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Catskill Mountains
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Explore the Catskill Mountains for forested peaks, waterfalls, hiking, historic resorts, independent food and culture across New York's scenic uplands.

The Catskill Mountains rise across south-eastern New York, a rugged upland of forested ridges, river valleys, reservoirs and small communities west of the Hudson River. The area is commonly understood through the Catskill Park, a protected landscape spanning parts of Greene, Ulster, Delaware and Sullivan counties. It is not a single town or a compact resort district: distances between trailheads, villages and scenic viewpoints can be considerable, and the character of the mountains changes between the eastern escarpment, the high interior and the western valleys.
Read more about Catskill Mountains
The eastern Catskills offer some of the region's most accessible mountain scenery. Near the Hudson Valley, routes lead towards Kaaterskill Falls, North-South Lake and the high ridges around Hunter and Windham, where steep slopes and dramatic viewpoints reflect the range's geological character. Further west, the landscape becomes quieter and more spacious, with long forest roads, trout streams, reservoirs and broad valleys around towns such as Margaretville, Delhi, Andes, Livingston Manor and Roscoe. The southern Catskills, including the areas around Livingston Manor, Roscoe and the Upper Delaware River, combine wooded hills with a growing reputation for fly-fishing, craft beverages and creative rural businesses.
The mountains are part of the New York State Forest Preserve, whose constitutional protection has helped retain extensive public woodland. Hiking is the defining outdoor activity, ranging from short waterfall walks to demanding ascents of the Catskill High Peaks, including Slide Mountain, the highest point in the range. Camping, paddling, fishing, cycling, birdwatching and winter sports are also important, although many activities depend on weather, seasonal access and careful preparation. The Catskills are especially attractive in autumn, when hardwood forests turn shades of red, orange and gold, but summer waterfalls, spring wildflowers and snowy winter landscapes create different reasons to visit.
The region's cultural identity has been shaped by Indigenous history, nineteenth-century tourism, Jewish-American resort culture, the Woodstock generation and continuing rural communities. The Catskill Mountain House and other historic resorts established the mountains as a destination for urban visitors in the nineteenth century, while later bungalow colonies and hotels in Sullivan County became important centres of Jewish leisure and entertainment. The 1969 Woodstock festival took place at Bethel, in the western foothills, rather than at the nearby hamlet of Woodstock, but its legacy remains central to the area's cultural story.
Today, the Catskills combine protected wilderness with villages, farms, galleries, music venues, independent shops, country inns and restaurants. Local menus often draw on nearby farms, forests and streams, while breweries, cider-makers and distilleries have expanded the region's drinks scene. A rewarding visit usually balances one or two well-chosen hikes with time in a valley town or village, because the Catskills are as much a landscape of working communities and historic travel routes as they are a destination for mountain viewpoints.

When is the best time to visit Catskill Mountains?

Best: June–August · 24–27°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January070
February165
March780
April1490
May1995
June (best)24100
July (best)27105
August (best)26105
September2295
October1690
November985
December380

Getting to and around Catskill Mountains

How to get there

The Catskills have no single central gateway airport or railway station. Most international visitors fly to airports outside the region, particularly Albany International Airport to the north-east, Stewart International Airport near Newburgh to the south-east, or the New York metropolitan airports farther away, then continue by road. Amtrak and other intercity rail services reach cities outside the mountains, while Trailways and regional bus services serve some Catskill communities. Driving from the Hudson Valley or New York City is usually the simplest option, but journey times vary greatly according to the chosen valley and mountain destination.

Transportation

A car is the most flexible way to reach dispersed trailheads, villages, reservoirs and rural accommodation, as public transport is limited away from the main towns. Roads are often narrow, steep or winding, and mountain weather can affect conditions. Local buses and demand-responsive services operate in parts of the region, but they are not designed for a comprehensive sightseeing itinerary. Taxis, rideshares and hiking shuttles may be available locally but should not be assumed, especially in remote areas. Cycling is possible on quiet valley roads, while hiking is the principal way to explore public mountain land.

Destinations in Catskill Mountains

Resorts, valleys and scenic spots worth a trip of their own.

Best attractions in Catskill Mountains

The Catskills' attractions are spread across a large mountain landscape rather than concentrated in one resort centre. Hiking ranges from accessible waterfall walks at Kaaterskill Falls to strenuous ascents of Slide Mountain and other Catskill High Peaks, with marked trails leading through forests, rocky ledges and open viewpoints. North-South Lake, Hunter Mountain and the eastern escarpment are especially associated with dramatic scenery, while the western valleys around Margaretville, Andes, Delhi and Roscoe offer quieter routes, reservoirs, fishing water and cycling roads. The southern Catskills add cultural attractions, including Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which interprets the 1969 Woodstock festival and hosts cultural programming. Visitors can also find historic sites, farm visits, galleries, breweries, winter sports and opportunities for paddling or birdwatching. The best experiences depend on the season: waterfalls are often strongest in spring, high trails are most accessible in warmer months, foliage draws visitors in autumn, and skiing and snow-based recreation shape winter in the higher eastern districts.

