New York State Route 42
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 42 (NY 42) is a north–south, discontinuous state highway
in the Catskill Mountains
region of New York
in the United States. The southernmost of the highway's two segments begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 6
(US 6) and US 209 in Port Jervis
and ends at a junction with NY 55
near the Rondout Reservoir
in Neversink
. NY 42's northern segment runs from NY 28
in Shandaken
to NY 23A
in Lexington
. The 41 miles (66 km) southern segment is located in Orange County
and Sullivan County
, while the 11 miles (18 km) northern segment is in Ulster County
and Greene County
.
NY 42 is one of three state routes in New York that is split into two segments; the others are NY 24
and NY 878
, both located on Long Island
. Like NY 24, NY 42 was a continuous route when it was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. The portion of the route between Neversink and Shandaken was eliminated in the mid-1930s.
with NY 97
, which also begins at the intersection with US 6 and 209 in downtown Port Jervis
. NY 42 and 97 within the city of Port Jervis is maintained by the city. The concurrent roads continue out of town along the Delaware River
, although it is not often visible from the highway.
At the hamlet of Sparrow Bush, 42 splits off in a more northerly direction, away from the valley, as Old Cahoonzie Road. This takes it through a lightly populated, wooded corner of Orange County
. The road passes through the hamlets of Cahoonzies and Rio, and then enters Sullivan County
shortly after the latter settlement.
The terrain in the new county remains similarly wooded in the aptly named Town of Forestburgh
. There are no features or communities of note until the Town of Thompson
and Monticello Airport
. Shortly afterwards, 42 finally enters Monticello
itself.
It serves as the county seat
's Main Street, briefly going east–west to do so, then turns north again shortly after the county courthouse to intersect NY 17
, the future Interstate 86
, at exit 105. This is the main exit for Monticello and is often heavily trafficked at peak hours.
North of 17 a small commercial strip, including the only Wal-Mart
between Middletown
and Binghamton
, has begun to develop, adding to the traffic and creating pressure to widen the road. Just beyond is Kiamesha Lake
, site of the famed Concord Hotel. Once a premier Borscht Belt
destination, it is currently closed and awaiting an uncertain future.
Sullivan County's past as a summer vacation spot can still be glimpsed at the next town along the route, South Fallsburg
. In season, members of many Orthodox Jewish
sects crowd the streets and shops. The historic Rivoli Theatre
marks the northern end of the hamlet.
Another area attraction, the Neversink River
, joins the highway corridor just north of the hamlet. The state has over the years obtained public fishing
rights on much of the adjoining land, and fly fishermen
come to try their luck in this famous trout
stream during the April–October season.
The tinier, less crowded hamlet of Fallsburg
is next, and then two miles (3 km) later 42 reaches its next state highway, NY 52
, which it joins to cross the Neversink just west of the hamlet of Woodbourne
, like Fallsburg a community that comes alive in the warmer months. Nearby Woodbourne
and Sullivan
prisons keep the local economy afloat in the off-season.
42 begins to drift away from the river after it leaves 52, with the surrounding countryside becoming once again more wooded and less peopled as the road reaches the Town of Neversink
. Shortly after crossing the Blue Line
and entering Catskill Park, the woods relent and offer a striking view of Peekamoose
and Table
Mountains, the southernmost Catskill High Peaks
, directly ahead. Denman Mountain, Sullivan County's second highest peak, can also be seen to the northwest.
The southern segment then officially ends at a traffic light with NY 55
in the tiny hamlet of Grahamsville
.
up Whiteface Mountain
. Today, it takes the form of three separate county routes, two in Sullivan and one in Ulster. It is even state-signed in some areas.
West of the 55 junction in Grahamsville, along the portion maintained by Sullivan County, reference markers, and at least one shield, for 42 are visible. These terminate in the former hamlet of Curry, where Sullivan County Route 19, the former route of 42, runs north and steeply uphill. A sign for westbound traffic similar to those used along other state highways indicates the road runs toward Big Indian but the distance has been painted out.
19 continues through heavily forested country, running alongside wilder stretches of the Neversink in the process. Leveling out, it reaches the southern fringe of the backwoods hamlet of Claryville. 19 goes straight ahead to it while County Route 153 and the old route of 42 head east at another junction with a state-standard sign.
153 crosses first the east branch of the Neversink, then the west, as it is here just above the confluence
of the two. It then crosses into Ulster County
; this is the start of Ulster County Route 47. Passing through a narrow valley known informally as Neversink Gorge, drivers are treated to scenic stretches of the upper West Branch on one side of the road and waterfall
s created by its tributaries
on the other.
