ikke selve træet, nyttigt til nogle møbler, men kun lidt andet, men den rødlige bark. Når det blev fjernet fra et tilstrækkeligt modent træ og kogt, gav det kvalitet tannin til garvningsprocessen, der er afgørende for at fremstille læder. Skoven gav nok bark til, at de fleste af læderhylstrene, der blev udstedt til officerer fra Unionens hær under borgerkrigen, blev garvet i Catskills. Bortset fra blåsten, der blev brugt til at lave fortove, var det den eneste udnyttelige ressource, bjergene gav.

I 1879 noterede en gæst på Mountain House, Princeton-geologiprofessor Arnold Henri Guyot, de mange bjerge mod vest og sydvest, der var synlige fra toppe nær hotellet. Man vidste allerede, at i modsætning til Beachs reklamemateriale var nærliggende Kaaterskill High Peak, som havde prydet så mange Hudson River School-malerier, ikke områdets højeste top. Guyot spekulerede på, hvad der var, og vendte i sin fritid tilbage til Catskills med et undersøgelsesteam. De blev de første til at registrere bestigninger af mange af områdets højeste topmøder, og i 1885 bedøvede Escarpment-hotelejere med åbenbaringen om, at den højeste top i området faktisk var Slide Mountain, der ligger 20 miles mod sydvest i Ulster County byen Shandaken.

Samme år var politikerne i dette amt blevet trætte af at håndtere et dyrt problem, der delvis skyldtes solbrænding. Når de først havde fjernet de gode træer, efterlod barkskrælerne ofte landet; mens de høstede overskuddet, misligholdte landet amtet, og ved lov var de ansvarlige for ejendomsskat til staten. De stigende omkostninger, der blev afholdt, begyndte at belaste amtets kasse, og da de ikke kunne få udsættelse, fandt deres repræsentanter i statslovgiver en endnu bedre løsning. Tidligere samme år havde lovgiveren udpeget visse statsjord i Adirondacks at være staten Forest Preserve, "for evigt holdt som vilde skovområder." De fik jorderne med skattefradrag overført til staten som fuld betaling af den udestående gæld ... og intet i Catskills ville være det samme bagefter.

Langsomt ebbe stenbrud og barkpeelingindustrien ud af udviklingen af ​​billigere syntetiske materialer og processer. Hotellerne omkring North-South Lake faldt også, da deres grundlæggere døde. I deres sted kom dem, der blev draget til det nyligt beskyttede land, især efter at lovgiveren trak den "blå linje" i 1902 og skabte Catskill Park. John Burroughs, en indfødt i Delaware County, der blev en af ​​tidens førende naturforfattere, viet nogle af hans mest mindeværdige essays til sine rejser ind i Catskill-ørkenen, herunder en af ​​de tidligste beretninger om en opstigning af Slide.

En anden forfatter var Theodore Gordon, der gik til at bo i bjergene i 1890'erne for at bekæmpe sin tuberkuloseinfektion. For at passere tiden begyndte han at fiske og tjente nogle penge på at skrive om sine oplevelser for Field & Stream. De fjerntliggende vandløb i vandløb som Beaver Kill havde været stille kendt i årevis uden for regionen som fyldt med ørred, og landmænd havde levet af fiskeriet i årevis. Gordon populariserede dem ikke kun, han revolutionerede amerikansk lystfiskeri, da han introducerede tørfluen, der blev udviklet i Storbritannien for at efterligne et overfladeinsekt som et lokke. Senere lystfiskere raffinerede teknikker og udviklede nye fluer, og tusindvis følger i deres fodspor årligt og vader ind i de kølige klare åer og floder, der ønsker at lande en ørred for at huske.

Farvandet interesserede også New York City, som var begyndt at vokse ud af sit Westchester-baserede forsyningsnetværk i slutningen af ​​det 20. århundrede. Byen kiggede hele vejen mod Catskills, hvor det "evigt vilde" sprog, der blev føjet til statskonventionen fra 1894 som artikel XIV, beskyttede vandskel i vandløb som Esopus og Schoharie-åer. En langvarig juridisk og politisk kamp over de lande, der skulle fordømmes, førte til åbningen af ​​Ashokan-reservoiret i det centrale Ulster County i 1915, den første af de seks, der nu tjener byen.

Byen var hjemsted for en anden gruppe mennesker, der ville omdefinere Catskills. Jødiske indvandrere i byen, på det tidspunkt forbudt fra de fleste etablerede resorts, begyndte at tilbringe somre i pensionater på deres medreligionisters gårde i de nedre Catskills, hvor de i det mindste kunne holde kosher. Disse pensionater og bungalowkolonier voksede gradvis til deres egne resorts som Grossinger og Concord, kernen i "Borscht Belt", hvor snesevis af entertainere ville finpudse deres færdigheder og starte karrierer, der førte dem til langt større højder. Den æra gik, da love sluttede religiøs diskrimination, skønt mange ultra-ortodokse hasidimer stadig flytter til regionen til sommeren. I dag er de store resorts lukket, og de fleste af de mindre bygninger er væk, men minderne er fanget i film som Fræk dans, Mr. Saturday Night og En gåtur på månen.

Da Borscht Belt-æraen sluttede, fandt sted i 1969 begivenheden, der ville omdefinere Catskills for den nuværende generation. Sent på sommeren samlede tusinder af æraens hippier sig på en mælkebedrift nær Sullivan County by Bethel til "tre dage med fred, kærlighed og musik" fra nogle af æraens bedste handlinger som Crosby, Stills, Nash og Young; The Who, Jefferson Airplane og Jimi Hendrix. Mens festivalen faktisk blev erklæret et katastrofeområde, idet der blev lanceret en række retssager, og mange af forestillingerne var underordnede, gav Woodstock-festivalen baby-boom-generationen et navn og en åndelig prøvesten i årevis bagefter, da mange hævdede at være der, der havde ikke været.

Og det fortsætter med at indramme regionen i dag. Det er mest tydeligt i byen Woodstock, miles fra festivalstedet, men gennem de moderne Catskills finder du et fokus på det kunstneriske og det åndelige, med tilbagetrækninger, der fokuserer på østlig religion og New Age-mystik, der trækker udenforstående til regionen i sommer. Ældre samfund holder også fast, selv efter den alvorlige oversvømmelse forårsaget af orkanen Irene i 2011, skader, der stadig kan ses mange steder, især landsbyen Prattsville i Greene County. Og vandrere og fiskere strømmer fortsat til stier og vandløb rig på deres sportshistorik, ikke kun om sommeren, men det meste af året.

Klima

New York City får hovedparten af ​​sit vand fra Catskills af en meget god grund: regionen, især området omkring Slide Mountain, er den mest regnfulde i staten. Men det er ikke det eneste, der skiller sig ud.

Som et forhøjet bjergrigt plateau adskiller Catskill-klimaet sig fra dets nærliggende, nedre regioner. Somrene er generelt behagelige og køligere end andre steder (hvorfor ellers ville så mange beboere i hovedstadsområdet komme til bjergene i lange perioder i løbet af denne sæson?) Skønt oplevelsen af ​​Irene har været en nøgtern påmindelse om, at regionen ikke er en isoleret bjergidyl uden for rækkevidden af ​​naturens raseri.

Efter sommeren giver plads til de kortere dage og efterårets festlige farver og dets blad-kiggende højdepunkter, kommer vinteren. Og det er en anden historie. Det har været kendt, at de første sne akkumuleres på højere topmøder i begyndelsen af ​​november, før jagtsæsonen overhovedet starter. Med en stor del af regionen mindst 600 meter over havets overflade er der normalt masser af sne og i en typisk vinter mindst et par nætter med temperaturer flere grader under 0 ° F (-17 ° C). Skiområderne opretholder alligevel rigelige faciliteter til snefaciliteter.

Efterhånden som februar går over til marts og saplines snor træer til hinanden, begynder der at vises huller i snedækslet. Mens nogle hvide områder har dvælet i begyndelsen af ​​maj i skyggefulde områder af topmøderne, er det i dalene alt væk ved åbningen af ​​ørredsæsonen den 1. april. Fra da til mindedagen kryber foråret gradvist op ad skråningerne lige i tide til endnu en strålende Catskill-sommer.

