THE CATSKILLS are a special place. It is a a mountainous environ of peaks, valleys, cloves, notches, ravines, hollows, forests, rivers, lakes, glens, cascades, waterfalls and varying ecosystems.

 

There are quaint towns, rural farms, scenic roads, old barns, stone walls, fire towers, swimming holes, mom-and-pop shops, b&b's and restaurants. You will find hikers and runners, fisherman and tubers, hunters and ice-climbers, kayakers and snow-mobilers, bicyclists and skiers, bird watchers and thinkers, photographers and painters, writers and poets, antiquers and chefs.

 

You will find the introverted artist and the extroverted outdoorsman, the gregarious art galler owner and the hermit-like recluse, the city out-of-towner and the rugged local all devotedly joined together in appreciation of the environ that surrounds them. Indian legends, early pioneer lore, influential 19th century commerce, unique characters and, eventually, natural preservation add even more to the colorful story of this beautiful and remarkable region.

 

Put it all together and you have a region that is nothing short of a nature lover's paradise and a photographer's dream. It is my favorite location on earth.

Mountain Top Arboretum