Catskill Mountains are a group of mountains west of the Hudson River in New York. They form part of the Appalachian mountain system. The southern edge of the Catskills lies about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of New York City. The chain is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) long and 50 miles (80 kilometers) wide. The highest peaks are Slide Mountain (4,204 feet, or 1,281 meters) and Hunter Mountain (4,025 feet, or 1,227 meters).
The Catskill Mountains were carved out by glacial ice sheets thousands of years ago. They make up one of the most beautiful natural regions in New York. The Catskills and the Hudson River Valley became famous in the 1800’s as a setting for writers and landscape painters. Catskill State Park was established in 1904 and now covers 705,000 acres (285,000 hectares). Resorts in the mountains offer canoeing, fly fishing, hiking, and skiing. The Schoharie and Ashokan reservoirs in the Catskills supply fresh water to New York City through the Catskill Aqueduct.