Læs

• Catskills: Fra vildmark til Woodstock(Alf Evers, 1982). Få regioner kan siges at have en enkelt, autoritativ historie skrevet om dem som denne magnum opus. I det væsentlige den lange (og på 700 sider, den er lang) version af historikken ovenfor, den dækker alt vigtigt, der er sket i regionen fra kolonitiden til æraen med dens skrivning. Evers, en folklorist med uddannelse, der voksede op på en gård i Ulster County, lægger særlig vægt på regionens legender og synspunkter fra dets almindelige folk. Resultatet er en multi-generationsepos, der konkurrerer med enhver science fiction eller fantasy-franchise.
• Catskill Mountain House (Roland van Zandt, 1966). Noget overhalet af omfanget af Evers 'senere arbejde var denne historie med regionens underskrift en af ​​de tidligste bestræbelser på at genopdage Catskills rige historie. Indeholder nogle af de sidste billeder taget af den ødelagte bygning, af forfatteren, før staten jævnfør den i 1965.
• Det skete i Catskills: En mundtlig historie i ordene fra busboys, Bellhops, gæster, indehavere, komikere, agenter og andre, der levede det, (Myrna Katz og Harvey Frommer, 2009). Der havde været mange bøger og erindringer skrevet om sommeren i Borscht Bælt, men indtil dette var der ikke noget reelt forsøg på at fortælle hele historien. Måske gør det ikke, men de mange stemmer fortæller en stor nok historie, som den er.
• Catskills: Dens historie og hvordan det ændrede Amerika, (Stephen M. Silverman og Raphael Silver, 2015). En slags mere kondenseret opdatering af det 21. århundrede af Evers 'arbejde på blankt papir med masser af illustrationer.
• Making Mountains: New York City og Catskills, (David Stradlin, 2007) En historie om Catskills, der fokuserer på den måde, regionen er blevet udtænkt og ændret over to århundreder for at tjene New Yorks interesser.

Holde øje

• Filmene Fræk dans (1987), Mr. Saturday Night (1992) og En gåtur på månen (1999) blev for det meste filmet uden for regionen, men skildrer effektivt forskellige aspekter af Borscht Belt-æraen.
• Det oversete komediedrama fra 1996 Manny & Lo, med Scarlett Johansson i hovedrollen, er værd at se som en filmisk introduktion til regionen. Ikke kun er det sat i de vildere områder i Ulster og Greene amter, det blev faktisk skudt på genkendelige steder som Devil's Tombstone campingplads.

Tale

• The Gunks: Almindelig betegnelse for Shawangunk Ridge (se nedenfor), især de populære klatringsklipper mod øst nær New Paltz.
• Bjergtoppen: Lokal betegnelse for området Tannersville – Haines Falls i Greene County, ikke fordi det er på en faktisk bjergtop, men snarere fra at være en af ​​de højest beliggende bygder i staten (Tannersville er New Yorks højest inkorporerede kommune; Haines Falls er dens anden- højeste landsby efter Southern Tier-samfundet Knapp Creek).
• Hurtigvej: Ældre betegnelse for rute 17, fra det oprindelige navn i planlægningsfasen. Begyndte at droppe fra brug allerede før konvertering til I-86.
• Shawangunk: Ryggen, byen og åen udtages som stavet af besøgende, men SHONG-tyggegummi af lokalbefolkningen.
• Catskills: En region i staten New York, der ligger mellem Hudson Valley mod syd og øst, Leatherstocking-regionen mod nord, det sydlige niveau mod vest og Pennsylvania mod sydvest. Se kort for mere information.
• Vandskabet: (specifikt Catskills / Delaware vandskel) det område af staten New York, hvis floder og vandløb løber ud i Cannonsville, Pepacton, Neversink, Schoharie og Ashokan Reserviors. Se kort^{[dødt link]} for mere information.
• Den blå linje: de offentlige og private lande, der består af Catskill Forest Preserve. Mens privatejede arealer inden for dette områdes grænser er underlagt streng miljøregulering, kan det samme siges om vandskeljorden, der ikke er inden for grænserne. Offentligt land inden for den blå linje er udpeget som 'evigt vildt' i henhold til statens forfatning. Se kort for mere information.
• Jernbanestien: officielt kendt som Catskill Scenic Trail, følger den tidligere retningsvej for Delaware og Ulster Railroad i 26 miles gennem smukke landskaber i Delaware County.
• DEC: udtalt 'Dee Eee See' New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, der stiller to politistyrker til rådighed for at beskytte miljøet, Forest Rangers og DEC Police. Nogle klager muligvis om DEC, idet de er en myndighed. Imidlertid sætter de fleste beboere og besøgende i New York pris på det arbejde, de udfører.
• DEP: udtalt 'Dee Eee Pee'. Det tredje miljøhåndhævende organ i regionen er DEP-politiet (ikke det samme som DEC), idet de rent faktisk arbejder for byen New York og patruljerer reservoirerne.

Hop ind

Med fly

Der er ingen større lufthavne i Catskills selv. De to, der bedst tjener regionen, ligger sydøst og nordøst.

• Stewart International Airport1180 First St, New Windsor, 1 845 564-2100. Newburghs lufthavn er godt placeret tæt på New York State Thruway og Interstate 84. Det er et fremragende sted at ankomme, hvis din destination inden for Catskills ligger sydpå, såsom Sullivan eller Ulster County.
• Albany International Airport, 737 Albany-Shaker Rd, Albany, 1 518 242-2200. Lufthavnen at flyve ind i, hvis du er på vej mod de nordlige Catskills, især Greene County.
• For private fly (inklusive jetfly) er den bedste mulighed i regionen Sullivan County International Airporti Bethel, en kort afstand fra amtssædet i Monticello.

Med tog

Der er ingen passagertog direkte til Catskills. Rhinecliff og Hudson stationer Amtraks Empire Service-linjen langs Hudson-floden svarer til flodkrydsningerne tættest på Catskills, og der kan foretages busforbindelser. Amtrak betjener også Poughkeepsie, som har flest busforbindelser, men hvis du kommer til den station inden for New York-området, skal du bruge Metro-Nord^{[tidligere dødt link]} at komme derhen i stedet.

Med bus

Adirondack Trailways tilbyder to ruter over hele regionen fra sin vest-for-Hudson linje. Den ene følger rute 28 vest til Pine Hill, Belleayre Mountain og videre fra Kingston. Den anden fra Saugerties følger ruter 23A og 23 over Greene County med stop i Tannersville, Hunter og Stamford. Begge linjer når til sidst Oneonta, hvor overførsel også er tilgængelig fra Trailways service langs Interstate 88-korridoren.

Med bil

New York State Thruway (Interstate 87), en delt vejvej, er den primære rute til Catskill-regionen for besøgende, der kommer fra syd og sydøst (dvs. New York City og dens forstæder).

• Catskills-region udgang 16 til 21: Som skiltene langs motorvejen oplyser dig, betjener afkørslerne 16–21, cirka 72–185 km fra byen, Catskills. Afgiften for denne afstand varierer fra $ 2,50-5,20 med rabatter til rådighed for brugere af EZPass elektroniske betalingssystem. Hvilken udgang du vil tage afhænger af, hvor i Catskills du er på vej.
• Afkørsel 16 - Harriman - US Route 6 - NY Route 17 (Future I-86): rejsende til Catskills bør beslutte i god tid før Harriman-afgangen, om de skal forlade Thruway eller ej på dette tidspunkt. Dette er et meget travlt område, og som du vil se, er NY Route 17 (I-86) omgivet af mega-indkøbscentre herfra til Middletown NY. Ikke et sted at tage rejsebeslutninger. Rejsende til Sullivan County og det vestlige Delaware County (Roscoe, Hancock, Depositum) skal forlade Thruway kl. 16.
• Afkørsel 18 - New Paltz - Poughkeepsie - NY Route 299: se nedenunder.
• Afkørsel 19 - Kingston - Rute 28 - Rhinecliff Bridge: Den mest bekvemme motorvej til de centrale Catskills, New York State Route 28, begynder ved Kingston. Når du er kommet ud af Thruway ved afkørsel 19, bærer du lige ind i trafikcirklen og ser Catskill Park velkomstskilt, før du krydser Thruway. Lad ikke bilforhandlerne og restauranterne lige ud over overgangen skuffe dig.

Forude ligger en 50 km kørsel op ad Esopus Creek-dalen, der bare bliver mere og mere malerisk, når du går, og fører dig forbi New York Citys Ashokan-reservoir til landsbyen Fønikien, den største bosættelse i korridoren, pænt genoprettet fra de oversvømmelser, der hærgede det efter Irene. Efter at du fortsætter forbi Shandaken og Big Indian, klatrer vejen næsten 2.000 fod (600 m) i en jævn 3 km lang strækning forbi Pine Hill til skillet mellem Hudson og Delaware-vandområderne (også Ulster – Delaware amtslinjen ) og indgangen til Belleayre Ski Centre. Udover fortsætter den til Margaretville, Delhi og byen Oneonta ved Interstate 88, inden den går nordpå til Cooperstown og Adirondacks.

