14 Facts About Catskills

Catskill Mountains, known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York.

Geologically, the Catskills are a mature dissected plateau, a flat region subsequently uplifted and eroded into sharp relief by watercourses.

Since the late 19th century, the Catskills have been a haven for artists, musicians and writers, especially in and around the towns of Woodstock and Phoenicia.

Catskills contain more than 30 peaks above 3,500 feet and parts of six important rivers.

The vast majority of the Catskills have a warm summer humid continental climate with some isolated locations in valleys with hot summer humid continental climate.

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Similarly, the Shawangunk Ridge, which forms the southeastern edge of the Catskills, is part of the geologically distinct Ridge-and-Valley province and is a continuation of the same ridge known as Kittatinny Mountain in New Jersey and Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania.

The sediments that make up the rocks in the Catskills were deposited when the ancient Acadian Mountains in the east were rising and subsequently eroding.

Today's Catskills are a result of the continued erosion of these rocks, both by streams and, in the recent past, by glaciers.

Spots to camp in the Catskills include Bear Spring Mountain, Little Pond, Mongaup Pond, and North-South Lake.

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.

Southern part of the Catskills was served by the New York, Ontario and Western Railway.

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, though this boundary remains a matter of local preference.

New York State Routes 28 and 23A cut east–west through the heart of the Catskills, serving many of the most popular outdoor tourist destinations.

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.