Editing Catskill Mountains

{{Short description|Mountains in southeastern New York, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date = September 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = September 2019}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Catskill Mountains
| photo = Central Catskills from Twin south summit.jpg
| photo_size = 300
| photo_caption = [[Slide Mountain (Ulster County, New York)|Slide Mountain]] and nearby peaks as seen from [[Twin Mountain (New York)|Twin Mountain]] in the northern Catskills
| country = United States
| subdivision1 = [[New York (state)|New York]]
| subdivision2_type = Region
| subdivision2 = [[Hudson Valley]], [[Southern Tier]], [[Mohawk Valley]]
| subdivision3_type = [[County (United States)|Counties]]
| subdivision3 = {{hlist|[[Delaware County, New York|Delaware]]|[[Greene County, New York|Greene]]|[[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie]]|[[Sullivan County, New York|Sullivan]]|[[Ulster County, New York|Ulster]]}}
| settlement_type = Communities
| settlement = {{hlist|[[Ellenville, New York|Ellenville]]|[[Fleischmanns, New York|Fleischmanns]]|[[Hunter (village), New York|Hunter]]|[[Liberty (village), New York|Liberty]]|[[Margaretville, New York|Margaretville]]|[[Hancock, New York]]|[[Palenville, New York|Palenville]]|[[Phoenicia, New York|Phoenicia]]|[[Shandaken, New York|Shandaken]]|[[Shokan, New York|Shokan]]|[[Tannersville, New York|Tannersville]]|[[Wawarsing, New York|Wawarsing]]|[[Windham, New York|Windham]]|[[Woodstock, New York|Woodstock]]}}
| parent = [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian]] ([[Allegheny Plateau]])
| borders_on = {{hlist|[[Pocono Mountains|Poconos]]|[[Shawangunk Ridge]]|[[Hudson Valley]]|[[Great Appalachian Valley]]|[[Mohawk Valley]]}}
| subdivision4_type = Rivers
| subdivision4 = {{hlist|[[East Branch Delaware River]]|[[Esopus Creek]]|[[Neversink River]]|[[Rondout Creek]]|[[Schoharie Creek]]|[[West Branch Delaware River]]}}
| geology = [[Sedimentary]]
| age = {{hlist|[[Devonian]]|[[Mississippian age|Mississippian]]}}
| orogeny = 
| area_km2 = 15259
| range_coordinates = 
| length_mi = 111
| length_orientation = N/S
| width_mi = 102
| width_orientation = E/W
| highest = [[Slide Mountain (Ulster County, New York)|Slide Mountain]]
| elevation_ft = 4180
| coordinates = {{coord|41|59|55|N|74|23|11|W|type:mountain|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| map_image = NortheastAppalachiansMap.gif
| map_size = 300
| map_caption = Main regions of the northeast [[Appalachians]], with the Catskills as "C"
}}

The '''Catskill Mountains''', also known as '''the Catskills''', are a [[Physiographic regions of the world|physiographic province]] and [[List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains|subrange]] of the larger [[Appalachian Mountains]], located in southeastern [[New York (state)|New York]].  As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas close to or within the borders of the [[Catskill Park]], a {{convert|700000|acre|km2|adj=on}} [[Forest Preserve (New York)|forest preserve]] protected from many forms of development under New York state law.

Geologically, the Catskills are a mature [[dissected plateau]], a flat region subsequently uplifted and eroded into sharp [[Terrain|relief]] by watercourses. The Catskills form the northeastern end of the [[Allegheny Plateau]] (also known as the [[Appalachian Plateau]]).<ref name="cc-gis">{{cite web|url=http://www.catskillcenter.org/atlas/geomorphology/geo_1_3dtopography.htm|title=REGIONAL TOPOGRAPHY|website=Catskills GIS Atlas|publisher=Catskill Center|access-date=2009-10-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029034005/http://www.catskillcenter.org/atlas/geomorphology/geo_1_3dtopography.htm|archive-date=2009-10-29}}</ref><ref name="USGS-Water">{{cite web | title = Physiographic divisions of the conterminous U. S | publisher = U.S. Geological Survey | url = http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/metadata/usgswrd/XML/physio.xml | access-date = 2007-12-06 }}</ref>

The Catskills were named by early Dutch settlers. They are well known in American society as the setting for films and works of art, including many 19th-century [[Hudson River School]] paintings, as well as for being a favored destination for vacationers from [[New York City]] in the mid-20th century. The region's many large resorts gave many young [[Stand-up comedy|stand-up comedians]] an opportunity to hone their craft. Since the late 19th century, the Catskills have been a haven for artists, musicians and writers, especially in and around the towns of [[Woodstock, New York|Woodstock]] and [[Phoenicia, New York|Phoenicia]].

