The Catskill Mountains are a land of crystal-clear splashing brooks, primitive wilderness, balsam fragrant mountains; sweet air freshened by high hills and the vastness of space. There are fine accommodations varying from charming Beds & Breakfasts to country inns, small motels, ski resorts, vacation cabins, and even a spa or two.

There is an abundance of natural beauty here with plenty of outdoor sports to enjoy it. And in 1894 New York State's Constitution was amended to create the Catskill Forest Preserve, 300,000 acres of land that "shall be forever wild." Cared for by the Department of Environmental Conservation, there are miles of hiking and walking trails, fishing streams, lakes and ponds, and unspoiled woodlands.

Made up of a unique conglomeration of private and public lands, there are Wilderness Areas & Wild Forest Areas. The Wilderness areas all contain at least 10,000 acres of uninterrupted and unspoiled forest and mountainside. Foot travel is the only way to traverse the Wilderness; all motorized and wheeled (bicycles) vehicles are prohibited. The Wild Forests are designed to provide a higher degree of human recreation; they resemble parks. Mountain bikes and snowmobiles are allowed in these areas. There are usually more people here; they are less remote than the Wilderness.

Small villages and towns, Phoenicia, Margaretville, Pine Hill are home to shops offering charming gifts, local crafts, specialty foods. There are galleries and unusual museums. In the summertime, farmstands, craft fairs, flea markets abound. And there are under-the-stars concerts, too.

Beyond Woodstock route 28 follows the north side of the Ashokan Reservoir. Water supply for New York City one hundred miles away, it is three miles wide by twelve miles long, holds 130 billion gallons, and mirrors the picturesque Catskill Mountains. The reservoir fountain in Shokan rises amid expansive lawns on which to picnic, play Frisbee, or just soak up the sun. In addition to its natural beauty, the reservoir offers both shore and rowboat fishing under special permit for sunfish, bullhead, perch, trout, walleye, bass, and pickerel. (Call 914-657-2663 for information.)

Just west of Catskill Corners is the Catskill Mountain Railroad. From Memorial Day through mid-October you can hop aboard for a six-mile, forty-minute scenic train ride along the banks of the Esopus, stopping at the Empire State Railway Museum along the way. Tubers also use this train to return to Phoenicia after their tube ride down the Esopus Creek.

Time, in many ways, has passed the Catskills by, just as it did for one of our more famous characters, Rip Van Winkle. The English Crown's land patent system, The French-Indian War, The American Revolution, combined with the vagaries of mountain weather and our rugged terrain conspired to keep the Catskills isolated and to make early settlement difficult. Civilization reached here 100 years later than it did the rest of the Northeast, so that today we are reaping the benefits and have what so many other communities long for: open spaces, fresh, untainted air, clear waters, little traffic, and quiet, quiet that lets you hear the birdsong.

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