• Afkørsel 20 - Saugerties - Woodstock - Rute 32: Fra afkørsel 20 i Saugerties skal du følge New York State Route 32 et par miles nord, og hold derefter venstre på den korte New York State Route 32A til Palenville, hvor det ender kl New York State Route 23A. Umiddelbart efter kursen mod vest begynder du den naturskønne klatring af Kaaterskill Clove. Nederst er Kaaterskill Creek med sine mange vandfald og klipper, hvor det vil være let at finde populære svømmehuller i dejlige sommerweekender. På begge sider er de høje klipper i denne pause i Catskill Escarpment. Nær toppen af ​​stigningen er den korte vandretur til Kaaterskill Falls, populær på trods af den farlige gåtur langs motorvejen, der kræves for at nå trailhead. Når du er udjævnet, er du på vej mod Haines Falls, Tannersville og Hunter, med det spektakulære Devil's Path-område mod syd.
• Afkørsel 21 - Catskill - Kairo - NY Rute 23: Afkørsel 21 er ikke kun den sidste Catskills-udgang, det er Catskill-afgangen - bogstaveligt talt. Escarpment og de høje toppe i Blackhead Range, Catskills 'tredje, fjerde og femte højeste bjerge, væv ud til siden af ​​Thruway. Her New York State Route 23 gør en langsom stigning op ad den nordlige side af Escarpment, forbi Five State Lookout (som lever op til sin fakturering på klare nok dage), til Windham, hjemsted for et andet populært skiområde med det samme navn. Mod vest fortsætter den langs Schoharie Creek til oversvømmelsesbeskadiget Prattsville og derefter til de fjerntliggende Delaware County-samfund Grand Gorge og Stamford, inden den møder Route 28 uden for Oneonta.
• Afkørsel 18 - New Paltz - Poughkeepsie - NY Rute 299: Den nye Paltz-udgang er af en grund anført i numerisk rækkefølge: den kommer med en forsigtighed. De fleste rejsende til Catskills rådes bedst til at fortsætte nordpå på Thruway endnu en afkørsel (19) og bruge rute 28 for at få adgang til regionen. Imidlertid kan frygtløse rejsende måske prøve Bagruten via Rondout Reservior - Claryville - Frost Valley - Slide Mountain - Big Indian. På Big Indian kan man tilslutte sig rute 28 igen.

Der er to sektioner til denne rejse:

Først er kørslen fra Thruway ved afkørsel 18 / New Paltz til Village of Napanoch (på US Route 209, 3 miles nord for Ellenville) via Minnewaska State Park.

Den anden halvdel af rejsen begynder i landsbyen Napanoch ved krydset mellem US Route 209 og Ulster County Route 55. I sidste ende fører den gennem Claryville, forbi Slide Mountain og videre til Big Indian i Ulster County, NY og State Route 28.

Denne rute kan være en destination i sig selv. Der er mange vidunderlige Catskill vandrestier langs denne rute. FLT's østlige terminal ligger i det ikke engang en landsby-sted, der hedder Dennning. FLT begynder (slutter?) Ved Long Path, og lige nord for Claryville på Ulster County Route 47 er Frost Valley, og lige nord for det er Slide Mountain, den førende trofæhøjde i Catskills.

Se et kort - og tag det med dig - for flere detaljer om denne rute. Mens du er i Claryville, skal du stoppe ved Country Deli, som er ren, moderne og serverer fremragende mad. Denne rejse dækker noget fjerntliggende område, så sørg for, at din brændstoftank mindst har en 3/4 tank.

New York State Route 17: er en motorvej i færd med at blive konverteret til Interstate 86.

• NY State Route 17 fra sydøst: Rute 17 begynder sin vestlige rejse ved Thruway Exit 16 i Harriman. I sine tidlige år blev det kaldt Hurtigvej, for den hurtige tur, det tilbød til de mange resorts i Sullivan County og fiskepladserne i Beaver Kill og Upper Delaware-systemet.
• NY State Route 17 fra nordvest: er også den eneste motorvej, der fører til Catskills fra deres vest; den meget naturskønne rute fra den retning begynder fra Interstate 81 lige syd for Binghamton og tager dig langs Delawares øvre grene og derefter Beaver Kill, som normalt er godt fisket i sæsonen, på vej til Sullivan County.
• NY State Route 17 i Delaware County: Omkring en time og femten minutter nord for Thruway / Route 17-udvekslingen i Woodbury (og lidt over to timer fra Bronx) ligger landsbyen Roscoe, NY. På dette tidspunkt og de næste 35 kilometer nordgående giver motorvejen ikke kun sydlig adgang til Catskills (som den siden har krydset Shawangunk Ridge), men den er nu virkelig inden for Catskills med al sin naturskønne skønhed .
• Landsbyen Roscoe, i Delaware County, er hjemsted for Roscoe Diner, som er et vartegn i sig selv. Rute 206 begynder i Roscoe og går generelt nordvest gennem Delaware County og videre til Greene, NY og derefter til Whitney Point, NY ved Interstate 81. Rute 206 er adgangsvejen til de roligste byer (Downsville, Walton, Masonville, Franklin ) i det roligste amt (Delaware County), som Catskills har at tilbyde.
• Fredag ​​aften: Hvis dine planer fører dig til Catskills på en fredag, kan du overveje at komme tættere på aftenen, da mange af dem, der er på vej mod bjergene, er ortodokse jøder, der forlader byen tidligt for at ankomme før solnedgang og holde sabbatten; vejene kan være lidt klarere efter mørkets frembrud. Route 17 can be crowded on Fridays and Sundays during the summer months, especially around the junction with the NYS Thruway, due to the proximity of the neighboring Woodbury Commons outlet mall.

Interstate 88: spans the 140 mile distance form Albany NY to Binghamton NY, with Oneonta NY roughly the half-way point between these two cities. This modern, limited access, divided, non-toll road does not enter the Catskills at any point, but it is worth listing this road as an important contributor to access by car into the Catskills.

• Exit 23 (Schoharie): New York State Route 30 (actually 30A for 1 mile) proceeds south from Interstate 88 for 35 miles until the village of Stamford, and the midpoint of the Catskill Rail Tail.
• Exit 15 (Oneonta): New York State Route 28 proceeds south from Interstate 88 for 21 miles until the village of Delhi, the county seat of Delaware County, the westernmost county of the Catskills.
• Exit 10 (Sidney) Delaware County Route 8 proceeds south from Interstate 88 for 6 miles until the crossroads of Masonville, NY. Within a mile or two of the blinking light at Masonville are several access points to the Finger Lakes Trail and four state forest areas: Beals Pond, Arctic China, Steam Mill and Barbour Brook State Forests. These lands are the absolute westernmost hiking and hunting lands of the Catskills region, and seem like an 'undiscovered land' to the few visitors to the area.

Komme omkring

På cykel

Some of the state routes through and within the region are also designated as bike routes. In addition, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is considering formally allowing mountain bikers to use some unpaved roads within the Forest Preserve areas, which would make some shortcuts possible.

• Catskill Scenic Trail: AKA 'The Rail Trail' is a 26 mile multi-use trail (hiking, jogging, biking, horseback riding, skiing and snowshoeing) that follows along the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad right of way in Delaware County. The trail runs alongside NYS routes 10, 23 and 30, through the hamlets of Bloomville, South Kortright, Hobart, Stamford, Grand Gorge and Roxbury. Access points which include dedicated parking are available at Bloomville and Stamford. The trail does cross roads at various points, caution should be exercised at these crossings.
• Se To Do section below for more biking information.

Med bus

• Mens Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) serves primarily the more populous eastern half of the county, it has lines to Ellenville and Belleayre.
• Greene County's Rip van Winkle Express Bus service^{[dødt link]} mainly connects outlying areas, including some in the mountains, with Catskill, the county seat. Service is limited.

Med bil

Several ways to enter the Catskills, as alternatives to the main routes include:

• New York State Route 213 is a roundabout back road from Kingston to the Ashokan Reservoir. If you've got more time than you need get between them along Route 28, consider following Route 213 down Rondout Creek, past the bed of the old Delaware and Hudson Canal, through the picturesque hamlets of Rosendale, High Falls and Stone Ridge. From there Route 213 plunges through dense woods to drop you off just in front of the reservoir's main spillway, now closed to cars but not pedestrians.
• Ulster County Route 47 is described in the section above (see Thruway Exit 18/New Paltz) as part of a 'back route' that originates in New Paltz and winds its way to Big Indian on Route 28 in Ulster County. This route is not a casual drive or for people who get lost easily.

Roads that traverse the more mountainous area of the Catskills include:

• New York State Route 42: the northern segment of this road goes through the dramatic Deep Notch between Halcott and Sherrill mountains, both major peaks of the range, shortly after leaving Route 28 at Big Indian. It then descends past West Kill, following the creek of that name to Schoharie Creek at Lexington, where it connects to Route 23A.
• New York State Route 214: probably the most-used Catskills interior route, New York State Route 214 follows Stony Clove Creek up from Route 28 at Phoenicia through Stony Clove Notch, the pass between Plateau and Hunter mountains pictured at the top of this page. North of there it connects to Route 23A between Hunter and Tannersville.
• New York State Route 296: just west of Hunter, New York State Route 296 climbs north from 23A, offering some beautiful views of Hunter and Rusk mountains in the rear view mirror. It continues to Route 23 at Hensonville.

In Delaware County, try exploring the roads surrounding the two main reservoirs, the Cannonsville and the Pepacton. These roads are actually owned and maintained by the City of New York, and travel through the pristine landscape responsible for supplying NYC with drinking water.

• New York State Route 10 is a beautiful drive, beginning just north of Deposit, heading west past the Cannonsville, it continues on through the villages of Walton, Delhi and Stamford, before heading north and out of the county. Along the way is provides access to the Catskill Rail Trail at Bloomville, Hobart and Stamford.
• New York State Route 30 begins at the interchange with NY Route 17 (Future I-86) in the Town of Hancock, and follows the East Branch Delaware River to Downsville. East of Downsville, NY 30 runs along the south side of the Pepacton Reservoir and briefly overlaps NY 28 in Margaretville. Fom Margaretville, it heads north east to Roxbury, where the tracks of the Delaware and Ulster can be seen at several places near the river. From Roxbury, NY 30 travels up to the headwaters area of the East Branch, and crosses a narrow gap in the hills, into the hamlet of Grand Gorge, where it intersects NY 23. From there, it heads north out of the region and on to Interstate 88 in Schoharie.

