Welcome, Traveler

In the story of “Rip Van Winkle” a colonial-era villager happens upon a group of mysterious bearded men playing nine pins and drinking from a keg in the Catskill Mountains. He joins in their drink, falls asleep and wakes 20 years later to a changed world.

The legend may be 200 years old, but the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County, NY, still hold much of the same mystical enchantment. Just two hours north of New York City, you feel as if you’ve arrived in another world–where the air is fresh, open spaces stretch wide and you feel far, far away from the responsibilities you’ve left behind.

Greene County offers some of the best hiking, mountain biking, paddling and breathtaking waterfalls in the Northeast. It’s a winter playground, whether you ski or simply want to build a snowman. And it’s a quintessential destination for family resort vacations, Catskills-style, enjoyed year after year, generation upon generation.

Whether you’re inclined to “chill” or chase after “thrill” (page 18), its three distinct regions—River, Valley and

Mountains—are stacked with things to do winter, spring, summer and fall.

With 287,000 acres designated as “Forever Wild,” the Catskill Forest Preserve maintains the same verdant and pristine beauty that inspired famous American landscape painter Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School art movement ( page 28).

Visit the area’s downtowns, and you’ll find historic buildings buzzing with modern-day innovation. From gift shops, galleries and boutiques to coffee shops, restaurants and craft breweries, our towns are alive with entrepreneurs, artists and makers and, yes, a good percentage of bearded men. But don’t let that scare you off from enjoying local brews on tap!

Happy Travels,

Patty Austin Director of Tourism, Greene County