== History ==
{{Main|History of the Catskill Mountains}}

== Etymology ==
[[File:Catskills beyond Hudson.jpg|thumb|right|Views of the Catskills from the [[Hudson River|Hudson]] like this led to the name "Blue Mountains" for a time.]]
[[File:Map-Novi Belgii Novæque Angliæ (Amsterdam, 1685).jpg|thumb|right|A 1685 revision of a 1656 map of [[New Netherland]] showing the locations of the "Lands of the Kats Kills" and the "High Lands of the Esopus"]]
[[Nicolaes Visscher I]]'s 1656 map of [[New Netherland]] located the ''{{lang|nl|Landt van Kats Kill}}'' at the mouth of [[Catskill Creek]]. The region to the south is identified as ''{{lang|nl|Hooge Landt van Esopus}}'' (High Lands of the [[Esopus people|Esopus]]), a reference to a local band of northern [[Lenape]] [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] who inhabited the banks of the Hudson and hunted in the highlands along the [[Esopus Creek]].<ref name="Kudish36–8">{{cite book |title=The Catskill Forest: A History |last=Kudish |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Kudish |year=2000 |publisher=Purple Mountain Press |location=[[Fleischmanns, New York|Fleischmanns, NY]] |isbn=978-1-930098-02-2 |page=47}}</ref>

While the meaning of the name ("cat creek [''[[kill (body of water)|kill]]'']" in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]) and the namer (early Dutch explorers) are settled matters, how and why the area is named "Catskills" is a mystery. [[Mountain lion]]s (catamounts) were known to have been in the area when the Dutch arrived in the 17th century and may have been a reason for the name.<ref name=sierraclub>{{cite web |url=http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/puma.asp |title=The Elusive Mountain Lion – E-Files – Our History |access-date=2007-09-17 |website=Sierra Club |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807235943/http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/puma.asp |archive-date=2007-08-07 }}</ref>

The confusion over the origins of the name led over the years to variant spellings such as ''Kaatskill'' and ''Kaaterskill'', both of which are also still used: the former in the regional magazine ''[[Kaatskill Life]]'', the latter as the name of a [[Kaaterskill High Peak|mountain peak]] and a [[Kaaterskill Falls|waterfall]]. [[Henry Schoolcraft]] is supposed to have coined the indigenous term for the range, ''On-ti-o-ra'' ("mountains/hills/land of the sky"), in 1844, due to the term not being attested prior to his record of it.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beauchamp |first=William Martin |url=https://archive.org/details/aboriginalplacen00beau/ |title=Aboriginal place names of New York |date=1907 |publisher=Albany : New York State Education Dept. |others=Internet Archive |pages=85}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=New York central and Hudson river railroad company. [from old catalog] |url=https://archive.org/details/healthpleasureon00newy/ |title=Health and pleasure on "America's greatest railroad." |date=1890 |publisher=[Buffalo, Matthews, Northrup & co.] |others=The Library of Congress |pages=75}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=Arthur G. |url=https://archive.org/details/catskillsillust00adam/ |title=The Catskills : an illustrated historical guide with gazetteer |date=1990 |publisher=New York : Fordham University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-8232-1300-9 |pages=4, 150}}</ref> 

==Geography==
The Catskill Mountains are approximately {{convert|100|mi|km}} north-northwest of [[New York City]] and {{convert|40|mi|km|sigfig=|abbr=}} southwest of [[Albany, New York|Albany]], starting west of the [[Hudson River]]. The Catskills occupy much of two [[County (United States)|counties]] ([[Greene County, New York|Greene]] and [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster]]), and extend slightly into [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware]], [[Sullivan County, New York|Sullivan]], and southwestern [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie]] counties.

At the range's eastern end, the [[mountain]]s begin dramatically with the [[Catskill Escarpment]] rising up suddenly from the [[Hudson Valley]]. The western boundary is far less certain, as the mountains gradually decline in height and grade into the rest of the [[Allegheny Plateau]], but maps from the 18th and 19th centuries consistently mark the border of the Catskill Mountains as the East Branch of the Delaware River, which is consistent with the actual topographic relief.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/search/index?filters%5Bgeographic_mtxt_s%5D%5B%5D=Catskill+Mountains+(N.Y.)&filters%5Btype%5D=cartographic&keywords=|title=Search results - NYPL Digital Collections|website=digitalcollections.nypl.org}}</ref> The [[Pocono Mountains]], to the immediate southwest in [[Pennsylvania]], are also a part of the Allegheny Plateau.

The Catskills contain [[Catskill High Peaks|more than 30 peaks]] above {{convert|3,500|ft|m}} and parts of six important rivers. The [[Catskill Mountain 3500 Club]] is an organization whose members have climbed all the peaks in the Catskills over {{convert|3,500|ft|m}}. The highest mountain, [[Slide Mountain (New York)|Slide Mountain]] in Ulster County, has an elevation of {{convert|4180|ft|m}}.
[[File:Tubers on Esopus Creek 2011.jpg|right|thumb|Free-floating [[Tubing (recreation)|tubers]] on [[Esopus Creek]]|alt=People in inner tubes wearing lifejackets in a whitewater stream just above a small drop over a rock.]]

Climatically, the Catskills lie within the [[Allegheny Highlands forests]] [[ecoregion]].

