Catskill Mountains
| Catskill Mountains | |
|---|---|
Slide Mountain and nearby peaks as seen from Twin Mountain in the northern Catskills | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Slide Mountain |
| Elevation | 4,180 ft (1,270 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°59′55″N 74°23′11″W / 41.99861°N 74.38639°W |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 111 mi (179 km) N/S |
| Width | 102 mi (164 km) E/W |
| Area | 15,259 km2 (5,892 sq mi) |
| Geography | |
Main regions of the northeast Appalachians, with the Catskills as "C" | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Region | Hudson Valley, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley |
| Counties |
|
| Rivers |
|
| Communities |
|
| Parent range | Appalachian (Allegheny Plateau) |
| Borders on |
|
| Geology | |
| Rock ages |
|
| Rock type | Sedimentary |
The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province and subrange of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas close to or within the borders of the Catskill Park, a 700,000-acre (2,800 km2) forest preserve protected from many forms of development under New York state law.
Geologically, the Catskills are a mature dissected plateau, a flat region subsequently uplifted and eroded into sharp relief by watercourses. The Catskills form the northeastern end of the Allegheny Plateau (also known as the Appalachian Plateau).[1][2]
The Catskills were named by early Dutch settlers. They are well known in American society as the setting for films and works of art, including many 19th-century Hudson River School paintings, as well as for being a favored destination for vacationers from New York City in the mid-20th century. The region's many large resorts gave many young stand-up comedians an opportunity to hone their craft. 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.
- ^ "REGIONAL TOPOGRAPHY". Catskills GIS Atlas. Catskill Center. Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
- ^ "Physiographic divisions of the conterminous U. S". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved December 6, 2007.