Among the rites of passage in the summer for overnight campers is Visiting Day, when parents spend many hours on the road to reach campsites in the backwoods of the Catskills or Poconos. With my daughter having her first summer away from family in the distant town of Gilboa, I did not want to devote the day merely driving to see her and then returning home. Leaving very early, I had time for my own sightseeing last weekend. As we’ve done with our Chol HaMoed guides, perhaps this quick list of Catskills destinations can offer parents and grandparents their own experience with nature, if only for a day.
Delaware and Hudson Canal Interpretive Center
16 Bova Road, Summitville
sullivanny.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/DelawareHudson
Located a few minutes from Camp Kaylie, this small museum offers information on the canal situated in the valley separating the Catskills and Shawangunks. Prior to the development of railroads, the Delaware and Hudson Canal brought coal from the mountains to Philadelphia and New York. Recognizing the future of transportation, the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company later built a rail line paralleling the canal and, by the turn of the 20th century, this waterway was abandoned and gradually filled. Eventually, the railroad also fell into decline, with portions of it designated as bike routes.
Roosa Gap Fire Tower
171 Firetower Rd, Wurtsboro
Also close to Camp Kaylie. Located inside a 500-acre state forest on the Shawangunk range, this fire tower operated between 1948 and 1971, when the cabin atop the tower was used for spotting forest fires. Today, it is preserved as a historic monument and open to anyone who can climb it. The reward is a scenic view from above the treetops.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
200 Hurd Rd, Bethel
A short drive from Camp Sternberg is the site of the Woodstock Music Festival, which had a lasting impact on American popular culture. When the town of Woodstock refused to allow the music festival, it was here that farmer Max Yasgur gave his land to the event organizers for three days in the summer of 1969 to celebrate peace, love, and music. Be sure to photograph the bus painted in psychedelic colors.
Plattekill Falls
Hunter
There are two ways to reach Oorah’s The Zone camps near Gilboa: either by State Route 23, or the less developed Platte Clove Road. It’s a treacherous drive, but the reward is a spot on the road where cars are parked and there are hikers wearing bathing suits and carrying towels. They know about Plattekill Falls, a pleasant cascade with a pool located a short hike down from the road. On the trail to the waterfall is an illustrated sign honoring artist Asher B. Durand and writer William Cullen Bryant, who respectively painted and wrote about this picturesque valley in 1840, during an art movement known as the Hudson River School. You can stand under this waterfall and enjoy its cool and clean water.
Kaaterskill Falls
Hunter
If you prefer to take State Route 23 to reach The Zone or Camp Sharon in Tannersville, then look for a sharp turn in the road where cars are parked on the side. This waterfall is mentioned by Washington Irving in the story of Rip Van Winkle, and was painted by Thomas Cole in 1826 as part of the Hudson River School movement. Many other artists, writers, and poets were inspired by this waterfall, which is located in a state-operated forest preserve. To the west of this waterfall, the village of Tannersville has a historic wooden synagogue, Anshei Hashoron, that is reminiscent of Eastern European shtetlach. The seasonal Country K supermarket offers kosher food for travelers.
New York Power Authority Blenheim-Gilboa Visitor Center
1378 New York Route 30, North Blenheim
nypa.gov/communities/visitors-centers/blenheim-gilboa-visitors-center
To the north of The Zone camps is the Schoharie Reservoir and the Mine Kill State Park, which have hiking trails and a waterfall. The visitors center for this reservoir is located inside a historic residence with displays on rural life and the impact of the reservoir, which contributes its water to New York City’s drinking supply.
Sullivan County Museum
265 Main St, Hurleyville
If your summer camp is located near Liberty, Woodbourne, or South Fallsburg, this museum offers displays on farm life, polar explorer Frederick Cook who is a local native, the Civil War, and a historic general store. Located inside a former school, it is run by the Sullivan County Historical Society.
Borscht Belt Museum
90 Canal Street, Ellenville
This new museum started as a popular pop-up exhibit last summer; since then, its collection has grown as people shared their experiences of bungalows, resorts, and camps in these storied mountains. The museum speaks of comfort for a generation of Jews in the past century who escaped anti-Semitism for a better life in America, and from the heat of the city for respite in the Catskills with other members of the tribe.
Dorflinger Factory Museum
670 Texas Palmyra Highway, Hawley, PA
Perhaps you’re on the way to visit Camp Lavi or Camp Morasha, which are somewhere between Lake Como and Lakewood in the Poconos. This museum honors the local glassmaking industry that was recognized by the leading personalities of the late 19th century.
Raymondskill Falls
Dingman Township, PA
nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/raymondskill-creek-trail.htm
Located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Raymondskill Falls is a three-tiered cascade that is the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. Swimming is not permitted at this waterfall, but there’s plenty of shade in this pine forest, with views from atop, along, and beneath the waterfall.
But If You Really Don’t Have the Time:
Recognizing the limited time in traveling to the camp, spending time with the campers, and returning home before the traffic becomes too excessive, perhaps even these small destinations are not feasible. Nevertheless, as you drive between points A and B, take a look at the roadside monuments, historical markers, and other landmarks. Hop out of your car for a quick photo and appreciate the natural and historic things that make these mountains unique. Doing so will make your Visiting Day feel like a one-day vacation rather than as a chore involving gifts, luggage, and getting there.
By Sergey Kadinsky
