Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains, NY - Saugerties NY Family Vacation

Preview: Mention the word Catskills, and many people still envision the large hotels in Sullivan County where families from New York City once flocked by the carload. Few of those resorts exist today, and the ones remaining have changed with the times, offering more than shuffleboard and handball. The Catskill Mountains cut across four counties, each with its own personality: Ulster in the east, Sullivan in the south, Greene in the north, and Delaware in the west. The 386,000 acres of unspoiled state-owned Catskill Forest Preserve and the 705,000 acres of privately and state-owned Catskill Park offer a variety of simple, natural pleasures: miles of hiking and skiing trails, plus creeks and streams for fishing, canoeing, and tubing. Much of this pristine area is in western Ulster and southwestern Greene counties, although Sullivan and Delaware counties have their share of natural places as well. The Shawangunk Mountains are located west of the Hudson River, in New York’s Hudson Valley. No one knows for sure what Shawangunk means, but one thing that’s for certain is the authentic pronunciation. Locals say “Shong-gum” and so should visitors. The Shawangunk mountains have a rich history of such rural industries as barrel-hoop making, huckleberry picking, and rock quarrying for millstone. Today, the mountain range is preserved for daytime recreational use and is a haven for hikers, rock climbers, and snowshoers. Local author Marc B. Fried has written several nature and folk history books about the area. Check out his Shawangunk: Adventure, Exploration, History and Epiphany from a Mountain Wilderness for a more detailed history of the area. This chapter is one complete vacation written with families in mind. It’s loaded with exciting things to do, family-friendly places to lodge and dine, recommended side trips, local sources of information, and detailed travel directions.
© Copyright Candyce H. Stapen published by The Globe Pequot Press all rights reserved.


Duration: Up to a week's worth of fun.
This travel guide comes from:
Great Family Vacations: Northeast Guide Book