Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway

Attraction Description

The new Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway has recently been approved by the NYS DOT Scenic Byway program. Located in the the 700,000-acre Catskill Park, is a mix of private land and more than a quarter-milliion acres of state-owned forever wild land known as the Catskill Forest Preserve.

Route 28, linking the Hudson River in the east, with the Delaware River's East Branch in the west actually proceeds north, all of the way to the Adirondacks. Here in the Catskills, it passes through the heart of the Catskill Park in Ulster County, over the watershed divide at Highmount and into Delaware County.

The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway is 45 miles long and takes travelers to the hamlets of Shokan and Boiceville in the Town of Olive; Mt. Tremper, Phoenicia, Big Indian and Pine Hill in the Town of Shandaken; villages of Fleischmanns, Margaretville in the Town of Middletown; and finally to the hamlet of Andes, in the larger Town of Andes which borders the Pepacton Reservoir.

Spectacular side routes cross and encircle part of the Ashokan Reservoir; follows Route 214 through the Stony Clove, where motorists can connect with the Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway; and head up Route 42, to lovely Lexington in Greene County. Route 28 is one of the oldest roads in the region. It appears on a 1765 survey map of the Hardenburgh Patent, a 2 milion acre land grant given by the King of England to a group of influential speculators intent on enticing settlers.

To Make You Smile

The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway is bordered on the eastern boundary by the Ashokan Reservoir and the western boundary by the Pepacton Reservoir that provide for the public water supply in NYC and surrounding communities with billions of gallons a day of unfiltered water. The mountain peaks of this region bring challenges and adventures with organized activities by groups such as the 3500 Club, the Catskill Mountain Club and great volunteer trail projects sponsored by the NY/NJ Trail Conference, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development.

The Catskill Park is a park without an entry gate, a wild, yet living watershed, where visitors are welcomed to small communities, each with its own distinctive flavor and flair. Small towns, set amid wild lands, give the region the character that has always been a magnet for nature lovers, travelers and seekers of all sorts who have come on foot, on horseback, by train and now by car.

Each season of the year the natural landscape draws people to enjoy winter sports (Belleayre Mt.) cross country skiing and winter hiking, Hunting continues to draw many who not only seek to harvest the forests for food but also for sport to help in wildlife management efforts. Summer is filled with great golfing, festivals, concerts, hiking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing and cycling. With thousands of pristine acres to play in, and lots of camping and outdoor options for enjoying a refreshing get away trip, vacationer's make the central Catskills a destination every season of the year.

Events

Community celebrations are held at many locations and different venues from a Cauliflower Festival, featuring a Tractor Parade, remembers how Dairy Farmers grew a 'cash crop' business of raising cauliflower for a NYC market. Held as a fall festival in Margaretville. where weekly auctions sold bushels and bushes for eager city residents.

Andes Day in August brings the residents and many visitors to the Hamlet to enjoy a Parade featuring community organizations, Fire Trucks, farm wagons and more to Main Street (Route 28). Residents meet and greet old friends, enjoy a meal at the famous Andes Hotel and listen to music and dance on the lawn at the Andes Central School. Beautiful Ballentine Park and the restored and repurposed Train Station sees programs and offers historic exhibits about Andes History as the epicenter of the Anti-Rent War.

The Shandaken Day celebrated at one of the 15 hamlets in this sprawling town brings back the old-fashioned fun of tug of wars, recognition of Hamlet Heros of the past year, great music, historic exhibits and lots of fun for the kids. From the newly opened Catskill Interpretive Center in Mt. Tremper, to the popular eateries and shopping in Phoenicia, this is a town that is celebrating its heritage while looking towards the future with spirit.