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Best landmarks in Catskill Mountains

The Catskill Mountains' most recognisable landmarks combine natural viewpoints with the physical remains of tourism and cultural history. Kaaterskill Falls, one of the region's best-known waterfalls, drops through a steep wooded gorge near the eastern escarpment and has influenced Catskill landscape art and tourism for two centuries. The ledges and overlooks around North-South Lake recall the era of the Catskill Mountain House, whose former resort landscape helped define nineteenth-century American views of the mountains. Slide Mountain, the highest summit in the Catskills, is a geographical landmark as well as a demanding hiking objective. The Ashokan Reservoir, in the eastern Catskills, is a major water-supply structure with a broad mountain backdrop and public access along sections of its reservoir road. In the western foothills, Bethel Woods preserves the site and historical memory of the 1969 Woodstock festival, while historic village streets, former resort buildings and mountain passes provide quieter reminders of the region's travel and settlement history.

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Explore Catskill Mountains on the map

Plan your trip on one map. See where the top cities, national parks and sights are, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Catskill Mountains

Dining in the Catskills reflects a meeting of farm country, resort history and contemporary rural enterprise. Independent restaurants, cafés, diners, lodge dining rooms and old-fashioned inns serve menus that often draw on nearby vegetables, apples, maple products, eggs, dairy and locally raised meat. Trout and other freshwater fish are part of the area's food identity, although availability and preparation vary by establishment. Jewish-American resort traditions remain part of the southern Catskills' culinary memory, alongside familiar American comfort food and bakery culture. In towns such as Andes, Delhi, Margaretville, Livingston Manor, Roscoe and Woodstock, visitors can find modern cooking, coffee roasters, bakeries and seasonal farm-to-table menus, while rural roads lead to farm stands and producers. Breweries, cideries and distilleries have become notable additions, and local drinks are often paired with casual food rather than formal tasting rituals. Booking is sensible for popular restaurants, as dining choices can be widely spaced and evening services may be seasonal.

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Best bars in Catskill Mountains

Evening life in the Catskills is generally based on pubs, taverns, restaurants, brewery taprooms, live music and small cultural venues rather than a large nightclub scene. Woodstock has a long-established association with music and arts, while communities such as Livingston Manor, Tannersville, Delhi, Margaretville and nearby village centres offer informal places to meet for drinks, food or performances. In the southern Catskills, the legacy of resort entertainment is reflected more through cultural programming and music venues than through the extensive hotel nightlife of the mid-twentieth century. Some breweries, cideries and distilleries provide relaxed evening settings, but opening arrangements and seasonal schedules vary. Rural distances mean that visitors should plan a safe journey back to their accommodation rather than rely on late public transport, and designated drivers are particularly important on winding mountain roads.

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Best nightclubs in Catskill Mountains

Evening life in the Catskills is generally based on pubs, taverns, restaurants, brewery taprooms, live music and small cultural venues rather than a large nightclub scene. Woodstock has a long-established association with music and arts, while communities such as Livingston Manor, Tannersville, Delhi, Margaretville and nearby village centres offer informal places to meet for drinks, food or performances. In the southern Catskills, the legacy of resort entertainment is reflected more through cultural programming and music venues than through the extensive hotel nightlife of the mid-twentieth century. Some breweries, cideries and distilleries provide relaxed evening settings, but opening arrangements and seasonal schedules vary. Rural distances mean that visitors should plan a safe journey back to their accommodation rather than rely on late public transport, and designated drivers are particularly important on winding mountain roads.

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Best shops in Catskill Mountains

Shopping in the Catskills is primarily local and small scale, with independent high streets, farm shops, galleries, antique stores, bookshops, craft studios and seasonal markets spread among the valleys. Woodstock is associated with arts, music-related retail, galleries and handmade goods, while towns such as Phoenicia, Tannersville, Margaretville, Delhi, Andes and Livingston Manor offer different combinations of outdoor equipment, local food and independent businesses. Farm stands and producers sell apples, maple syrup, honey, preserves, baked goods, vegetables, cheese and other regional provisions, particularly in the warmer months. Craft beer, cider and spirits can be distinctive souvenirs where sales regulations and transport arrangements permit. Visitors should not expect a continuous shopping district or extensive luxury retail; the appeal lies in finding locally made ceramics, textiles, woodwork, art, vintage goods and practical mountain clothing among communities separated by wooded roads and open valleys.