{{Weather box
| location = Slide Mountain, NY
| source = National Centers for Environmental Information<ref name="National Centers for Environmental Information">{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00307799&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 |publisher=National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service |access-date={{#time:F j, Y}} }}</ref>
| single line = 
| width = 
| collapsed = 
}}

==Climate==
According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, the Catskill Mountains have two climate zones. The vast majority of the Catskills have a warm summer humid continental climate (''Dfb'') with some isolated locations in valleys with hot summer humid continental climate (''Dfa''). The [[plant hardiness zone]] on Slide Mountain at {{convert|4180|ft|m}} is 5a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of {{convert|-16.6|F|C}}. The plant hardiness zone in Margaretville at {{convert|1000|ft|m}} is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of {{convert|-10.6|F|C}}.<ref name="USDA">{{cite web|url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx|publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]]|access-date=2019-07-09|title=USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map}}</ref>

{{Weather box |width=auto	
|location = Phoenicia, Ulster County NY. Elevation: 900 ft (274 m)	
|single line = Y	
|Jan high F =	34.4
|Feb high F =	37.9
|Mar high F =	47.4
|Apr high F =	60.8
|May high F =	71.0
|Jun high F =	79.9
|Jul high F =	83.4
|Aug high F =	82.3
|Sep high F =	75.1
|Oct high F =	62.8
|Nov high F =	51.0
|Dec high F =	39.4
|year high F=	60.4
| Jan mean F =	26.9
| Feb mean F =	29.1
| Mar mean F =	36.5
| Apr mean F =	50.5
| May mean F =	60.1
| Jun mean F =	68.9
| Jul mean F =	74.3
| Aug mean F =	71.8
| Sep mean F =	66.4
| Oct mean F =	51.0
| Nov mean F =	41.3
| Dec mean F =	30.5
| year mean F =	49.4
|Jan low F =	18.1
|Feb low F =	20.0
|Mar low F =	27.8
|Apr low F =	40.5
|May low F =	51.4
|Jun low F =	57.9
|Jul low F =	62.9
|Aug low F =	61.0
|Sep low F =	56.3
|Oct low F =	42.6
|Nov low F =	32.9
|Dec low F =	22.9
|year low F=	38.4
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation inch =	3.6
|Feb precipitation inch =	3.98
|Mar precipitation inch =	3.82
|Apr precipitation inch =	4.0
|May precipitation inch =	3.9
|Jun precipitation inch =	3.2
|Jul precipitation inch =	2.6
|Aug precipitation inch =	2.9
|Sep precipitation inch =	3.02
|Oct precipitation inch =	3.6
|Nov precipitation inch =	3.7
|Dec precipitation inch =	3.5
|year precipitation inch=	46.33
| humidity colour = green	
| Jan humidity =	69.1
| Feb humidity =	66.2
| Mar humidity =	59.2
| Apr humidity =	55.8
| May humidity =	60.8
| Jun humidity =	67.4
| Jul humidity =	70.8
| Aug humidity =	70.0
| Sep humidity =	71.0
| Oct humidity =	69.7
| Nov humidity =	69.9
| Dec humidity =	69.3
| year humidity =	66.0
|source 1 = PRISM Climate Group<ref name="prism">{{cite web|url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|title=PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University|website=www.prism.oregonstate.edu|access-date=July 9, 2019}}</ref>}}{{Weather box |width=auto	
|location = Margaretville, Delaware County, NY. Elevation: 1,000 ft (300 m)	
|single line = Y	
|Jan high F =	34.8
|Feb high F =	38.3
|Mar high F =	47.7
|Apr high F =	61.0
|May high F =	71.4
|Jun high F =	80.1
|Jul high F =	83.8
|Aug high F =	82.4
|Sep high F =	75.4
|Oct high F =	63.0
|Nov high F =	51.5
|Dec high F =	39.8
|year high F=	60.8
| Jan mean F =	27.1
| Feb mean F =	29.2
| Mar mean F =	36.9
| Apr mean F =	50.0
| May mean F =	60.2
| Jun mean F =	69.0
| Jul mean F =	74.4
| Aug mean F =	71.9
| Sep mean F =	66.6
| Oct mean F =	51.4
| Nov mean F =	41.8
| Dec mean F =	30.8
| year mean F =	49.8
|Jan low F =	18.4
|Feb low F =	20.1
|Mar low F =	28.0
|Apr low F =	40.1
|May low F =	51.9
|Jun low F =	58.0
|Jul low F =	63.5
|Aug low F =	61.4
|Sep low F =	56.4
|Oct low F =	42.9
|Nov low F =	33.1
|Dec low F =	23.2
|year low F=	38.8
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation inch =	3.6
|Feb precipitation inch =	3.63
|Mar precipitation inch =	3.8
|Apr precipitation inch =	4.0
|May precipitation inch =	3.9
|Jun precipitation inch =	3.2
|Jul precipitation inch =	2.5
|Aug precipitation inch =	2.9
|Sep precipitation inch =	3.0
|Oct precipitation inch =	3.6
|Nov precipitation inch =	3.63
|Dec precipitation inch =	3.5
|year precipitation inch=	46.32
| humidity colour = green	
| Jan humidity =	68.5
| Feb humidity =	64.3
| Mar humidity =	58.5
| Apr humidity =	55.8
| May humidity =	61.6
| Jun humidity =	67.4
| Jul humidity =	70.9
| Aug humidity =	70.2
| Sep humidity =	71.7
| Oct humidity =	69.9
| Nov humidity =	68.5
| Dec humidity =	69.8
| year humidity =	66.0
|source 1 = PRISM Climate Group<ref name="prism"/>}}	
	
