Catskill Mountains (redirected from the Catskills)

Catskill Mountains, dissected plateau of the Appalachian Mt. system, SE N.Y., W of the Hudson River. This glaciated region, wooded and rolling, with deep gorges and many waterfalls, is drained by the headstreams of the Delaware River and by Esopus, Schoharie, Rondout, and Catskill creeks. Most of the summits are c.3,000 ft (910 m) above sea level; Slide Mt. (4,180 ft/1,274 m) is the highest. Close to New York City, the area is popular with summer and winter vacationers; the famed "Borscht Belt," a string of Jewish family resorts, is now in decline, but outdoor centers are multiplying. The area is also notable for its concentration of Buddhist centers. Ashokan Reservoir is a source of the New York metropolitan area's water supply. Catskill Park embraces much of the Catskills, including the region of the Rip Van Winkle legend.

Bibliography

See A. Evers, The Catskills (1984).

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Catskill Mountains

Mountain group of the Appalachian mountain system, southeastern New York, U.S. It is bounded by the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. Many of its peaks reach 3,000 ft (900 m); the highest, Slide Mountain, reaches 4,204 ft (1,281 m). The area has many resorts, and its lakes supply New York City with water. The mountains were made famous through Washington Irving's stories of Rip Van Winkle, who supposedly took his long nap near the town of Catskill.