Til fods

As with most large mountainous regions, there have been efforts to link hiking trails into a long-distance network. So far, there have been two that allow long-distance multi-day hikes in the Catskills:

• The 558-mile (897 km) Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) begins its trip to that region at a trail junction in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area, near the headwaters of the Neversink River. From there it heads west, following white blazes past the Balsam Lake Mountain firetower and Pepacton Reservoir, through Sullivan and Delaware counties.
• The eastern terminus of the Finger Lakes Trail is the junction with the Long Path, a 347-mile (560 km) trail from the George Washington Bridge to the Schenectady area. Most of the trail in the Catskills has been taken off the road; the one section where a road walk is still required passes close by the hamlet of Phoenicia. Highlights include Slide Mountain, much of the challenging Devil's Path range, and the North-South Lake area. Generally it follows existing trails on state land; when on roads or private property it follows the same aqua blazes as the rest of its route.

Med jernbane

Although it is primarily a tourist heritage line, the Catskill Mountain Railroad, serves some short-range transportation needs along the Route 28 corridor, most notably for tubers on the stretch of Esopus Creek below Phoenicia. It has recovered from severe damage inflicted by Hurricane Irene; there have been plans to connect its Kingston segment with that one using the old Ulster and Delaware tracks although those have faced strong local opposition from proponents of a rail trail.

Se

• 42.2015-74.05731 North-South Lake, County Route 18, Haines Falls (NE of Haines Falls along North Lake Road), ☏ 1 518 589-5058, ✉[email protected]. 24. An excellent all-around introduction to the Catskills for either day or overnight. Fish, boat and swim in the lakes, or hike the extensive trail system to the ruins of the Catskill Mountain House and the views it made famous. $22 for camping permits; less for day use. 
• 42.0502-74.03152 Opus 40, 50 Fite Road, Saugerties (Off Glasco Turnpike between Mt. Marion and NY 212), ☏ 1 845 246-3400. Thursdays through Sundays and holiday Mondays 11AM-5:30PM. A splendid sculpture garden listed on the National Register of Historic Places, carved out of an old quarry, with spectacular views complementing the art $10 adult, $7 students and seniors, $3 children 6-12, under 6 free, no dogs. 
• Franklin Stage Company: on Institute Street, Village of Franklin (northwestern Delaware County) Founded in 1996, the Franklin Stage Company is dedicated to the production of classic and new plays that unsettle, provoke, and entertain. Franklin Stage Company’s joint mission is to produce admission-free world class theatre in our rural area of the western Catskills while preserving our magnificent home, Chapel Hall. There is a restaurant on Main Street in Franklin that is usually open on show nights.

Gør

Fiskeri

Rivers like the Willowemoc and the Beaverkill are famous for their brown trout, particularly in the spring and fall when the weather is cool. Three streams in Sullivan and Delaware Counties — the Neversink, the West Branch of the Delaware and the East Branch — are tailwaters (released from reservoir impoundments) whose temperatures stay cool and fish-favorable all summer.

• Trout Town, USA: also occasionally known as Roscoe, N.Y. This village, located directly on Route 17 (exit 94) has more fishing-themed business than can be mentioned here.
• Al's: just downstream of the Pepacton Reservior dam in Downsville, NY at the junction of New York State Route 30 and New York State Route 206, Al has a motel, sporting goods shop and canoe rental.
• 41.92684-74.842261 Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, 1031 Old Route 17, Livingston Manor, NY (2 mi west on Old Route 17 from Exit 96 on NY 17), ☏ 1 845-439-4810, fax: 1 845-439-3387, ✉[email protected]. Apr-Oct: daily 10AM–4PM; Nov-Mar: Tu-Sa 10AM–4PM. Located on the banks of Willowemoc Creek, this is an excellent introduction to the region's historic trout streams for both the experienced angler and the novice who'd like to give it a try. Childrens environmental education classes $90 once a summer. 
• Living off the land: If you or a friend have been fly-fishing and have caught a trout large enough to consider actually keeping it instead of releasing it as is the custom (and indeed the law in some areas), nothing tastes better than eating it fresh around a campfire, prepared by someone who knows how to cook it.

Vandreture

The following organizations are worth taking a look into as prep for hiking in the Catskills:

• 3500 Club: The Catskill Mountain 3500 Club, a group of hikers who have climbed all 35 peaks in the range above that elevation, whether trailed or trail-less, as well as a select group of four peaks in winter (and many have climbed all 35 in winter, as well), is the hiking club with the most specific focus on the Catskills. It schedules regular weekend hikes, most but not all on those 35 peaks.
• NY/NJ Trail Conference: If you'd prefer to explore the mountains and trails on your own, the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference produces the standard maps of the region. These maps are a printed on a highly durable, waterproof material and are impeccably detailed. They are a must-have for any hike in the Catskills.
• Finger Lakes Trail Conference: produces excellent paper maps of the entire FLT trail system and has an on-line interactive map on its internet side.
• Other outdoors organizations that organize group hikes in the Catskills are the North Jersey-New York chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club and several chapters of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

Some of the most popular – and more demanding – hikes worth mentioning here:

• Slide Mountain: at 4,200 ft, it is the highest peak in the Catskills, located in the Town of Shandaken, Ulster County, NY. Trailhead parking on Ulster County Route 47, approximately 9.5 miles south of New York State Route 28 in Big Indian, NY. Not a particularly risky hike on its own, due to the fact that much of the route is an old access road for the (no longer extant) fire tower, however it is physically demanding nonetheless. The risker portion of the trail begins after the summit, on the down-slope towards Cornell Mountain. Wooden ladders have been installed on the rocky slopes, and if one looks out from these ladders, they can feel as if they are nearly hanging in mid-air. Combining the climb to Slide Mountain with the Cornell/Wittenberg route to Woodland Valley (or the reverse) is an impressive, two-car, multi-day undertaking.
  

  Trail to Slide Mountain
• Escarpment Trail: 24 miles of rugged, rocky and at several points dangerous terrain, running generally north/south along the Catskill Escarpment – the huge wall of a mountain overlooking the Hudson Valley of the northeast Catskills. A sample section of the trail can be experienced at the North-South Lake area, accessed via County Route 18, Haines Falls, NY. The entire trail requires three days and two cars.
• Devil's Path: 25 miles of hell. One of the most popular trails in the Catskills, featuring 18,000 feet of elevation change over its length. Consistently featured in hiking magazine articles entitled 'The Five (or Ten) Most Dangerous Hiking Trails in the (State, United States, World, Solar System, etc.) This trail is laid out so that there are quite a number of day trip loops that utilize this trail as part of the loop, but return the hiker to the same parking area at the end. Dogs and children should be left at home for the eastern section (Jimmy Dolan area to Route 214) however the western (Route 214 to Spruceton) section is not much more risky than other trails in the area.
• Hunter Mountain: at 4,040 feet, the second highest peak in the Catskills, with the western approach trailhead located at the east end of Spruceton Road, Spruceton, NY. Hunter Mountain is similar to Slide Mountain in that the trails (the western approach from from Spruceton) utilize old roads to create a scenic, quite physically demanding but not particularly dangerous hike. There is a firetower at the top of Hunter, and during the summer, there may be an interpretive guide – who spends nights in the nearby cabin – to welcome you to the top of the mountain. An interesting – and otherworldly – experience is to take the Colonel's Chair side trail down to the tops of the Hunter Mountain ski area, which is virtually abandoned during the summer. Be careful navigating as you approach the main ski slopes, there is a network of side trails up here that are not well marked.