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"	
|-	
! scope="col"| Month	
! scope="col"| Jan	
! scope="col"| Feb	
! scope="col"| Mar	
! scope="col"| Apr	
! scope="col"| May	
! scope="col"| Jun	
! scope="col"| Jul	
! scope="col"| Aug	
! scope="col"| Sep	
! scope="col"| Oct	
! scope="col"| Nov	
! scope="col"| Dec	
! scope="col"| Year	
|-	
! scope="row"| Average [[Dew Point]]&nbsp;°F	
| style=background:#ffffff;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	16.2
| style=background:#ffffff;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	17.7
| style=background:#add8e6;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	24.3
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	34.3
| style=background:#00008b;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	48.6
| style=background:#808080;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	57.8
| style=background:#ccffcc;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	63.2
| style=background:#ccffcc;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	61.7
| style=background:#808080;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	55.8
| style=background:#00008b;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	41.9
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	32.2
| style=background:#add8e6;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	22.1
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	38.9
|-	
! scope="row"| Average [[Dew Point]]&nbsp;°C	
| style=background:#ffffff;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	-8.8
| style=background:#ffffff;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	-7.9
| style=background:#add8e6;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	-4.6
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	1.1
| style=background:#00008b;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	7.6
| style=background:#808080;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	13.6
| style=background:#ccffcc;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	16.2
| style=background:#ccffcc;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	15.9
| style=background:#808080;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	12.1
| style=background:#00008b;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	5.5
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	0.1
| style=background:#add8e6;color:#000000;text-align:center;" |	-5.5
| style=background:#0000ff;color:#ffffff;text-align:center;" |	3.8
|-	
| colspan="14" | <div style="text-align: center;"> Source: PRISM Climate Group<ref name=prism/>	</div>
|}

==Geology==
[[File:Kaaterskill Falls.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kaaterskill Falls]] on Spruce Creek near Palenville, New York. One of the higher falls in New York. Two separate falls total {{convert|260|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.]]
Although the Catskills are sometimes compared with the [[Adirondack Mountains]] farther north, the two mountain ranges are not geologically related, as the Adirondacks are a continuation of the [[Canadian Shield]].  Similarly, the [[Shawangunk Ridge]], which forms the southeastern edge of the Catskills, is part of the geologically distinct [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|Ridge-and-Valley]] province and is a continuation of the same ridge known as [[Kittatinny Mountains|Kittatinny Mountain]] in New Jersey and [[Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Blue Mountain]] in Pennsylvania.

The Catskill Mountains are more of a [[dissected plateau]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Geology of National Parks, 3D and Photographic Tours |url=https://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/nyc/valleyandridge/catskills.htm |website=USGS |access-date=6 August 2018}}</ref> than a series of mountain ranges. The sediments that make up the rocks in the Catskills were deposited when the ancient [[Acadian Orogeny|Acadian Mountains]] in the east were rising and subsequently eroding. The sediments traveled westward and formed a great delta into the sea that was in the area at that time. The escarpment of the Catskill Mountains is near the former (landward) edge of this delta, as the sediments deposited in the northeastern areas along the escarpment were deposited above sea level by moving rivers, and the Acadian Mountains were located roughly where the [[Taconic Mountains]] are located today (though significantly larger). Finer sediment was deposited further westward, and thus the rocks change from gravel [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerates]] to [[sandstone]] and [[shale]]. Further west, these fresh water deposits intermingle with shallow marine sandstone and shale until the end, in deeper water [[limestone]].

The uplift and erosion of the Acadian Mountains was occurring during the [[Devonian]]<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Beneath it all: bedrock geology of the Catskill Mountains and implications of its weathering |journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences |volume=1298 |pages=1–29 |pmid=23895551 |year=2013 |last1=Ver Straeten |first1=C. A |doi=10.1111/nyas.12221 |s2cid=19940868 }}</ref> and early [[Mississippian (geology)|Mississippian period]] (395 to 325&nbsp;million years ago). Over that time, thousands of feet of these sediments built up, slowly moving the Devonian seashore further west. A meteor impact occurred in the shallow sea approximately 375 [[mya (unit)|mya]], creating a {{convert|10|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} diameter crater. This crater eventually filled with sediments and became [[Panther Mountain Crater|Panther Mountain]] through the process of uplift and erosion. By the middle of the Mississippian period, the uplift stopped, and the Acadian Mountains had been eroded so much that sediments no longer flowed across the Catskill Delta.
[[File:Platte Clove.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Platte Clove]], a break in the [[Catskill Escarpment]] created by glacial action]]

Over time, the sediments were buried by more sediments from other areas, until the original Devonian and Mississippian sediments were deeply buried and slowly became solid rock. Then the entire area experienced uplift, which caused the sedimentary rocks to begin to erode. Today, those upper sedimentary rocks have been completely removed, exposing the Devonian and Mississippian rocks. Today's Catskills are a result of the continued erosion of these rocks, both by streams and, in the recent past, by glaciers.

