Phoenicia, NY is central to most of the Catskill Mountains' attractions
Written: Feb 02 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great base of operations for Catskill vacations, Nearby attractions, Dining options
Cons: None really
The Bottom Line: Phoenicia is central to a lot of the region’s attractions and activities and is an enjoyable place to explore on its own
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| jps246's Full Review: Phoenicia, New York |
Located centrally in the Catskill Mountains, the Village of Phoenicia offers visitors plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the surrounding mountains and attractions. That includes shopping and dining opportunities in the village itself, nearby ski areas, hiking trails and whitewater rafting and tubing on the Esopus River, which travels right through the village.
Phoenicia makes for a good base of operations for Catskill visitors. There are nearby campgrounds and hotels, the Village has several different restaurants and most attractions and outdoor activities are within a ½ an hour to 45 minute drive.
Where do I find Phoenicia?
The village is located at the intersection of Route 214 and Route 28. Route 214 travels north through Stony Clove Notch to the villages on Hunter and Tannersville on the other side of the mountains. Route 28 is a major east-west road that travels from Kingston and the New York State Thruway westward through the Esopus Valley and into the western Catskills. A bit south of the actual village of Phoenicia, Route 212 travels eastward to the village of Woodstock.
From the Thruway's Kingston exit, Phoenicia is about a 45 minute drive. It's about a ½ an hour south of Hunter and Tannersville on Route 214 and about a ½ an hour from Woodstock on Route 212.
What's in Phoenicia?
The main draw in Phoenicia is that it is home to the Town Tinker, which is the company that runs the tubing business in the Esopus River. They rent out tubes and life jackets and run a shuttle so that you can tube down the Esopus. In the summertime, the area around the Tube Tinker is humming with activity and if you go over to the river, you can watch as the tubers make their way down.
Besides tubing, Phoenicia also has a number of restaurants to dine at in addition to several shops along the Main Street area to explore and shop at. Hotels and motels are generally located a bit further afield from the small downtown area so you'll have to drive to the village in order to explore.
Beyond the village just a bit to the south on Route 28 is Emerson Place. This includes a restaurant, hotel and a shopping area. It's also home to the Kaatskill Kaleidoscope, which is the world's largest kaleidoscope. It is so big you actually stand inside of it. Just to the north of Emerson Place in the summertime there's a great farm stand along Route 28 where you can get fresh vegetables at a great price. It's especially nice in the fall when you can stock up on your pumpkins and apples.
The Empire State Railway Museum is located in Phoenicia in the former town train station. You can view exhibits on the history of railroading in the Phoenicia and the Catskill region.
The Catskill Mountain Railway runs along a portion of the Esopus, which allows you to ride down that portion of the river on your tube and then get a ride back up. It's also open to non-tubers who just want to travel along the river.
The scenery of the area is quite nice too. Phoenicia is located in a deep valley with mountains surrounding it. In the fall, the changing leaves can be beautiful.
Beyond Phoenicia itself...
Going a bit further afield you can choose to kayak, canoe or raft the Esopus River on your own. Most people put their boats in where the aqueduct from the Schoharie Reservoir empties into the river (the Esopus empties into the Ashokan Reservoir, which is the main reservoir for New York City's Catskill water system). They run the river from the aqueduct down to the village of Phoenicia. There's some whitewater throughout and the trip includes a short section of more intense rapids, called the railroad rapids (the former railroad grade washed out along this section) near Phoenicia.
The Belleayre Mountain Ski Area is about a ½ an hour to the west on Route 28, while Hunter Mountain is about a ½ hour north on Route 214. Ski Windham, located in Windham is about an hour away.
The Ulster and Delaware Rail Ride is just to the west of Belleayre in the village of Arkville. It's about 45 minutes or so from Phoenicia.
Several hiking trails are located close to Phoenicia, with the most popular likely being the trail that climbs Tremper Mountain. This trail begins about 5 minutes south of the village and climbs the mountain where there is a fire tower that gives you some great views of the surrounding area.
Trails for the Slide Mountain region leave from the Woodland Valley area, which is about 20 minutes or so from Phoenicia. There's also a state run campground in Woodland Valley for those who are looking to rough it.
Up Route 214 the Devil's Path crosses the road in Stony Clove Notch. This gives you access to Hunter and Plateau Mountains. There's also access to the Diamond Notch Trail, the Silver Hollow Trail and on the other side of the mountains, the Becker Hollow Trail. Once you reach Route 23A on the northern end of Route 214, you are also in close proximity to quite a few trailheads.
Final Thoughts
I don't think anyone would visit Phoenicia just to visit the village, but it does provide a good base of operations for anyone looking to explore the Catskills, whether it is in the summer or the winter.
There's tubing, rafting, hiking, and attractions all nearby in the summer and in the winter, the three major Catskill ski areas are all within an hour drive. Not only that, but there are plenty of dining options and should you want to go shopping, there are several shops in town and nearby that are fun to explore.
I'd suggest that if you are taking a trip to the Catskills, you consider staying in Phoenicia. It's central to a lot of the region's attractions and activities and it's an enjoyable place to explore on its own.
Catskill Resources
The Catskills
Woodstock
Hunter/Tannersville/Haines Falls
Hunter Mountain Wild Forest
Westkill Mountain Wilderness Area
Tremper Mountain Fire Tower
Hunter Mountain Fire Tower
Woodland Valley Campground
Devil's Tombstone Campground and Day-Use Area
Hunter Mountain Ski Resort
Ski Windham Ski Resort
Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort
Kaatskill Kaleidoscope at Emerson Place
Catskill Trails Map Set
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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