Less demanding – and possibly kid-friendly – hiking ideas:

• Shavertown Trail: Located in the town of Andes, the Shavertown trail offers families and novice hikers a unique opportunity in the Catskills – a spectacular view after only one moderately strenuous mile, followed by a fairly level mile and a half through beautiful rock ledges and wonderful forest to explore. The trailhead is on County Route 1, about a tenth of a mile north of the intersection of Route 30 and County Route 1 in Andes. Park at the parking lot by the bridge.
• North/South Lake: check with the Forest Rangers so you can avoid the challenging adult-only trails that begin in this area, and otherwise you will have a kid friendly vacation, including gentle hiking trails, a swimming area and a campground.
• Catskill Scenic Trail: see the Getting Around (Bicycle) section above. With children, take extra caution at the several road crossings along the route. Take a break along the trail in the Villages of Hobart and Stamford particularly.
• Balsam Lake Mountain and Fire Tower Trail: is a moderately demanding, and relatively safe trail, in that it follows a wide footpath that is actually still listed as a non-maintained road in the Town of Hardenburg in Ulster County. Begin at Dry Brook Road and State Route 28 the Village of Arkville, Delaware County. Take Dry Brook Road south for 6 miles, make a right (heading west) onto Mill Brook Road, (there is a barn sitting in the middle of the intersection) and then after 2 miles on (a very winding) Mill Brook Road, the trailhead parking will be on your right. The actual trail is across the road from the parking area. The fire tower is attended on summer weekends, there is a nice DEC cabin nearby in which a husband-and-wife team lives for a day or two at a time giving tours of the tower.
• Kelly Hollow: an idyllic setting, including waterfalls, a beaver pond, foot bridges, and two campsites, Kelly Hollow is also located on Mill Brook Road, 6 miles west of the intersection with Dry Brook Road. Stay on the trail when hiking on the hills above the river. A very brief road walk completes a lovely loop hike.
• Western Catskills (Cherry Ridge Wild Forest): For hikers who would prefer to explore the woods in relative solitude, while much less spectacular than the eastern or northern Catskills, the 17 trails in the area south of the Pepacton Reservior (in the towns of Colchester and Andes) are the 'road less traveled.' Wonderful hikes for the family in the western Catskills include:
  • Trout Pond/Mud Pond: in the far southwest corner of the Catskills, near the intersection of Morton Hill Road and Russell Brook Road in the Town of Colchester. Take New York State Route 17 to State Route 206 north at exit 94 (Roscoe) Proceed north on 206 for 2½ miles, take a left onto Morton Hill Road and go another 2½ miles to the seasonal and rugged Russell Brook Road. There are loop trails, two lakes, and several campsites. This place fills up on busy weekends.
  • Huggins Lake: on Holliday and Berry Brook Road in the town of Andes, roughly half way between the Beaverkill Campground in Sullivan County, and State Route 30 at the Pepacton Reservoir in Andes. This gentle, less than 2 mile hike ends at a lovely, very remote lake, that has an old canoe laying around, left there by the DEC for your use. They did not leave any life vests around, so an adult should accompany children on any boat rides.

The western Catskills (Cherry Ridge area) is easily accessed from NY Route 17 (Future 86) Seasonal homes are located on the many north/south roads that run from Route 17 north to the Pepacton Reseroir).

Stå på ski

There are several ski areas in the region.

• Hunter Mountain. On the range's second-highest peak in the eponymous Greene County community, is the best-known and most popular. It programs events year-round, and operates its chairlift in the summer for those who'd like to get a high-level view without the hike. 
• Belleayre Ski Center: Outside Pine Hill, in Ulster County, is state-owned Belleayre Mountain, where slopes are less challenging but prices are cheaper.
• Windham Mountain:Windham Mountain, formerly a private club near the north end of the range, comes in third. Delaware County's sole ski area is small but interesting Ski Plattekill, outside Roxbury. In Sullivan County, the very small Holiday Mountain just off NY 17 near Monticello is ideal for families on day trips.
• Platekill Mountain: located near Roxbury, NY in Delaware County, this privately-owned ski facility has ski packages during the winter months.

Mountainbiking

• Catskill Scenic Trail: see details in the Getting Around section above.
• Bear Spring Mountain Wildlife Management Area: consists of over 7,000 acres of upland habitat in Delaware County acquired by the State in 1961. It is located in the Towns of Colchester and Walton along Route 206. This multi-use area is open to hiking, biking, horseback riding, and many other outdoor recreation pursuits. Restrictions include swimming and camping only at designated areas, and a prohibition of building any structures, such as the jumps built to enhance the biking experience. Ample parking (and trail maps at the kiosk) in a spacious lot off of Route 206 on the mountaintop between Walton and Downsville villages.

Trails for beginner and experienced mountain bike riders are available and well marked. Cautions include sharing trails with horseback riders, and the fact that the roads in the park are open to traffic using the park as a short-cut to remote communities.

• Homer Folks State Forest: located just north of the City of Oneonta, while not in the Catskills region per se, this network of trails is the premier location in a town that is becoming a mountain biking destination. The trailhead kiosk is located at the upper parking lot of the Homer Folks State Facility, which was a state hospital in the 1930s through 1970s. Take West Street past the State University, make a left onto Homer Folks Avenue, past Job Corps, and make another left onto Hill Street. Park as far from the Hill Building at the end of the road as you can, this one-lane parking lot is busier that it seems. The trail are off to your right as you approach the Hill Building.

On these trails, you will pass the City of Oneonta water tanks, and eventually approach Hartwick College property. Call the number on the signs and speak to security if you wish to continue onto Hartwick property. The cliffs at Table Rock are worth the extra effort.

While in Oneonta, there are sporting goods stores both large and small, and a four-block-long urban pub/restaurant scene on Main Street.

• Platekill Mountain: near Roxbury, NY in Delaware County, this privately-owned ski facility has mountain biking packages during the summer months.

River riding

• Upper Esopus Creek: the river experience of the Esopus Creek begins at the small path behind the cemetery in the hamlet of Shandaken, NY which is located on State Route 28, approximately 30 miles northwest of the New York State Thruway at Kingston.

River adventurers riding in inflatable boats should be aware that there are large chucks of either conglomerate rock or actual concrete that can rip open the bottom of the boat. These hazards are located just past the put-in point.

There have been many naturally occurring changes in the river, including tree-falls and washed-out riverbanks that have made river-riding dangerous. Fortunately, they have been repaired, but since history is an indicator of future events, it could happen again. Most dramatically, sections of track from the former Delaware and Ulster Rail Road, which closely parallels the river (as does Route 28) have draped into the river as a result of wash-outs of the track bed. Again, these have been repaired, but the lesson is that rivers are ever-changing creatures.

Lade være med put-in at the Shandaken Tunnel, also known as the Portal, or the Chute. The water in the Chute is exiting the 18 mile-long tunnel, coming from the Schoharie Reservoir, on its way to the Ashokan Reservoir. It exits the tunnel with furious force. Fatalities occur here at a distressingly frequent rate.

Spise

The eastern Catskills have as their lifeblood the dollars brought into the region by skiers, hunters, anglers and other tourists. Therefore, in the villages of Hunter, Windham, Woodstock and Tannersville, there is an ample supply of excellent restaurants. A walk down Main Street in each of these villages will yield the opportunity to dine in a different location each night, and yield no disappointments.

The same cannot be said as you travel west, however.

As it turns out, the western Catskills, while arguably even more picturesque than the east, have lower mountains – they are hills, really – and between those hills are valleys of rich soil and gentle rivers. And that means farming. Lots of it.

People make their homes in the western Catskills. Delaware County may have the lowest population of any county in New York south of the Adiraondacks, but these are real, hardworking people. At best, you may get a slight wave from them on a quiet county road.

But you are not going to get them to open a restaurant, not just for you.

Take a ride west, into farm country, and take a village by village look at where you may want to stop in to eat:

• Shokan: Still in the eastern part of the Catskills, many tourists and residents alike utilize Route 28 as an entryway to the Catskills area. Purely a utilitarian stop, Olive's County Store in Shokan on State Route 28, 12 miles from the Thruway, is a decent place to refuel your vehicle and yourself. A country store with some basic camping supplies is attached to the deli area. Just down the road (Route 28, west) is the Reservoir Delicatessen. Update February 2020: Olive's General Store has hired new cooks, the food (at least the deli sandwiches) are downstate New York quality, and huge.
• Phoenecia: Heading west on Route 28, Phoenecia seems to be an epicenter of something called the 'Hipster Treatment.' To a local, that sounds like a hot bath for a sore upper leg. There are a number of great places here, but they are all a bit pricey and seem to take advantage of the tourist crowd. There are few local food specialties, but one you may want to try to is fresh maple syrup, after the sap season in late February. You can easily buy some to take home with you, although it costs more than it would at a supermarket. Det Phoenicia Diner seems to always be packed, but just east of there is a small strip-mall with a few excellent and less-traveled restaurants.
• Claryville: Another entry route into the Castkills, Ulster County Route 47, will take you through through some impressively rugged terrain. Most people have no idea where Claryville is, but if you find yourself near Claryville (this is a beautiful wilderness area with spectacular hiking on the FLT, Long Path and Slide Mountain, to name a few), you will be wondering if there is any place out here to get food – other than trail mix – in the middle of nowhere. Yes, the Claryville Country Store and Deli is an excellent, clean place. Be warned: there is no gas station anywhere around.
• Roscoe: people who collect bumper stickers to commemorate their travel experiences used to consider a 'Meet Me at the Roscoe Diner' bumper sticker a must-have. There have not been bumper stickers in a while, but the diner is surely there, serving as a stalwart landmark along a Catkills (and Finger Lakes Region) adventure. Roscoe is located at exit 94 on State Highway 17 (AKA Future Interstate 86).
• Downsville: because fishermen eat fish (one would suppose) and Downsville is a fishing town, there are only a few options here, but they are quite good. Located on Route 206 in Downsville (which is between Roscoe and Walton) the Downsville Diner (excellent breakfast) seems like a perfect location to film a movie that takes place in a diner, and the Old Schoolhouse Inn, besides being in a beautiful building, has juicy steaks and burgers.
• Margaretville: is a solid half-hour past Phoenecia on State Route 28. Margaretville is well within Delaware County, but is not immune from tourist-dollar lust. The village has recovered from the devastating floods of 2011 and has remade itself into an upscale village serving as kind of an entrance way to Delaware County. There are two restaurants on Main Street open until 9PM, and then there's the Bun-N-Cone... oh, the Bun-N-Cone. Children will insist on eating here at least once each trip. Avoid anything with faux Italian sauce on it, unless you have several bottles of antacids with you.
• Delhi: the county seat of Delaware County, home to a state technical college. There are some very good dinner options here, despite its small-town appearance. Some of the places close early (Delhi Diner, 7:30 am to 1:30PM), some are open until 9PM and the Shire Pub is open until midnight. Just down the road (west on Main Street, past the entrance to the college, turn left after Pizza Hut) is a strip mall with a full size drugstore, huge supermarket and Cugino's Pizzeria.
• Andes: was not much more than a crossroads and a blinking light until a few years ago, now some want to crown it the Brooklyn of the North. Whatever. Being home to dozens of antique stores (you can't eat old furniture) the Andes Hotel is pretty much your only option. Luckily it is a busy, fun place, with a restaurant, bar, motel out back, and an occasional live act entertainment now and then.
• Bovina: used to be a village that was not even on the map. And that was a map of Bovina. Today they have a whopping one general store, a restaurant/café, and a rustic hotel that serves gourmet food one night a week (Saturday). The real estate in Bovina sells for Long Island or Westchester County prices, so they must be doing something right over there.