In successive [[ice ages]], both valley and continental glaciers have widened the valleys and the notches of the Catskills and rounded the mountains. Grooves and scratches in exposed bedrock provide evidence of the great sheets of ice that once traversed the region. Even today the erosion of the mountains continues, with the region's rivers and streams deepening and widening the mountains' valleys and cloves.

==Recreation==

===The Borscht Belt===
In the mid–20th century, summer resorts in the Catskills, nicknamed the [[Borscht Belt]], were a major vacation destination for Jewish New Yorkers. At its peak of popularity, about 500 resorts operated in the region.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4094418.html | author = Stanley Turkel | title = Hotel History: Catskill Mountain Resort Hotels | date = 2019-08-01 | publisher = Hospitality Net}}</ref> Later changes in vacationing patterns have led most of those travelers elsewhere, although there are still some bungalow communities and summer camps in the region catering to [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] populations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bagels.tv/a-very-personal-journey-to-the-catskills-as-an-ex-orthodox-jewish-woman/|title=A very personal journey to the Catskills as an ex-Orthodox Jewish woman|date=August 27, 2024}}</ref>

===Aquatic sports and recreation===
[[Image:Ashokan Reservoir from Wittenberg.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Ashokan Reservoir]] as seen from [[Wittenberg Mountain]]]]

[[Esopus Creek]] is a {{convert|65.4|mi|adj=on}} tributary of the [[Hudson River]], starting at [[Winnisook Lake]] on [[Slide Mountain (Ulster County, New York)|Slide Mountain]]. It flows across Ulster County to the Hudson River at [[Saugerties (town), New York|Saugerties]]. The Esopus is noted for making an almost 270-degree turn around [[Panther Mountain (New York)|Panther Mountain]], following a buried {{convert|6|mi|km|0|adj=on}} impact crater rim. It is famous for [[tubing (recreation)|tubing]], a sport of rafting down a river in an inner tube.  Many tubers begin their trip at [[Phoenicia, New York]], and head down the creek towards the Ashokan Reservoir at [[Olive, New York]].

The Ashokan Reservoir is part of the [[New York City]] water supply system, with fishing allowed under permit, but ice fishing is prohibited.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashokan Reservoir - NYSDEC |url=https://dec.ny.gov/places/ashokan-reservoir |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117022912/https://dec.ny.gov/places/ashokan-reservoir |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |website=New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Region 3 Special Fishing Regulations - NYSDEC |url=https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/regulations/region-3-special-fishing |access-date=February 19, 2025 |website=New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |language=en}}</ref>  It is the most famous New York City-owned reservoir for [[rainbow trout]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NYC Reservoir Fishing - NYSDEC |url=https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/places-to-fish/southeastern-ny/nyc-reservoir#:~: |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206202337/https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/places-to-fish/southeastern-ny/nyc-reservoir |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |website=New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |language=en}}</ref>

River canoeing and kayaking are popular. There are 42 rapids ranging from [[International scale of river difficulty|class I to V+]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.riverfacts.com/ranges/113_Catskill_Mountains.html |title=Whitewater Rivers in and near the Catskill Mountains, New York |access-date=May 10, 2013}}</ref>

The Esopus Creek is famous for its [[fly fishing]], although in recent years{{When|date=April 2020}} it has been plagued by [[invasive plant]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=DePalma |first1=Anthony |title=An Unsightly Algae Extends Its Grip to a Crucial New York Stream |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/science/16invasive.html |access-date=28 May 2019 |date=15 June 2009 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

===Cycling===
Road and mountain biking are fairly popular in the range. Bicycle racing includes the Tour of the Catskills, a three-day road [[race stage|stage race]] held in Green and Ulster counties each summer,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tourofthecatskills.com/ |title=Tour of the Catskills |publisher=Anthem Sports |access-date=Dec 18, 2013}}</ref> and the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Windham.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://racewindham.com |title=Windham Mountain Bike World Cup Festival |access-date=2013-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326125816/http://www.racewindham.com/ |archive-date=March 26, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other cycling resources include the [[Catskill Scenic Trail]], the Headwaters Trails in Stamford and the Roundtopia trail network (mapped by the [[Round Top, New York|Round Top]] Mountain Bike Association).<ref>{{cite web |title=The trail system |url=https://www.rtmba.org/trail-system |website=Round Top Mountain Bike Association |date=October 20, 2019 |quote=The Round Top trail system evolved from the local riding scene of the 90s. |access-date=November 28, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118112940/https://www.rtmba.org/trail-system |url-status=dead }}</ref> Several ski centers provide downhill mountain bicycling in the warmer months.

