There's a land not far from me where time stands still in its own way. It's a land of legends, a land of history, and is affectionately known as the Land of Rip Van Winkle. I, of course, am referring to the Northern Catskill Mountain region of New York.
I've spent a lot of time over the years in this area. It's one of my favorite places to hike and look at waterfalls. What you don't learn to appreciate right off the bat is the amazing history that makes this place so special.
Washington Irving is the author who made this place famous with his story of Rip Van Winkle, the man who fell asleep for 20 years and when he woke up, everything had changed. Washington Irving really didn't spend that much time in the area, and spent more time in Europe than he did here, but the story he penned made a huge impact on the area.
Everything in the area around the city of Catskill, NY is all about Rip Van Winkle. The bridge you cross the Hudson River by is the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. All kinds of local businesses are called Rip Van Winkle. There are various Rip Van Winkle statues, paintings, and markers all over the place. Washington Irving is a God up there.
So, after I spent some significant time up there a while back, I had to look into the man behind the legend. I was amazed by what I found. In addition to his two highly famous stories, "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," there are many parts of all of our history that connect to the author.
Were you ever taught that Medieval Europeans thought that the world was flat until Christopher Columbus proved that wrong? That came from one of Washington Irving's European published books. It was supposed to be a joke!
In his stories about Christmas, he talked of New York traditions of massive decorations and lots of presents and lots of parties around Christmas time. He single handedly started changing Christmas from a very solemn affair to what we know today.
He coined the name Gotham for New York. Gotham was originally a derogatory term for Nottingham in England, meaning that they were a town of foolish people. Later on, it was believed that they feigned being insane there to keep the tax collector away. No one knows for sure which idea was behind him using the term to describe New York City.
Knickerbocker was one of Washington Irving's pen names. It is a fact, that the New York Knicks named their team because of him.
In short, Washington Irving was a man who changed how people thought during his time. Many believe that he had no idea how much he changed American society with his writing.
So, Washington Irving helped shape the history of the region. But, as time moved on, other things influenced the area. Frederick Edwin Church, a famous landscape artist, painted many acclaimed works of the area. He also built Olana. Olana Mansion sits above the bridge on the east side of the Hudson and is one of the most beautiful historic estates in the valley.
This area of the Hudson Valley now has an artist trail. There are maps to follow all around the area to different sites that are truly beautiful and amazing. The town of Catskill is somewhat of an artist's town as well. It gives the area a bit of a Bohemian feel, even if you aren't visiting the ever famous town of Woodstock.
The Catskill Mountains are truly an amazing place to spend time. They are home to some diverse groups of residents, some amazing monuments and tremendous natural beauty. This is one reason that it was once the go to place for New Yorkers to get out of town. It's now a bit more quiet, but still a go to for many New York City residents on the weekends in the summer in particular. It's no longer the land of "Dirty Dancing" and "Mrs. Maisel" but you can still have a really good time. There are still resorts available for your luxurious lifestyle.
This is where history comes in once again, with the history of the New Yorkers traveling to the area to get away. Back in the old days, the Catskills were different. New Yorkers used to come in by steamboat to the town of Catskill. This was where they left the boats and got on the Catskill Railroad and went to the mountains where the resorts were. The railway was exclusively for the purpose of taking travelers from the Hudson River up into the Catskill Mountains for holiday.
High above Palenville, on the South Mountain of the Kaaterskill Escarpment, used to stand The Catskill Mountain House. It was a luxury resort with an amazing view of the valley below. In the picture above, you can see the town of Catskill in the distance, almost directly in the middle of the picture. Somehow, back in the 1800's, you could catch a train after departing a boat in Catskill and go to Palenville. Then, somehow, there was a funicular or cog railway that brought you directly up the mountain to the hotel on that cliff. It's enough to bend your brain, just to think about it.
The property declined and ceased to operate. In 1963, the property was burned to the ground, everything was taken away except a marker. The state declared that it should remain a pristine wilderness, and it's been a natural spot ever since. I would have loved to have seen it though.
But, nature is the centerpiece of the area now. Waterfall hunting is my thing, and this is a great place for it. Do not come thinking that it's easy. Kaaterskill Falls is one of the best known falls in the Catskills, and it has been readied for tourists. It is still one of the toughest hikes around, even though it's not long. The beauty here is amazing, but you have to be in shape for the challenges.
Now, if you love winter, the Catskills have Hunter and Windham Mountains. They both have great ski resorts. They both also have summer activities. Hunter Mountain is home to the highest zip lines in the east. Both mountain resorts have festivals and activities. They are a great place to spend time, and the food in the area is fabulous too.
Catskill is one of the centerpiece towns in the area. East Durham is known for being Irish, and have Zoom Flume Water Park. Several of the towns within the Catskill Mountains Park are proud to be various types of Alpine people. Catskill is ground zero for the Land of Rip Van Winkle. They also have about two dozen cat statues around the downtown that are the stars of the show. It's a relaxed area with great little shops and good food. It's never too crowded, so it's a great place to hang out and spend some time.
There are also small breweries all around the area, and most of them serve food. They are a great place to hang out, meet people and experience local flavor.
Whatever you do in the Catskills, you will be amazed at the culture. The food, the people, the art, the natural beauty, the history, the bridges, the hiking, the waterfalls, the drink, and of course, a never ending supply of versions of Rip Van Winkle.
So, take some time and come to a place of wide open spaces and dramatic views that haven't been truly appreciated in full since the times of "Dirty Dancing." It's a place that's reinvented itself since the hey days of the 1960's and become a more quiet artist's colony. It's now the land of adventure seekers and artists and it couldn't be more charming.
I've been traveling in the Catskill Mountains for 30 years, and I always find something new and interesting about the area. The one thing that I have to disagree with is Rip Van Winkle. You have to sleep longer that 20 years to see that dramatic of a difference in the area and the people. I love that things don't change that quickly and that there are things you can count on being exactly the same year after year. That's one of the best things about the Catskill Mountains. It's always different, yet it's always exactly the same. And, it's always one of the most beautiful spots in the east. So, take some time to get away from it all. Take some time to appreciate the amazing Catskill Mountains and Enjoy!