In the village of Bovina Center (Delaware County Route 6 – two miles east of State Route 28) is Russell's General Store^{[dødt link]}, which has been there since before any of us were born. The Mountain Brook Inn three miles down County Route 6 is the rustic hotel with gourmet food. Oh, and Russell's is available as a movie location. It's also a must-see country place that pretty much defines rural Delaware County in one building.

• Franklin: if Norman Rockwell were still around, he would have moved to Franklin. A two-block by four-block village as small town America as it gets. Franklin is a dry town (for alcohol, not humor) but the Quickway gas station sells beer. The Tulip and The Rose has Middle Eastern food with the ingredients raised on a nearby farm. Open weekends only (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).
• Walton: is a distinctly down-market dining experience, unless eating in gas stations with tables is your thing. However, there is one really good down-home type diner on Main Street (T A's Place, 249 Delaware Street) near the cheese factory (that's not an attraction, it's a real cheese factory) and one across Main Street (Gramma D's, 192 Delaware Street) that serves Italian food. But hey, you can always see the Region's Largest Walk-in Beer Cooler (seriously) to make up for the otherwise lack of culture in this town.
• Hambletville: is not a town, village, or even a crossroads. Located very roughly halfway between Deposit and Masonville on County Route 8 in Delaware County, right off to the side of the road, is a huge ice cream cone about the size of an SUV. After a small gravel parking lot, there is a small building with pictures of all kinds of delicious treats above the little window. And the nearest place name on the map to there is Hambletville. Everyone calls it 'The Ice Cream Cone.' Wherever it actually is, there is nothing else around for miles but forest and farms, and in summer, the parking lot is always packed. Presumably, they sell ice cream there. Worth a try.
• Oneonta: While they're not in the Castkills, and somewhat out of the way from the area, visitors may want to stop by any of the various excellent restaurants in the City of Oneonta, in southern Otsego County. Try Nina's, Alfresco's, Fiesta Mexican, Simply Thai, or the Jambalaya place, all on Main Street.

Oneonta is also home to a number of those places where you point to the picture of the food you want, and the lady shouts something to the guy in the back. If you are pulling an all-nighter or live in a university dorm, go for it. However for a decent sit-down meal in a clean place, China 19 is located in the strip mall behind the Recruiting station (across from the Fire Department).

Oneonta is also roughly a half-way point on a day trip from the Catskills to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall-of-Fame.

• Oneonta/Meredith - While the address is Oneonta, the location is actually on a very rural Route 28 equidistant from Oneonta, Delhi and Franklin. The Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream and More Restaurant is a mecca of 1950s-style American food and ice cream, the scene with McFly and Biff could have been filmed here.
• Sullivan County: During summer, there are many kosher restaurants open, particularly in the areas of Sullivan County that have a high seasonal Orthodox Jewish population, but they are usually quite expensive. Year round, there are plenty of restaurants selling basic food items, such as pizza, burgers, and fries.

One last piece of advice: never assume you can roll into the western Catskills late at night and find anything open, including gas or food.

Købe

• Oneonta (again, not really in the Catskills) is one of the few places in the region with a large selection of 'real' stores. Southside (Route 23) has a shopping mall (Southside Mall) and all the usual big box stores, plus Losie's Gun Shop on the far west end of the strip.
• Delhi has a Tractor Supply right on Main Street in the middle of town, and a strip mall west on Main Street (Route 10) with a huge grocery store.
• Margaretville has a sporting goods store on Main Street, and a nice grocery store on Bridge Street.
• Andes has an entire Main Street lined with antique stores.
• Hobart is known as a village filled with book stores.
• Arkville has an on-again, off-again military surplus store which sells whatever they may have in at the time.
• Between Arkville and Fleischmanns on Route 28, there is a huge home improvement store (Wadler Bros.) which also sells items (flashlights, batteries) of use to the traveler.
• I Grand Gorge, there is a surplus store with army tanks and troop transports outside, if you want to help defend against a Soviet invasion. Seriously, he also may have surplus gear and clothing that may be of interest to a hiker.

Drikke

Vand:

If you are deep enough in the woods and come across a running stream or a spring, consider using a hand-pumped water filter to drink the water. However, one should avoid drinking any unfiltered water from any source in the wild except possibly from springs that come directly from underground. These will be marked 'spring' with DEC signs (brown signs/yellow lettering).

Alcohol:

Oneonta has a decent pub scene. But please, have a designated driver, as these mountain roads are dangerous even for those who don’t partake. The State Police and the Oneonta City Police will be watching you drive out of the city.

Better yet, try the various liquor stores on Southside in Oneonta (near Hannaford's), or Main Street in Walton (across from the bank), and take the booze back to your cabin.

Pas på dig selv

Drive carefully:

• General precautions: drive cautiously on all roads in the area if you are unfamiliar with them, particularly those that are unpaved. Many of the roads in the Catskills were built to serve local farms, not visitors, so they take steep slopes and sharp turns. Should you have an accident, assistance is some distance away and will take time to arrive. Be patient: one of the most dangerous mistakes in the area is passing a slow-moving vehicle.
• Electronic devices: cellular phone coverage is not available in much of the region, except for within some (not all) of the villages (and on some of the mountaintops!). If you navigate via GPS, always second guess its ability to deliver you to your destination via the safest and most direct route. Both GPS and online mapping programs have been known to send travelers onto seasonal roads that are barely passable under the best of conditions, across bridges that were washed out in the most recent storm, and along roads that have similar names of other roads in the area.
• Winter driving: All advice contained in this section goes doubly or triply for travel in adverse weather conditions. Some dirt roads have signs noting that they are not maintained (seasonal roads) in wintertime. If your vehicle is not equipped with four-wheel drive it would be wise to consider an alternate route. Even the best highways are not immune to winter hazards; Interstate 88 has been known to get very windy and icy during the winter. In adverse winter conditions, it is best to avoid driving at all. If you absolutely cannot avoid driving, be sure to test your traction frequently by gently tapping your brakes. If you are having difficulty stopping on a level road surface, the next down-hill section of road (this is a mountainous area) will potentially be deadly.
• Summer driving: During summer, many people go into the Catskills from New York City. Some of them drive like they're still in the city, so be careful when driving. Locals from the area, familiar with the roads, have been known to tailgate slower drivers on occasion. It is usually best to pull over, if it can be done so safely, for these people.
• Heavy rainfall: Rain can also turn some of those roads into quagmires. Paved roads are by no means immune, especially if they travel alongside rivers or if they travel through narrow gaps between mountains. NY 268 (Hancock to Cannonsville) has been closed for months at a time in the wake of major storms due to flooding and landslides, for instance. The rivers of the Catskills have been known to over-top their banks suddenly after a rainfall, even several days after heavy rain. Lade være med attempt to drive through standing water of any depth; several inches of water will cause your car to hydroplane, more than that may cause your car to literally float away.
• Sudden turns and curves: There are many locations throughout the Catskills in which a two-lane, paved, well-marked state and county routes can suddenly enter a very curvy section. Examples would include State Route 28 between Margaretville and Andes, and another, very heavily travelled section coming off Franklin Mountain just south of Oneonta. Many of the roads coming up the escarpment from the Hudson Valley (northeast of Woodstock) have very curvy sections. Be especially careful on Route 47 between Claryville and Slide Mountain, it is very narrow here and subject to flooding. There is a very sharp hairpin turn at the trailhead to Giant Ledge on this road as well.
• Animals: Collisions with animals, mostly deer, are quite common in the area. Most locals have someone in the family who has hit a deer with their car. Deer are usually out in the early morning and evening, but the caution should apply at all times. Honking or flashing lights will be of no use, and may serve to 'freeze' the deer right on the roadway. Better to watch one's speed, and remember that stopping distance increases exponentially with increased vehicle speed. Hitting a deer can be very dangerous; the damage can break the windshield, the deer can get caught under the vehicle, and the damage can be extensive enough that the vehicle's doors may not open. Let the tailgater behind you pass you and hit the deer instead.