===Hiking and camping===
Within the range is the [[Catskill Park]], comprising over {{convert|700000|acre|ha}}. Catskill Park is part of [[Forest Preserve (New York)|New York's Forest Preserve]]. Not all the land is publicly owned; about 60% remains in private hands, but new sections are added frequently. Most of the park and the preserve are within Ulster County, with a significant portion in Greene County, and parts in Sullivan and Delaware counties as well. Many of the trails in public areas are maintained and updated by the [[New York–New Jersey Trail Conference]] and the [[Catskill Mountain 3500 Club]].[[Image:Hunter Mountain ski area.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hunter Mountain (ski area)|Hunter Mountain]]]] [[Devil's Path (hiking trail)|Devil's Path]] is one of the many trails open for hikers. Spots to camp in the Catskills include Bear Spring Mountain, Little Pond, Mongaup Pond, and [[North-South Lake]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://catskillinterpretivecenter.org |title=Catskill Interpretive Center |access-date=2017-10-18}}</ref>

===Skiing===

There are five main downhill ski and snowboard areas in the Catskills: [[Belleayre Mountain]] (run by the [[Olympic Regional Development Authority]]); [[Hunter Mountain (ski area)|Hunter Mountain]] (the first ski area to install [[snowmaking]] machines in New York); [[Windham Mountain]]; Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun in [[Monticello, New York|Monticello]]; and [[Plattekill Mountain]] in [[Roxbury, New York|Roxbury]].

[[Joppenbergh Mountain]], in [[Rosendale Village]] hosted its first [[ski jumping]] competition in 1937.  Ski jumping was continued on the mountain until February 7, 1971, when the last competition was held.

The Mountain Trails [[Cross-country skiing|Cross Country Ski]] Center in [[Tannersville, New York|Tannersville]] has {{convert|22|mi|km}} of trails.

==Structures==
{{More citations needed|section|reason=Section is devoid of any references|date=December 2017}}

===Fire towers===
[[Image:Balsam Lake Mountain fire tower.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Balsam Lake Mountain]] fire tower in 2008]]
The Catskill Mountains [[fire tower]]s were constructed to facilitate [[forest fire]] prevention and control. Twenty-three fire towers were built in the Catskill Mountains between 1908 and 1950. The fire towers fell out of use by the 1970s as fire spotting from airplanes had become more effective and efficient, so the fire towers were decommissioned; the [[Hunter Mountain Fire Tower]] was the last to be taken out of service in 1990. 

Six remaining towers were renovated and opened to the public as observation posts with panoramic views and a tower was opened at the Catskill Visitor Center in 2022. In 2024 a tower was restored to [[Bramley Mountain]], bringing the count to eight.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bramley Mountain Fire Tower Now Standing Tall! |url=https://bramleymountainfiretower.org/ |website=Bramley Mountain Fire Tower |publisher=Friends of Bramley Mountain Fire Tower |access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref> The current towers are:

*[[Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Observation Station]] near [[Hardenburgh, New York|Hardenburgh]], elevation {{convert|3723|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*[[Hunter Mountain Fire Tower]] near [[Hunter, New York|Hunter]], elevation {{convert|4042|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*[[Utsayantha Mountain|Mt. Utsayantha Fire Tower]] near [[Stamford, New York]], elevation {{convert|3214|ft|abbr=on}}
*[[Overlook Mountain]] Tower near Woodstock, elevation {{convert|3140|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*[[Red Hill Fire Observation Station]] near [[Denning, New York|Denning]], elevation {{convert|2990|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*[[Mount Tremper Fire Observation Station]] near [[Shandaken, New York|Shandaken]], elevation {{convert|2740|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*Upper Esopus Fire Observation Station near [[Mount Tremper, New York|Mount Tremper]], elevation {{convert|678|ft|m|abbr=on}}
*[[Bramley Mountain]] Fire Tower near [[Bloomville, New York|Bloomville]], elevation {{convert|2892|ft|m|abbr=on}}

===Notable landmarks===
The [[Catskill Mountain House]], built in 1824, was a hotel near [[Palenville]], [[New York (state)|New York]], in the Catskill Mountains overlooking the [[Hudson River Valley]]. In its prime at the turn of the century, visitors included [[United States Presidents]] [[Ulysses S. Grant]], [[Chester A. Arthur]] and [[Theodore Roosevelt]].

==Transportation==
From 1872, the northern part of the Catskills were served by the Catskill Mountain Branch of the [[Ulster and Delaware Railroad]] which was absorbed into the [[New York Central]] railroad in 1932. Oneonta to Kingston passenger rail service continued until 1954. Part of the line still exists but now serves only freight.

The southern part of the Catskills was served by the [[New York, Ontario and Western Railway]]. Over the course of 1950, service on the NYO&W downscaled to summer only. In its last years it ran trains from [[Roscoe, New York|Roscoe]] to [[Weehawken, New Jersey]], via [[Liberty, New York|Liberty]]. It connected with the New York Central's [[West Shore Railroad]] at [[Cornwall, New York|Cornwall]].<ref>'Official Guide of the Railways,' January 1950, New York, Ontario and Western section</ref><ref>''Official Guide of the Railways'', December 1950, New York, Ontario and Western section, page reproduced at http://www.thejoekorner.com/brochures/nyow-og-timetable/index.html</ref> This service lasted until September 10, 1953.<ref>American Rails, 'New York, Ontario and Western Railway' https://www.american-rails.com/nyow.html</ref>

The [[Delaware and Ulster Railroad]] is a [[heritage railroad]], based in [[Arkville, New York]], that still runs a scenic part of the track from Highmount to Hubbell Corners, New York, for tourist use. The [[Catskill Mountain Railroad]] is also a heritage railroad in the Catskills, operating from [[Kingston, New York|Kingston]] up to Highmount.