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Catskill Mountains essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD), as throughout New York State. Credit and debit cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in larger towns, hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops, but rural businesses, farm stands, small campsites and occasional roadside services may have limited connectivity or prefer cash. Carry some smaller dollar notes and do not rely entirely on a mobile phone for payment in mountain areas. Tipping is customary in American restaurants and other service settings, with the expected amount normally shown on the receipt or payment screen.
Safety
The main risks are outdoor and driving related rather than unusual urban dangers. Check weather and trail conditions before setting out, allow more time than distances suggest, and remember that mobile coverage can be intermittent in valleys and forests. Mountain paths may be steep, rocky, muddy or icy, while waterfalls, ledges and fast water require particular care. Black bears live in the region, so store food securely and follow local guidance. In autumn, crowded trailheads and slippery leaves require caution; in winter, snow, ice and short daylight can turn moderate walks into serious outings.
Emergency Situations
Call 911 for police, fire or ambulance emergencies anywhere in the Catskill Mountains and give the dispatcher a precise location, trail name, road number or nearby landmark. For hiking incidents, rescuers may need time to reach remote terrain, so remain with an injured person when safe and conserve phone battery. The region relies on county emergency services and local fire, ambulance and search-and-rescue organisations; there is no single mountain-rescue number replacing 911. Downloading maps in advance and leaving an itinerary with someone else are sensible precautions for longer walks.
Do's and Don'ts
Do respect New York State Forest Preserve rules, stay on marked trails, use designated parking and carry out rubbish. Do keep a respectful distance from wildlife and protect private property, as the Catskill Park includes both public and privately owned land. Do follow posted swimming, boating and fire restrictions. Do not block narrow roads or residents' driveways at busy trailheads, and do not assume that a waterfall or reservoir is safe for swimming. In towns and rural communities, behave as a visitor rather than treating working landscapes as photo backdrops, and ask permission before photographing private homes or people.
Local Tips
Choose accommodation according to your main activity: eastern communities suit access to high viewpoints and waterfalls, while western valleys provide a quieter base for fishing, cycling and rural food destinations. Scenic routes can take longer than expected, so group nearby stops together. Autumn foliage is popular and accommodation can fill well ahead, while spring trails may remain muddy and high elevations can retain snow. Reserve popular campsites or lodging early, check whether a trailhead requires a parking reservation, and explore local farm shops, galleries and small museums rather than limiting the visit to headline viewpoints.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[How-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya[See yah]
YesYup[Yup]
NoNope[Nope]
Please/You're welcomeSure thing[Shur thing]
Thank youThanks a bunch[Thanks a bunch]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me[Pardon me]
How are you?How ya doin'?[How ya doin'?]
Fine. And you?Good. And you?[Good. An' you?]
Do you speak English?You speakin' English?[You speakin' English?]
I don't understandI ain't followin'[I ain't followin']
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please?[Can I see the menu, please?]
I don't eat meatI ain't eatin' meat[I ain't eatin' meat]
Cheers!Cheers![Cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I settle up, please?[Can I settle up, please?]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![Help!]
Go away!Scram![Scram!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![Call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Get a doc![Get a doc!]
I'm lostI’m all turned around[I’m all turned around]
I'm illI ain't feelin' well[I ain't feelin' well]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust browsin'[Just browsin']
How much is it?What’s the damage?[What’s the damage?]
That's too expensiveThat’s pricey[That’s pricey]
Can you lower the price?Can ya knock down the price?[Can ya knock down the price?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time is it?[What time is it?]
It's one o'clockIt's one o'clock[It's one o'clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[Half past ten]
MorningMornin'[Mornin']
AfternoonAfternoon[Afternoon]
EveningEvenin'[Evenin']
YesterdayYesterday[Yesterday]
TodayToday[Today]
TomorrowTomorrow[Tomorrow]
1One[One]
2Two[Two]
3Three[Three]
4Four[Four]
5Five[Five]
6Six[Six]
7Seven[Seven]
8Eight[Eight]
9Nine[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[Where's the...?]
What's the address?What’s the address?[What’s the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can you point it out?[Can you point it out?]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next bus?[When's the next bus?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[A ticket to...]

History of Catskill Mountains

Indigenous Homelands and Early European Contact

The Catskill Mountains lie within the historic homelands of Indigenous peoples, particularly Munsee-speaking communities associated with the wider Delaware River and Hudson Valley region. The Lenape and Mohican peoples used the surrounding forests, waterways and valleys for travel, hunting and settlement before sustained European colonisation. Dutch and later English colonial expansion altered land ownership and movement from the seventeenth century onwards. Place names, archaeological evidence and continuing Indigenous presence form an important part of the region's history, even though many modern visitors encounter the mountains primarily through later tourism and conservation narratives.