Hiking:

• General precautions: Be sure to equip yourself with the proper equipment while hiking. As a general rule and at minimum, wear sturdy, waterproof hiking boots, carry plenty of water, avoid cotton garments except during the hottest months, leave plenty of time to return to the trailhead, and expect sudden changes of weather – much more so than in coastal climates. Many hikers wear trousers (not shorts) at all times in the Catskills, there is an increasing concern over ticks, and a walk through a field of stinging nettles (a plant about knee-high with tiny stinging hairs on the leaves and stems) is an unforgettable experience.
• Rugged terrain: In contrast to the conventional wisdom of the Catskills being relatively tame and safe (they are!) there are a small number of exceedingly challenging hikes (climbs, really) in the Catskills. Devil's Path is consistently listed as one of the most dangerous hikes in the nation, if not the world. What really should be said of this or any outdoor adventure is that it is potentially dangerous, in that it may be rugged and comprised of many difficult obstacles, but the hikers who travel this trail are well-educated about its hazards and prepare accordingly. Nevertheless, there are one or two fatalities a year in the Catskills, usually fall-related.
• Choose clothing wisely: Always expect, and equip for, a sudden change in weather – concerning temperature, precipitation and wind – in all seasons. A mid-weight fleece jacket, known to be water resistant (not just advertised as such) in a bright color, is the quintessential 'I'd rather have it and not need it' item that may just save your life, or at least eliminate the adjective 'miserable' from a day turned cold and rainy. Wear socks (year 'round) with a wool content as high as you can find in the store, and do not accept substitute materials other than wool. A knit cap for cold/wind and a brimmed 'boonie' hat for a light rain (or very sunny day) completes the list of must-have garments.
• Avoid wearing: Avoid non-breathing garments such as raincoats or nylon windbreakers, except for the most drenching downpour. They are much less comfortable than fleece. Beware of cotton except for the hottest days of summer; despite the resurgence of cotton flannel shirts and blue jeans among the fashion forward, no garments could be more useless on a cold rainy day, as cotton absorbs rainfall and pulls the heat away from your body.
• Planning your hike: There are excellent guide books to the Catskills that are a must-have for the frequent visitor. Interactive online maps such as those provided by the DEC are highly valuable. The New York/New Jersey Trail Conference publishes an excellent set of must-have maps.
• Other equipment: Carry enough water for the hike-in, the hike-out, and a reserve supply. Parents should carry extra water for their children, as little ones usually need more water than they are happy carrying. In mid-summer, dogs need to be accounted for as well, due to the streams drying up in July and August. Also carry a first aid kit, a small flashlight, a compass, a pocket knife, and have up-to-date maps of the trails you are hiking. A hydration backpack with a modest load carrying capacity will serve a hiker much better than a walk-to-school type of book bag. Equipment for winter hiking will not be addressed here, that is a topic unto itself.

Hunting:

• Hunting seasons: Be aware of the various hunting seasons in the Catskills, primarily deer/rifle season, which generally extends from roughly a week before Thanksgiving to several weeks after Thanksgiving. Check the DEC website for exact details. The Catskills are in the 'southern zone' according to DEC hunting season maps. Hiking during hunting season is generally not recommended, but it is not impossible, either, if one takes the proper precautions.
• Clothing for hunters and non-hunters alike: It never hurts to have an outer layer (a fleece jacket, see above) of a bright color with you in any season. During hunting season, it is mandatory for hunters, and strongly suggested for anyone in the woods at this time to wear at least one garment colored 'blaze orange.'

Animal hazards:

• Klapperslanger in a small number of locations in the Catskills (primarily near Hancock and north of Woodstock). These snakes are not much of a hazard for adults with a fair amount of situational awareness, but they could become a problem for curious children and dogs.
• Skunks and porcupines can wreak havoc for curious dogs who have not been told to keep their noses out of rock piles, caves, old logs, etc. These little but well-armed animals are defensive fighters only, and if a dog gets 'skunked' or 'porcupined', it's probably their human's fault. While a 'skunking' is extremely annoying and unpleasant, getting 'porcupined' can be deadly for a dog; the dog may not be able to drink water, and may even drool so much that it will die of hydration before the quills can be removed.

Dyr, der måske har ufortjent frygtindgydende ry blandt de uinformerede, er sortbjørn og prærieulve.

• Sort bjørn, i modsætning til deres størrelse (bare lidt større - men langt stærkere - end den største fodboldspiller) og deres udseende, er sorte bjørne de 'genert børn' i skoven og undgår et møde med mennesker, hvis det overhovedet er muligt. Hvis denne forsikring ikke er tilstrækkelig til at gøre dig komfortabel, vil du bære bølgende nøgler eller blot have en samtale mens du vandrer, og bjørnerne sendes på vej. Ingen af ​​størrelsessammenligningerne, diæt, vildskab, territorialitet, ikke noget du har hørt om grizzly eller brunbjørn gælder for sortbjørn. Den eneste farlige tid kan muligvis være, hvis du kommer ind mellem Momma og hendes unger. Enhver sund fornuft og bevidsthed fra din side forhindrer det i at ske.
• Prærieulve (som fuldvoksen er tilnærmelsesvis størrelsen på en lille-ish tysk hyrdehund) kommunikerer pakke-til-pakke omkring solnedgang via hyl, bjef eller en yipping-lyd. At være i skoven på dette tidspunkt er en spændende oplevelse, især hvis man hører ledsagende fodspor fra den nærmeste pakke. Hvad der kan virke som en hel skovfuld af dyr er normalt en familie på et halvt dusin prærieulve højst for hver pakke, pakkerne er meget spredt ud over skoven, og adskillige prærieulv i hver pakke er ofte unge prærieulve. Coyotes kostvaner består næsten udelukkende af små gnavere, bestemt ikke turister.
• Bjergløver findes ikke i Catskills, ifølge officielt offentliggjorte Department of Environmental Conservation-guider til vandreture og anden friluftsliv i New York State. Du kan dog høre historier, der begynder som sådan: "min nabos ven siger, at han så en nede i nærheden af ​​..."

Forbrydelse i Catskills-regionen tager forskellige former:

• Gadekriminalitet er generelt koncentreret i Sullivan County byer og byer langs rute 17, især Monticello, som kan blive temmelig hård, især om natten. Senrejsende til området, der kommer op via rute 17, bør vente, indtil de er kommet til Delaware County, inden de stopper for gas og forsyninger.
• Voldelig forbrydelse i Delaware County er DCJS ifølge NYS gennemsnit under en hændelse pr. år pr. kategori i de sidste fem år bortset fra groft angreb, der næsten udelukkende er slagsmål mellem personer, der er kendt af hinanden. I Ulster County ville statistikkerne være meget ens, hvis det ikke var for Kingston City. Også i Ulster County tegner landsbyen New Paltz for flere hændelser om året, da det er en festorienteret universitetsby.
• DWI er en tragedie ved at ske overalt, hvor den sker, men i Catskills er der en altid tilstedeværende risiko for under de bedste forhold at løbe fra en vej i en snoet sektion eller at have en frontkollision på en tofelts vej. DWI gør bare disse situationer værre. Hold altid øje med din hastighed og vær opmærksom på modkørende bilisters opførsel.
• Ejendomsforbrydelse er den mest udbredte type kriminalitet, primært på grund af ubeboede andet hjem.

Rejs med skydevåben:

Mange besøgende fra mere befolkede områder er ofte overrasket over forekomsten af ​​skydevåben, der bæres åbent. Der er flere arter af lille vildt, som DEC har udpeget som 'åben sæson', så vær opmærksom på, at der kan foregå noget jagt på et hvilket som helst tidspunkt af året. Enkeltpersoner, der ejer hjem eller sæsonhytter i fjerntliggende områder, kan deltage i målpraksis på deres egen jord, enhver kan gøre det på offentlige arealer. Hvis du hører skyde nær et vandresti, gør du nervøs, er det meget rimeligt at bede enkeltpersoner om at stoppe med at skyde, indtil du er godt forbi. Tag ikke følgende oplysninger som juridisk rådgivning, men en oversigt over de love og skikke, der vedrører dette emne, er værd at vide:

• Rifler og haglgeværer: New York State (undtagen New York City) har love, der vedrører lange kanoner (undtagen såkaldte 'angrebsvåben'), der ligner pro-gun-stater som Pennsylvania og Vermont. Skydevåben-relateret sport bringer et betydeligt løft til upstate-økonomien og tilskyndes aktivt og officielt. Skydevåbenet (langpistol) skal være beklædt i køretøjets bagagerum med ammunitionen i et separat tilfælde under transport. Målskydning er tilgængelig på mange små baner i hele staten eller i et skovområde med en sikker backstop. Der findes ikke jagtlicenser, der ikke er bosiddende. Der er strenge sikkerhedsregler, når du bærer en lang pistol væk, disse undervises i dybden på jægeres sikkerhedskurser.
• Håndvåben: Transporter ikke en pistol til New York State uden en New York State-pistollicens. Håndvåben i New York skal være registreret og opført på den enkeltes pistollicens. Derfor er ingen unregistrerede håndvåben tilladt i New York State (selv af en licensindehaver), og ingen kan have en pistol i New York State uden licens. New York State anerkender ikke nogen ud af statslicenser, på trods af at New Yorks licens er anerkendt i flere stater. Begrænsningerne på pistollicenser for rejsende fra downstate (Long Island og Westchester) forbliver hos dig, mens du rejser.
• Flyrejser der bor i nabolandet Vermont og bruger Albany International Airport som den nærmeste lufthavn til deres hjem er blevet arresteret af Albany County Sheriff's office ved check-in hos flyselskabet, hvis de har en pistol (og ingen NY State Handgun License) i deres indcheckede bagage.