Eventually, the road moves away from the river and passes Frost Valley YMCA resort, with views to Doubletop and Big Indian mountains, both among the Catskill High Peaks
. The road continues to climb in elevation steadily but surely as it passes Biscuit Brook and the trailhead
s of Slide Mountain
, the latter frequently filled with the cars of hikers
ascending the range's highest summit. At one point it forms the boundary between the Slide Mountain
and Big Indian-Beaverkill wilderness areas, the only artificial intrusion into over 100,000 acres (400 km²) of contiguous Forest Preserve
.
After the Slide trailhead, the road climbs to Winnisook Lake
, where it crosses the Catskill Divide and the tiny headwaters of Esopus Creek
at approximately 2,680 feet (817 m) in elevation. This stretch of road is the highest paved free public road in New York.
Beyond that point, the road begins to descend much more sharply into scenic Big Indian Hollow. A spectacular view of Giant Ledge and Panther Mountain
is available at this turn, and the corresponding trailhead is located at another sharp turn below.
The road finally levels off again at the hollow floor and proceeds alongside the Esopus to its junction with NY 28
, for all practical purposes the center of the hamlet of Big Indian. Ulster County 47 crosses Route 28 and continues onward to the east (a western spur leads back to 28), where 42's northern segment starts.
marks the lower terminus of the upper segment where it leaves NY 28
at Shandaken
. After passing the hamlet's post office
, 42 follows Bushnellsville Creek north and steadily but gently upwards into Greene County
. Halcott Mountain
, another High Peak, can be seen ahead at the beginning, heralding a stretch of road bordering on two large areas of state Forest Preserve
.
Shortly after the county line, a parking area popular with hikers
that bushwhack up another High Peak, Mount Sherrill
, appears on the east, its summit briefly visible from the road. The forever-wild lands of the West Kill Wilderness Area on that side and the Halcott Mountain Wild Forest on the other begin to, and then do, take over the adjoining road. Two roadside cascades
on the Halcott side often draw passersby to stop and look when water is high. On the east, the raised land and air intakes of New York City
's Shandaken Tunnel
can be seen.
At the latter, right next to a rough parking area for hikers attempting the trailless Halcott, the dramatic drops of Deep Notch
, 1,900 feet (579 m) above sea level, make a V shape with the road at the bottom. Extra fences are required to prevent landslide
s from blocking the road, and the steep creek chutes up the slopes attract ice climbers
in winter.
Coming out of Deep Notch, 42 drops quickly into the West Kill valley, crossing the tunnel in the process. From the hamlet of West Kill, it wends its way along the stream to Lexington
, where it crosses Schoharie Creek
and climbs up a short slope to its final northern end at NY 23A
.
in the south to Lexington
in the north via Monticello
, Neversink
, and Shandaken
. The section of NY 42 between Neversink and Shandaken was eliminated ca. 1934 due to its low traffic volume and maintenance difficulties arising from the road's high elevation and exposure to severe winter weather. Even today the portion in Ulster County
is visibly affected by these conditions.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States. The southernmost of the highway's two segments begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
(US 6) and US 209 in Port Jervis
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
and ends at a junction with NY 55
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale...
near the Rondout Reservoir
Rondout Reservoir
Rondout Reservoir is part of New York City's water supply network. It is located 75 miles northwest of the city in the Catskill Mountains, near the southern end of Catskill Park, split between the towns of Wawarsing in Ulster County and Neversink in Sullivan County...
in Neversink
Neversink, New York
Neversink is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 3,553 at the 2000 census.The Town of Neversink is in the northeast corner of the county...
. NY 42's northern segment runs from NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
in Shandaken
Shandaken, New York
Shandaken is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,235. The name is from a native phrase for "land of rapid waters."...
to NY 23A
New York State Route 23A
New York State Route 23A is an east–west state highway in Greene County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a alternate route of NY 23 through the northern Catskill Mountains...
in Lexington
Lexington, New York
Lexington is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 805 at the 2010 census.The Town of Lexington is in the southwest part of Greene County.- History :The town was first settled around 1788....
. The 41 miles (66 km) southern segment is located in Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
and Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
, while the 11 miles (18 km) northern segment is in Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
and Greene County
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
.
NY 42 is one of three state routes in New York that is split into two segments; the others are NY 24
New York State Route 24
New York State Route 24 is an east–west state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. The route is split into two segments, with the longest and westernmost of the two extending from Interstate 295 and NY 25 in the Queens Village section of the New York City...
and NY 878
New York State Route 878
New York State Route 878 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New York, forming the Nassau Expressway. The route exists in two sections connected by Rockaway Boulevard and Rockaway Turnpike, maintained in part by New York City, the New York State Department of Transportation , and Nassau...
, both located on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Like NY 24, NY 42 was a continuous route when it was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. The portion of the route between Neversink and Shandaken was eliminated in the mid-1930s.
