Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Catskills Foliage - Sightseeing & Recreation in Upstate New York

View from Ski Lift at Hunter Mountain, NY
by Marie C. Dimino 


The beautiful Catskills Mountains in Upstate New York offer many diversified activities. It's a perfect getaway for families, friends, couples or singles.


The foliage colors of a typical autumn day in Upstate New York in the beautiful Catskills Mountains can be poetically described as hues of tangerine orange, glistening golds, crimson reds, chartreuse greens and rustic shades of burgundy browns. The canvas is an open sky with varying shades of splendid blue and puffs of billowy, fluffy, soft, white clouds. A hint of smokey silver, peach and lavender sometimes spreads across the mountaintops crowning the heavens in all its glory. The lakes and many tumbling waterfalls sparkle and reflect tiny flashes of light that glitter and dance with the glow of the sun at the first moment of morning’s dawn.
Autumn skies of this beautiful country with its crisp, cool air is what music and art has been created from throughout the centuries. This natural fine art is the palette that draws tourists here from all walks of life to experience and photograph the pristine wonders of nature in the North-Eastern ever-changing fall season.

Natural Wonders

Many birds instinctively migrate to warmer climates where food will be readily available. During this time, geese can be seen flying in formation and heard calling out to each other, tracking one another’s distance between them. Monarch butterflies appear with their autumn colored wings as if to announce the end of summer. Mushrooms go into full bloom to spread their seed for the following year. Mycological societies especially enjoy their fungi hunting during this season.

So Much To Do, So Much To See

There are many Catskills events and outdoor activities to explore. Pumpkin patches, apple orchards, festivals, hay rides, fishing tournaments, and motorcycle rallies, as well as, scenic tours and cruises on the Hudson River and old-fashioned historical railroad rides that take you through the Catskills Mountains giving you the feeling of yesteryear.

Farm stands are everywhere and overflow with fresh, ripe, sweet produce. You can even visit an orchard and pick your own. Cider mills offer fresh squeezed cider from a variety of apples. Maple syrup farms explain how syrup is collected from the trees and offer maple syrup products and samples to try. Dairy farms offer distinct and quality cheeses and soaps made from cow, goat and sheep milk. Bee farms offer unique honey products such as basswood, blueberry, buckwheat, and wildflower.

Garlic is planted in October, winters over, and harvested in July. Fresh garlic is abundant in the Fall. Several varieties and species are offered at garlic festivals where you can spend the day enjoying local garlic recipes.

Art Groups and galleries exhibit works of art that are also for sale by local artists. Paintings, wood carvings, sketches, sculptures, and other interesting, unique forms of art line the stores and streets. Treasure seekers will find the abundance of antique stores irresistible. These shops can be found all over the Catskills and range from private store owners to garage sales and flea markets.

In the Fall season, some ski resorts open their ski lifts for Sky Rides so you can enjoy the dazzling sights of the high peaks of the Northern Catskills. On a clear, sunny day you can see amazing views of the Catskills Mountains, the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, and the Green Mountains of Vermont.

For thrill seekers, Zipline Adventure Tours will have you flying through the air, 600 feet above the ground, at 50 miles an hour. There are also tamer, family-friendly Zips for all ages and ability levels.

Mountain bike trails and bicycling routes are all around the Catskills Mountains. Here you can enjoy scenic, wilderness, historical or romantic cycling adventures.

Hundreds of trails are available for riders of ATVs, SUVs, dirt bikes, quad runners, and go-karts. There are orchards with rocky trails, wooded trails, grassy trails, sandy trails and muddy trails that are opened for touring, practicing or racing.

For the sportsman minded, there are archery, gun and game clubs that offer target shooting, pheasantry and sporting clays.

Many museums and landmark historical farm houses are open to the public and tour guides are informational, cordial and friendly. Rooms are filled with antique furnishings hand-carved by fine furniture makers of the 19th century, and interesting items from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Explore the underground caves and caverns that were formed millions of years ago. Experience lantern tours that simulate natural cave exploration. Exhibits display the cave's geology, formation, rock and mineral specimens, and the history of the cave's discovery. Learn about the vegetation and wildlife that live in these caves.

Discover the fossils that date back 380 million years ago during the Devonian period in the geologic time scale. In 1850, a naturalist found a sandstone cast of a portion of a Devonian-age tree trunk in the Schoharie Creek near Gilboa after a huge flood. The samples were sent to Canada where the specimens were described and illustrated by McGill University paleontolgist John W. Dawson. This was the first documented discovery of fossil tree stumps in North America.

Nightlife, entertainment, wineries, concerts, music and dancing can also be found throughout the region. The choices of hundreds of fine cuisine restaurants with various ethnic food and country quaint eateries will leave you perplexed.

Be sure to visit a corn maze and a haunted house attraction during the month of October. The Headless Horseman Hayride and Haunted House in Ulster Park is one of the most popular haunted attractions in the United States. There are many Halloween activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

Classes, Crafts, Courses and Workshops

If you enjoy learning new things in Creative Art, the options are limitless. There are a variety of classes to experience. Ceramic and pottery Classes will teach you the technique and art of wheel throwing, hand building, trimming, glazing and finishing pottery. Level of skill range from beginners to advanced and are offered to people of all ages.