Kultur

Nærhed til hovedstadsområdet New York City er ingen garanti for, at told importeret 'op ad Thruway' vil få øjeblikkelig accept i Catskills. Tværtimod; Catskills er hjemsted for generelt konservative, hårdtarbejdende mennesker, der har en særskilt kultur. Niveauerne af tolerance for andre kulturer og vaner, som en besøgende vil opleve og nyde i denne region, kan dog være meget højere end i mange forstæder meget tættere på byen. Accept af kulturelle forskelle (og ligheder) er altid en tovejsgade, og jo mere en besøgende er opmærksom på og accepterer, jo mere vil hans eller hendes værter også være.

Religion

Bortset fra Sullivan County er Catskills-regionen primært befolket af enkeltpersoner, der selvidentificerer sig som protestantiske kristne. Der er en meget stærk tradition for religiøs tolerance i området, og den kulturelle indflydelse fra katolikker, jøder, muslimer (og andre) opvejer langt deres relativt lille antal.

Buddhistiske tilbagetrækninger findes i mange samfund, normalt i meget landlige omgivelser, og kan identificeres ved deres mange farverige bannere.

Muslimske enklaver prikker landskabet i det vestlige Delaware County, en i Sidney Center opdrætter dyr for at give frisk mad til deres restaurant i Franklin.

Landsbyen Fleischmanns, i det sydøstlige Delaware County, er overvejende ortodokse jødiske.

Miljø

Miljømæssigt er Catskills unikke, idet de leverer størstedelen af ​​drikkevandet til en af ​​de største byer i menneskets historie. Og de gør det temmelig meget ved bare at lade det regne. Der har været en kulturel, politisk og økonomisk pris for dette, idet nogle af de mest elskede samfund i det, der nu er kendt som 'vandskel', ikke længere eksisterer og ikke har været i generationer. En besøgende kan stadig møde gammeldags, der med glæde husker deres hjem i længe forsvundne landsbyer, der blev flyttet, alt - inklusive kirkegårde - til højere grund for at bygge reservoirerne.

Besøgende i området kan også høre og blive inviteret til at engagere sig i argumenter om de foreslåede opgraderinger af energiinfrastrukturen, herunder hydrofracking, kraftledninger, elproducerende vindmøller og en naturgasrørledning. Lokale beboere har været meget splittede i disse spørgsmål.

Økonomi

Turisme er den dominerende økonomiske kraft i de østlige Catskills, mens mælkeopdræt er den dominerende kraft i de vestlige Catskills. Mejeri-landbrug former kultur; det er en 7-dages-ugers opgave, og køer går meget langsomt. Mange steder i Delaware County kan gårdsbygningerne være kun få meter væk fra en tofelts motorvej, som på rute 28 øst for Delhi. Dette kan få lokalbefolkningen til at have et kritisk øje med kørselsvanerne for alle bilister, der passerer, inklusive turister.

Landmænd på langsomtgående traktorer kan ses på alle veje undtagen adskilte motorveje, deres marker er ikke altid sammenhængende med gårdens bygninger.

For nogen, der ønsker at flytte, er huspriserne i staten generelt meget lavere (ligesom ejendomsskatter) end i forstæderne til hovedstadsregionen NYC eller selve NYC. Pensionister til området beskyldes ofte for at 'betale for darn meget' for deres drømmehus og derved hæve priserne på fast ejendom generelt.

Regionale påvirkninger

I 2015 blev femten byer i Sullivan, Delaware, Broome og Tioga amter rapporteret at se på at trække sig ud fra staten New York og tilslutte sig staten Pennsylvania: selvom de ikke gjorde det.

Der er samfund i hele New York State, hvor man kan høre den vrede, der ledsager en følelse af politisk impotens, som Albany-politik ikke er lydhør over for (udfyld din vrede her).

Hvordan dette påvirker en besøgende, er at når man forlader den velhavende Hudson Valley og nærmer sig det sydlige niveau og det centrale New York, identificerer beboere i området mindre som medlemmer af et udvidet hovedstadsområde og mere som 'simpelt landligt folk' endda muligvis Appalachian med hensyn til kultur.

Jagt og skydevåben

I det sene efterår bliver Catskills orange, ikke fra bladene, men fra hatte og veste, der bæres af jægere. Det er en tid, fire weekender kendt som 'riflesæson', hvor selv de, der er stærkt imod jagt, midlertidigt opgiver kampen og vender skoven til mænd og kvinder med våben. Kan lide det eller ej, jagt og skydevåben er meget en del af kulturen i New York.

I alle årstider er der også en stærk tradition for skydevåben, der bæres til selvforsvar. Lad være med at argumentere - selv om det er sandt - at folk er trygge i Catskill-skovene, hvis de ikke er grimme og falder på takkede klipper. Det er ikke pointen.

I 2015 udstedte hver af amtets sheriffer i Catskills-regionen åbne breve til deres pistollicenshavere, der opfordrede dem til at bære deres håndvåben som afskrækkende virkning for kriminalitet og muligvis terrorisme.

Igen er muligheden for, at det sker i et sådant fjerntliggende område, heller ikke pointen. Amerikanerne vil stadig svare på et 'kald til våben'.

Hvis du ser en lovlydig civil bære en pistol i Catskills, må du ikke lade det generer dig. Den person gør bare hvad de føler er den rigtige ting at gøre som amerikaner. Du kan være uenig, det er også din ret.

Jagtsæson for ikke-jægere

Sikkerheden / risikoen ved at komme ind i skoven i jagtperioden vil ikke blive diskuteret her, men iført en vest farvet 'blaze orange' er det en god idé at nogen som helst væk i jagtperioden, inklusive kæledyr.

Trafikveste (for folk) kan købes i ethvert Home Depot eller Lowes inden din rejse. Traktorforsyning (Oneonta, Delhi, Liberty) sælger en bred vifte af orange orange hatte og veste.

Beklædningsgenstande som f.eks Lands End Dog Squall Jacket i en lys farve er ideelle til dit kæledyr. Har som minimum hunde i en lysfarvet hundesele med en lysfarvet bandanna bundet på.

New York-statens lovgivning forbyder offentligheden med vilje at genere eller irritere (chikanere) licenserede jægere, en 'jæger' er enhver, der har et skydevåben eller en bue, en jagtlicens, og som ikke åbenlyst krypskytter eller overtræder. De behøver ikke at være aktivt involveret i jagt på det tidspunkt for at blive beskyttet af denne lov. Også beskyttede mod chikane er ubevæbnede personer, der ledsager jægeren.

Underholdning

På trods af sammenbruddet af Borscht Belt er der stadig underholdningssteder i verdensklasse i Catskills, da der er underholdere i verdensklasse. Temamusikken fra Ken Burns 'dokumentar Borgerkrigen berettiget Ashokan Farvel var ikke autentisk for den æra. Anset af sine fans for at være et af de mest bevægende musikstykker, der nogensinde er skrevet, kommer det fra New Paltz i 1980'erne.

Catskills er synonymt med Woodstock, ikke landsbyen, og virkelig ikke engang weekenden med fred og kærlighed. Mere det faktum, at Catskills var epicentret for et ungdommeligt oprør - Haight Ashbury i øst, hvis du vil - et oprør, der sluttede en splittende krig og hjalp med at vedtage borgerrettighedslovgivning til fordel for mange.

Det er den ånd, ikke kun den utrolige musik, som man føler sig ekko gennem landskabet, næsten et halvt århundrede senere.

Gå videre

På øst, Catskills støder op til Hudson Valley, til det punkt, at det er næsten umuligt ikke at besøge denne region, mens du besøger Catskills.

Det Albany hovedstadsområde, kendt i staten som hovedstadsområdet, ligger i dalens nordlige del, lige til Catskills nordøst.

Ud over det, mod nord, er Adirondacks, den største af upstate New Yorks to bjergrige regioner.

Sydøst for dalen er New York hovedstadsområde, hjemme i løbet af ugen og lavsæsonen for mange Catskills besøgende.

Ret syd er staten New Jersey, opdelt i den nordlige ende mellem forstæderne Gateway område mod øst og det kuperede, skovklædte Skylands mod vest.

I Pennsylvania er de mindre bjerge over Delaware-floden Poconos, også et populært feriested for beboere i hovedstadsområdet i New York.

Upstate New York har flere regioner mod vest. Rute 17 fortsætter over Sydlig tier til Binghamton, Elmira, Corning og Jamestown. På nordvest fører krydsning af Interstate 88 til Central New York.