[[File:Udmap.jpg|thumb|right|A map of the railroads in the Catskills. Despite what the map says, nearly the entirety of this map is of the Catskills. East of the [[Hudson River]] are [[The Berkshires]] and the [[Taconic Mountains]], and to the far north (central and northern [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]], and far-northern [[Schoharie County]]) are the [[Appalachians]].]]

The Catskills are accessible by automobile from the east along [[Interstate 87 (New York)|Interstate 87]]/[[New York State Thruway]], which runs north–south through the [[Hudson Valley]].  To the south and southwest, the Catskills are accessible by a variety of highways, including [[New York State Route 55]], [[U.S. Route 44 in New York|U.S. Route 44]], [[U.S. Route 209]], and [[New York State Route 17]].  Access to the western Catskills is provided by [[New York State Route 30]]; and the vaguely defined far-western edge of the region is variously considered to be [[New York State Route 10]] or [[Interstate 88 (east)|Interstate 88]], though this boundary remains a matter of local preference.  New York State Routes [[New York State Route 28|28]] and [[New York State Route 23A|23A]] cut east–west through the heart of the Catskills, serving many of the most popular outdoor tourist destinations.  [[New York State Route 23]] runs east–west across the Catskills' northern section.

Governor Kathy Hochul supports plans for the [[New York State Department of Transportation]] to improve highway transportation for New York State car drivers driving on [[New York Route 17]] in the New York Catskills Region. It will cost $1.3 billion. [[Environmentalists]] and transportation planners do not like the plan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nysfocus.com/2024/09/24/route17-highway-expansion-hochul | title=A $1.3 Billion Project That Would Save Drivers Six Minutes Max }}</ref>

The closest major airports to the Catskill region are [[Albany International Airport]] to the north and [[Stewart International Airport]] in Newburgh to the south.  Smaller airports in the region include:
* [[Columbia County Airport]] in [[Hudson, New York|Hudson]]
* [[Dutchess County Airport]] in [[Poughkeepsie, New York|Poughkeepsie]]
* [[Joseph Y. Resnick Airport]] in [[Ellenville, New York|Ellenville]]
* [[Kingston–Ulster Airport]]
* [[Kobelt Airport]] in [[Wallkill, Ulster County, New York|Wallkill]]
* [[Randall Airport]] in [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown]]
* [[Sullivan County International Airport]] in [[Monticello, New York|Monticello]]
* [[Wurtsboro–Sullivan County Airport]]

==In popular culture==

The Catskills serve as the setting for many works of fiction, such as the short story [[Rip Van Winkle]], and the children's book ''[[My Side of the Mountain]]''. The Hudson Valley Film Commission maintains a list of films set in the Hudson Valley/Catskills Region.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/films.html |title=Woodstock Film Commission |website=Hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org |access-date=March 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922103254/http://hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org/films.html |archive-date=2013-09-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Of them, more than three dozen films are set in the Catskills.

The town of [[Bethel, New York]], located in the Catskills, was home to the famous [[Woodstock]] music festival that took place August 15–18, 1969. The event, wherein 32 music acts performed in front of over 500,000 concert-goers, was captured in the documentary movie ''[[Woodstock (film)|Woodstock]]'' (1970). The site is now home to the world-renowned Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