Colonial Settlement and the Hudson Valley Frontier

European settlement expanded around the Catskill foothills during the colonial period, particularly along the Hudson River and fertile valleys east and south of the mountains. Timber, farming, tanneries and small-scale industries developed around streams and transport routes. The mountains themselves remained difficult to cross, but their forests and waterways were increasingly incorporated into the economies of neighbouring settlements. Roads and turnpikes gradually connected interior communities with the Hudson Valley, laying foundations for the travel routes and market towns that still structure visits to the region.

The Romantic Discovery of the Catskills

During the early nineteenth century, artists and writers helped transform the Catskills into a celebrated American landscape. Painters associated with the Hudson River School, including Thomas Cole, used the area's dramatic escarpments, waterfalls and expansive views as subjects for a national landscape tradition. Visitors travelled to viewpoints such as Catskill Mountain House, opened in 1824 near present-day North-South Lake, where scenery was presented as both a natural wonder and a symbol of the young United States. This artistic and tourist attention gave the mountains a national cultural importance that continues in museums, trails and historic viewpoints.

Nineteenth-Century Resorts and Tourism

Improved roads, steamboats on the Hudson and expanding railway connections brought increasing numbers of visitors from New York City and other urban centres. Grand hotels, boarding houses and mountain retreats developed around places such as Catskill, Hunter, Palenville and the Schoharie valley. Tourism created employment and new markets for local farms and businesses, while also changing the landscape through hotels, carriage roads and recreational infrastructure. The resort era established the Catskills as one of the north-eastern United States' major summer destinations long before modern ski centres and short-break travel.

Jewish-American Resort Culture in the Borscht Belt

In the twentieth century, Sullivan and parts of Ulster and Delaware counties became associated with the Jewish-American summer resort culture often called the Borscht Belt. Large hotels and bungalow colonies around communities including Liberty, Fallsburg, Monticello and Woodbourne offered accommodation, entertainment, swimming and organised leisure, especially for families from New York City. These resorts supported comedians, musicians and entertainers who later became nationally known. Although many hotels have closed, the era remains visible in local memories, surviving buildings, cultural projects and the continuing identity of the southern Catskills.

Woodstock, Bethel and Modern Cultural Memory

The 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held at Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, in the western Catskills foothills, not in the town of Woodstock. Its association with counterculture, popular music and social change gave the region a lasting international cultural resonance. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts now occupies the concert site's grounds and interprets the festival and its wider historical context. Woodstock itself, in Ulster County, had hosted artists and organisers connected with the festival and developed its own enduring creative reputation.

Forest Preserve and Conservation

New York State's Forest Preserve, established in the nineteenth century and protected by the state constitution from sale or permanent destruction, became central to the Catskills' modern identity. The Catskill Park was created in 1904 to protect mountain lands while allowing a mixture of public and private ownership within its boundaries. Conservation has since shaped decisions about trails, reservoirs, forests, wildlife and recreation. The result is a landscape where heavily used hiking areas coexist with working communities, private land, water-supply infrastructure and extensive public woodland.

Catskill Mountains in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to the Catskill Mountains

Discover the Catskill Mountains with Evendo, the 100% free travel guide app. Explore attractions, landmarks, dining, and more with handy tips and local insights.

  • Comprehensive guide to attractions, landmarks, and dining
  • Booking capabilities for hotels, tours, and experiences
  • 'Near me' feature for real-time location-based recommendations
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More about the Evendo app

Explore the Catskill Mountains like never before with Evendo, a comprehensive app-based travel guide. Discover attractions, landmarks, and dining with ease.

  • Detailed maps, local tips, and contact information
  • Curated local insights for an authentic travel experience
  • 100% free with no in-app purchases

Embark on a memorable journey through the breathtaking Catskill Mountains with Evendo, your all-in-one travel companion. This innovative app provides you with unparalleled access to the region's top attractions, legendary landmarks, and exquisite dining options. Discover the serene beauty of Kaaterskill Falls, experience the thrill of Hunter Mountain's skiing slopes, or explore the rich history at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. Whether you're hiking through the lush trails of the Catskill Park or indulging in local flavors at the Phoenicia Diner, Evendo ensures you won't miss a thing.

With detailed information, images, and local tips, planning your adventure has never been easier. Use the 'Near me' feature to quickly find nearby experiences or book hotels and tours directly through the app. Evendo's intuitive navigation and curated suggestions mean you'll explore the Catskills like a local, uncovering hidden gems and must-see spots effortlessly. Download Evendo today and unlock the secrets of this majestic region, all from the palm of your hand.

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