Watercolor and oil painting classes take you to paint-on-site locations with magical scenery and beautiful waterfalls.

Writing Groups offer workshops in creative writing, journaling and poetry. Fiction and non-fiction classes offer tips and ideas where you can read your work-in-progress to the group. Some screen and play writing courses allow you to actually audition characters and present your work on stage to a live audience.

Learn the art and history of weaving arts. There are a variety of loom types. Once prehistoric, they have now moved into more complex modern-day machine looming. Archeologists believe that basket making and weaving were probably the first crafts developed by humans. Primitive people learned to create woven structures. Some of the items were nettings, coverings for huts, containers for goods, carriers for the young, rugs, blankets, hammocks, pouches and body coverings.

Felting arts is the process of laminating wool to selected areas of a base cloth. Projects may include creating dolls, animals, ornaments, lightweight wool drapery and silk scarfs.

Drum circles and yoga transdance classes are a great way to meet people and broaden your social circle. There are also spiritual resorts and retreats which are very relaxed and draw spiritually minded people together in a peaceful, natural setting. Some offer vegetarian and vegan cuisine, tai chi, yoga and meditation classes.

Hiking and Mountain Walks In The Fall - Fun and Educational

The Catskills region has much to offer to those who enjoy vacationing during this season. Aside from the natural beauty of its spectacular foliage, both hikers and bikers can now comfortably enjoy exploring the trails and the changes in the wildlife while taking in the scenery.

In cooler weather there are fewer insects to contend with. Mosquitos disappear and bees begin to hibernate inside their hives. Wasps die off except for the queen wasp, who hibernates and starts her new colony in the spring. Some insects remain in pupa form throughout the winter. 

Under the fallen leaves covering the ground is a habitat known as the leaf litter environment. Slugs, snails, millipedes, woodlice and spiders maintain their daily routines while living in the hidden world under the leaves.

The forest is bustling with activity by squirrels and other woodland animals who scurry about and hoard their food preparing for the upcoming winter months. Some animals undergo a series of transformations such as changing colors and growing longer, thicker fur to endure colder months ahead. Mammals prepare for the winter by eating enough to put on body fat. Some hibernate, slowing their heart rate to survive the colder months, and are able to go without food for long periods of time.

Deer, wild turkey and bats seek mates during the autumn months. Bucks are very territorial and if you are fortunate enough to spot one, it is best to stay a good distance. Some species of bats will sing to the females inside the caves. These love songs can be heard using a bat detector.

This is a very busy time of the year in the forest. Both interesting and educational, hiking or walking in the Catskills is a great activity and a wonderful way to spend the day if you enjoy nature and animals.

Fishing

Every year, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) stocks fingerling and yearling trout throughout the Catskills streams, which offer some of the finest trout fishing in America. There are also perch, pickerel, bass, sunfish and catfish. These streams are famous for its fly fishing. There are many fly-shops, resorts, motels and bed and breakfasts that cater to fishermen who come from around the world to fish these waters.

Golfing

There are many golf courses to choose from if you enjoy golfing. They are all professionally designed and set against breathtaking mountain backdrops. The layouts carved into the natural terrain includes extensive bunkering, doglegs, and a variety of water hazards. Golfers are drawn to the region by the mountainous challenge that its golf courses have to offer. New York state ranks fifth in the nation for its number of golf courses.

Horseback Riding

The mountainous Catskill region provides you with the opportunity to experience some of the best horseback riding. There are miles of trails to explore. Private stables offer guided rides. Lessons are available with professional instructors to learn the proper riding techniques. If feeling very adventurous, enjoy the western feel of the many family resorts and dude ranches that offer horseback riding, cattle drives, and much more.

Rock Climbing

Rock climbing has become a popular sport for men and women of all ages. If you are exploring this for the first time, be sure your guides are state licensed, skilled in wilderness medicine, and trained and certified by The American Mountain Guides Association. Climbing and mountaineering instructions are available to climbers of all levels.

Hunting

The DEC now requires that all new hunters, bow hunters and trappers must pass the appropriate course before getting their first license. New York offers many exciting opportunities to hunt a large variety of wildlife, including big game, small game, game birds and furbearers. Hunting season is open between September and January.

Visit the Catskills!

The Catskills region in Upstate New York offers something for everyone. Families, friends, couples and singles alike can enjoy what it has to offer. While driving to the Catskills, be sure to set the mood with George Winston’s new age/jazz solo piano recording of Autumn - Colors/Dance. 

Whether you come for sightseeing, recreation, or relaxation, the memorable experience of leaving it all behind you will create wonderful memories that last a lifetime and will make you want to return for many years to come.


Informational sites to help you plan your vacation:

The Mycological Society of America - http://www.msafungi.org
Places to Hike in the Catskills - http://www.hikethecatskills.com
Catskills Fishing - http://www.classictrout.com/catskill_region.php
Catskills Golf Courses and Clubs - http://www.visitthecatskills.com/golf.html
Catskills Horse Rentals - http://www.horserentals.com/newyork.html
Catskills Rock Climbing and Mountaineering - http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/New_York/Catskills
NYS Hunting Schedule - http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/huntingseasons1112.pdf



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