The many hotels and vacation resorts located in the Catskills are notable in American cultural history for their role in the development of modern [[stand-up comedy]]. Comedians such as [[Rodney Dangerfield]], [[Jackie Mason]], [[Alan King]], and [[Don Rickles]] all got their start performing in Catskill hotel venues colloquially referred to as the [[Borscht Belt]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Comedians who became stars learned their craft in Catskill Mountain hotels|url = http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-02-03/florida-jewish-journal/fl-jjbs-comedy-0206-20140203_1_dick-gregory-catskills-ron-frank|website = tribunedigital-sunsentinel|access-date = 2016-01-14|archive-date = December 29, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151229161154/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-02-03/florida-jewish-journal/fl-jjbs-comedy-0206-20140203_1_dick-gregory-catskills-ron-frank|url-status = dead}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="160" caption="Gallery of paintings and photographs">
File:Catskill Mountain House.jpg|''View from The Mountain House'' (1836), painting by [[William Henry Bartlett]]
File:Paul Weber, Scene in the Catskills, 1858, NGA 176783.jpg|Paul Weber, ''Scene in the Catskills'', 1858
File:WLA lacma Sanford Robinson Gifford October in the Catskills 1880.jpg|''October in the Catskills'', 1880 painting by [[Sanford Robinson Gifford]]
File:Asher Brown Durand - The Catskills - Walters 37122.jpg|''[[The Catskills (painting)|The Catskills]]'', 1859 painting by [[Asher Brown Durand]] depicting the Catskills using the "sublime landscape" approach<ref>{{cite web |publisher= [[The Walters Art Museum]] |url= http://art.thewalters.org/detail/19883 |title= The Catskills}}</ref> 
File:Woodstock redmond stage.JPG|The Redmond Stage, [[Woodstock]] music festival, 1969
File:Wall, William Guy -Cauterskill Falls on the Catskill Mountains, Taken from under the Cavern, 1826-27.jpg|''Kaaterskill Falls on the Catskill Mountains'' (1826–27), painting by [[William Guy Wall]], Honolulu Museum of Art
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Helderberg Escarpment]]
* [[List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains]]
* [[Resorts World Catskills]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
<!--For ease of standardization, use a citation template from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles#Citations_of_generic_sources
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== Further reading ==
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.2307/198709
| issn = 0190-5929
| volume = 39
| issue = 4
| pages = 193–201
| last = Heilprin
| first = Angelo
| title = The Catskill Mountains
| journal = Bulletin of the American Geographical Society
| year = 1907
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=rGs9AAAAYAAJ&q=The+Catskill+Mountains+Angelo+Heilprin&pg=PA193
| jstor = 198709
| url-access = subscription
}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.2307/2422746
| issn = 0003-0031
| volume = 68
| issue = 2
| pages = 409–23
| last = McIntosh
| first = Robert P.
| title = The forest cover of the Catskill Mountain region, New York, as indicated by land survey records
| journal = American Midland Naturalist
| year = 1962
| jstor = 2422746
}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.2307/1942261
| volume = 42
| issue = 2
| pages = 143–61
| last = McIntosh
| first = Robert P.
| title = Forests of the Catskill Mountains, New York
| journal = Ecological Monographs
| year = 1972
| jstor = 1942261
| bibcode = 1972EcoM...42..143M
}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.2307/1933844
| issn = 0012-9658
| volume = 45
| issue = 2
| pages = 314–26
| last = McIntosh
| first = R. P.
|author2=R. T. Hurley
| title = The spruce-fir forests of the Catskill Mountains
| journal = Ecology
| year = 1964
| jstor = 1933844
| bibcode = 1964Ecol...45..314M
}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.1086/621285
| issn = 0022-1376
| volume = 14
| issue = 2
| pages = 113–21
| last = Rich
| first = John Lyon
| title = Local glaciation in the Catskill Mountains
| journal = The Journal of Geology
| year = 1906
| bibcode = 1906JG.....14..113R
| s2cid = 129029014
}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.2307/773655
| issn = 1543-6322
| volume = 17
| issue = 1
| pages = 30–43
| last = Shepard
| first = Paul
| title = Paintings of the New England landscape: a scientist looks at their geomorphology
| journal = College Art Journal
| year = 1957
| jstor = 773655
}}
*{{cite book|first1=Stephen M.|last1=Silverman|author-link1=Stephen M. Silverman|first2=Raphael D.|last2=Silver|title=The Catskills: Its History and How It Changed America|publisher=[[Penguin Random House#Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group]]|year=2015|isbn=9781101875889}}
*{{Cite journal
| doi = 10.1890/1051-0761(2000)010[0528:TEOLFO]2.0.CO;2
| issn = 1051-0761
| volume = 10
| issue = 2
| pages = 528–40
| last = Weathers
| first = K. C.
|author2=G. M. Lovett |author3=G. E. Likens |author4=R. Lathrop
 | title = The effect of landscape features on deposition to Hunter Mountain, Catskill Mountains, New York
| journal = Ecological Applications
| year = 2000
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Catskill Mountains}}
{{Wikivoyage|Catskills}}
{{Collier's poster|Catskill Mountains}}
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Catskill Mountains |volume=5 |short=x}}
*[http://www.catskill-3500-club.org/ Hiking Guide to Catskill High Peaks]—Catskill 3500 Club
*[https://mountain-hiking.com/catskills/ List of Catskills peaks organized by hiking difficulty]
*[http://www.catskillmountainclub.org Website for the Catskill Mountain Club hiking]
*[http://www.catskillarchive.com The Catskill Archive – History of the Catskill Mountains]
*[http://www.catskillmtn.org The Catskill Mountain Foundation]
*[http://www.catskillcenter.org The Catskill Center]
*[http://www.cwconline.org The Catskill Watershed Corporation]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151019092725/http://www.catskillsearch.com/site/category/gallery/ Catskill Region Photo Gallery]
*[http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/ Catskill Mountainkeeper]—Protecting the Six Counties of the Catskills
*[http://www.hvdirectory.com/ Catskill Mountain Businesses listed on Hudson Valley Directory]
*[http://www.scva.net/ Sullivan County Visitors Association]

{{New York}}
{{Capital District}}
{{New York metropolitan area}}
{{Hudson River}}
{{Hudson Valley navigation}}
{{Mountains of New York}}
{{Fire lookout towers in New York}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Allegheny Plateau]]
[[Category:Catskills| ]]
[[Category:Landforms of Delaware County, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Greene County, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Schoharie County, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Sullivan County, New York]]
[[Category:Landforms of Ulster County, New York]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of New York (state)]]
[[Category:Physiographic regions of the United States]]
[[Category:Regions of New York (state)]]
[[Category:Subranges of the Appalachian Mountains]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Upstate New York]]