What is the difference between the adirondacks and the catskills

Both are known for valuable ecosystems set amidst eponymously named mountain ranges and their forests; thousands of freshwater lakes, including part of Lake Champlain; and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, including parts of the Hudson and the Delaware.

This is inherently a place for lovers of the outdoors. Manmade additions include hundreds of miles of scenic byways and thousands of miles of multiuse trails.

Also, ski resorts offering year-round recreation. Approximately 50, people live in Catskill Park on farms and in villages — with Woodstock perhaps the best known. About , live in plus Adirondack towns, including Lake Placid, host to and Winter Olympics. Tourism is vital to this goal. Both areas have attracted tourists since the 19th century, luring nature lovers and those escaping from hot cities.

In the Adirondacks, the wealthy built their famed Great Camps. The Catskills were known s to s for a booming summer resort business serving a Jewish clientele. Today, Catskill and Adirondack accommodations range from campsites to modern resorts that may be sleek or an ultra comfortable take on the rustic. Diversions run the gamut, too, from swift rivers for rafting, tall mountains for climbing or skiing and ziplines that earn the name to placid lakes for boating, trains for scenic sightseeing and villages where restaurants emphasize organic foods and shops sell local art.

Previous Next. Did You Know? The Woodstock festival of was held on a farm in Bethel. Appalachia has unique scenery and a unique feel different from that of the Adirondacks. Appalachian forests are generally older and more mature the hills more refined and graceful which I tend to enjoy, although places like the whites have been heavily forested huge clear cuts in many places.

The Catskills have those amazing views in the fall also, because you're closer to large abundances of the bright sugar maples and other bright turning trees. I am biased though because as much as I like evergreens, I love deciduous forests much more. Possibly not sure about Platte Clove though that is pretty unique with all those waterfalls though it has it's own issues in terms of legal access which is very unfortunate. I'd also like to create a sub-question in this thread: What are the nuisances to look out for in each area ADKs vs.

Cats and which are more annoying? Tell me if I have this right and please add on anything I'm leaving out: ADKs: More black flies in spring, muddier hikes, more touristy in some areas, longer approaches not as easy physically to reach peaks, less deciduous forest How is the water? Catskills: More Ticks, more Bears, more legal restrictions on access to certain areas, smaller area, less isolated from population centers, more mosquitoes? Please add any additional thoughts you have at all, thanks!

They're much more prevalent in the Catskills, correct? How would describe those differences? Originally Posted by PA Ridgerunner. Bill has covered it pretty well here, and I agree with all his points, but I'll add m2cw anyway. The Catskills are beautiful in their own right, just different. Spring hiking in the Cats is a delight. Beautiful spring flowers abound and there is little mud. Although there is rarely an approach of any significance, don't be fooled Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

The Catskills are the ugly child, no questions about it. Not as robust, not as spectacular, not as unique, not as wild, not as challenging, not as Are they better than a walk in a local park? Are they the Adirondacks? Don't even mentioned them in the same breath. Originally Posted by wiiawiwb. HearTheFootsteps, some interesting points not brought up yet.

All times are GMT The time now is AM. Donations and Online Store. Adkhighpeaks Foundation. User Name. Remember Me? Mark Forums Read. Page 1 of 3. Thread Tools. Adirondacks Not sure where to ask this but I've never been to the Catskills and I was wondering how it compares to the 'dacks?

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