Things to do / Travel Guide
Think out of the box for a second, New Yorkers and those of you on the East Coast: if you can't travel across the country for a dose of outdoors fun, what better outdoors region to visit than the one closest to New York City, the Catskills and the Hudson Valley?! It's all here, all against the backdrop of stunning mountain vistas, like those of the Shawangunks, the Catskills themselves, and, of course, the beautiful Hudson River. Bring your oars, your hiking boots, bicycle, several spare karabiners, and your camera for a splendid outdoors vacation in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley.
Water Activities in the Catskills and Hudson Valley
Kayak up or down the Hudson River for mile after mile - it's actually a tidal estuary (meaning the water never travels fast) - an ideal destination for a leisurely kayak ride. The river itself is one of the best places in the region to really soak in the whole environment and look up at the majestic Catskill Escarpment.
At one point you'll come across the fear-inducing Bannerman Castle, built on an island in the river in the late-19th century. It's prohibited to land on the island, but you can still pass by, looking in at the abandoned eccentric masterpiece. All you need is some Bela Lugosi-themed music in the background: don't get out of that kayak!
The Catskills are filled to the gills with fishing opportunities. Ever want to know where fly fishing was invented? Look no further. These mountains are streaked by innumerate valleys, where you'll find rushing, gushing creeks, streams, and rivers. Standing on the pebbles, with the shallow water passing swiftly through your legs and the trout flitting past, it's easy to understand why fly fishing is such a draw and why the Catskills are so famous for it. Search for mountain creeks called the Esopus, Rondout, Catskill, and Schoharie, among others.
Of course, the Catskills aren't the only place to go fishing, nor is trout the only fish for which to fish. The region as a whole is also famous for bass fishing, and a whole culture has been built up around the catching, preparing, and eating of shale. The Hudson River is a great place to pursue these fish, along with creeks like Fishkill and Sawkill.
Land-based Activities in the Catskills and Hudson Valley
Back on land and a bit south of the Catskills, the Shawangunks may be a relatively unknown mountain range to the layman, but to the experienced rock climber the 'Gunks boast some of the most prestigious climbing in the country. In the right crowd, names like Trapps, Near Trapps, Skytop, and Millbrook have achieved almost mythical status. Even in the wintertime, climbers from all over the country congregate on the rock walls to get views of the ice formations cascading over these cliffs.
Biking and hiking are also great in this region. Some of the best trails and paths in the country are located right here in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Bike alongside the Hudson on a number of specially-marked trails, like those in Mills-Norrie State Park, or parallel a cliff, above or below, in the Shawangunks' Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Hiking and walking have never been better. The supreme Breakneck Ridge Trail, for instance, leads you through the Hudson Highlands and grants you views of the Catskills and the Shawangunks on one side, and the Hudson River on the other.
The Catskills are the perfect place to take your family on a trip with the goal of appreciating nature, in all its wilderness and beauty. They're chock-full of great views, of peering out at green forests spotted with jutting rocks and rocky cliffs interspersed with the proud and resilient trees. Whether by foot or motorized vehicle, you can travel the roads that provide access to the various small towns in the Catskills, like Shandaken and Hunter. Trails will come at you from every direction!
If you took Art History 101 in college, perhaps the Hudson River School rings a bell. It was the first “homegrown” U.S. art movement, having started in the early-19th century. Artists went out and glorified their canvasses with scenes they saw in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills. The original scene of the greatest of these paintings, of Kaaterskill Falls by Thomas Cole, can still be seen in person: it's a doozy of a waterfall, 260 feet from top to bottom. Like we said, bring your wide-angle lens.
You'll also find a few “monster” golf courses in the Hudson Valley, like the Concord Hotel Monster Course, rated by “Golf Digest” as one of America's top 100 golf courses.
The Catskills and the Hudson Valley are perfect for long vacations as well as short weekend escapes. A perfect activity for a weekend vacation to the Hudson Valley is to take a ride in an open-cockpit 1920s-style biplane. The place: Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, which features one of the biggest collections of antique planes in the world, and one of the most celebrated air shows.
Skiing and Spelunking in the Catskills and Hudson Valley
Did you know you could find excellent skiing just two hours from the Big Apple? Yes, the Catskills are blessed with some world-class ski resorts like Hunter Mountain and Belleayre Mountain. Check out fantastic cross-country skiing as well, on old logging roads.
And, last but not least, may we suggest some cave exploring in some of the best underground caves in the country? Make your way over to Howe Caverns, New York's number one natural attraction after Niagara Falls, for some spelunking. The vast displays of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as moonlike creations like an underground lake, will fill even the most jaded traveler with a heaping portion of childlike wonder.
Bottom line: This ain't your grandma's Catskills or Hudson Valley. Who knew that so close to one of the world's greatest cities, you can find such a compilation of outdoor (and underground) recreational activities like fishing, hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, golfing, and spelunking, all against the backdrop of fantastic scenery - the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains.
Outdoor Recreation in Woodstock, Cooperstown, New Paltz, Catskills and Hudson Valley
Outdoor-Sports-Recreation
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