Southern segment
The first three miles (5 km) of NY 42 are concurrentConcurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with NY 97
New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97 is a north–south scenic route in southern New York, United States. It runs from U.S. Route 6 and US 209 in Port Jervis to NY 17 in Hancock. Its most famous feature is the Hawk's Nest, a tightly winding section of the road along the Delaware River,...
, which also begins at the intersection with US 6 and 209 in downtown Port Jervis
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
. NY 42 and 97 within the city of Port Jervis is maintained by the city. The concurrent roads continue out of town along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, although it is not often visible from the highway.
At the hamlet of Sparrow Bush, 42 splits off in a more northerly direction, away from the valley, as Old Cahoonzie Road. This takes it through a lightly populated, wooded corner of Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. The road passes through the hamlets of Cahoonzies and Rio, and then enters Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
shortly after the latter settlement.
The terrain in the new county remains similarly wooded in the aptly named Town of Forestburgh
Forestburgh, New York
Forestburgh is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 833 at the 2000 census. It is where the Neversink River enters the Neversink Gorge and flows over High Falls....
. There are no features or communities of note until the Town of Thompson
Thompson, New York
Thompson is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 14,189 at the 2000 census. The town is named after William Thompson, an early settler.The Town of Thompson is in the southeast part of the county....
and Monticello Airport
Monticello Airport (New York)
Monticello Airport was a public-use airport located two miles south of the central business district of Monticello, a village in Sullivan County, New York, United States...
. Shortly afterwards, 42 finally enters Monticello
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
itself.
It serves as the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
's Main Street, briefly going east–west to do so, then turns north again shortly after the county courthouse to intersect NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
, the future Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
, at exit 105. This is the main exit for Monticello and is often heavily trafficked at peak hours.
North of 17 a small commercial strip, including the only Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
between Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
and Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, has begun to develop, adding to the traffic and creating pressure to widen the road. Just beyond is Kiamesha Lake
Kiamesha Lake
Kiamesha Lake is a hamlet in the town of Thompson in east-central Sullivan County, New York, United States. The zip code for Kiamesha Lake is 12751....
, site of the famed Concord Hotel. Once a premier Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties in upstate New York that were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s through the 1960s.-Name:The name comes from...
destination, it is currently closed and awaiting an uncertain future.
Sullivan County's past as a summer vacation spot can still be glimpsed at the next town along the route, South Fallsburg
South Fallsburg, New York
South Fallsburg is a hamlet in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 2,061 at the 2000 census and 2,121 according to a 2007 estimate.South Fallsburg is located within the town of Fallsburg on Route 42....
. In season, members of many Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
sects crowd the streets and shops. The historic Rivoli Theatre
Rivoli Theatre (South Fallsburg, New York)
The Rivoli Theatre in South Fallsburg, New York, United States is located at the intersection of NY 42 and Laurel Avenue. It was built in 1923, renovated in the late 1930s and remains almost intact from that period....
marks the northern end of the hamlet.
Another area attraction, the Neversink River
Neversink River
The Neversink River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeastern New York in the United States...
, joins the highway corridor just north of the hamlet. The state has over the years obtained public fishing
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
rights on much of the adjoining land, and fly fishermen
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
come to try their luck in this famous trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
stream during the April–October season.
The tinier, less crowded hamlet of Fallsburg
Fallsburg, New York
Fallsburg is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The town is in the eastern part of the county. The population was 12,234 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a waterfall on the Neversink River...
is next, and then two miles (3 km) later 42 reaches its next state highway, NY 52
New York State Route 52
New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York in the United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending...
, which it joins to cross the Neversink just west of the hamlet of Woodbourne
Woodbourne, New York
Woodbourne is a hamlet in the town of Fallsburg in Sullivan County, New York, United States.Woodbourne is bordered by the town of Neversink, the hamlet of Grahamsville, the hamlet of Loch Sheldrake, the hamlet of Old Falls, and the hamlet of Hasbrouck. The major thoroughfares of Woodbourne are New...
, like Fallsburg a community that comes alive in the warmer months. Nearby Woodbourne
Woodbourne Correctional Facility
Woodbourne Correctional Facility is a medium security men's prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in Woodbourne, New York of Sullivan County...
and Sullivan
Sullivan Correctional Facility
Sullivan Correctional Facility is a New York State correctional facility located in Fallsburg, New York. It is operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services...
prisons keep the local economy afloat in the off-season.
42 begins to drift away from the river after it leaves 52, with the surrounding countryside becoming once again more wooded and less peopled as the road reaches the Town of Neversink
Neversink, New York
Neversink is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 3,553 at the 2000 census.The Town of Neversink is in the northeast corner of the county...
. Shortly after crossing the Blue Line
Blue Line (New York State)
The Blue Line is the term used in New York state for the boundaries of the Adirondack and Catskill parks, within which can be found the state's Forest Preserve...
and entering Catskill Park, the woods relent and offer a striking view of Peekamoose
Peekamoose Mountain
Peekamoose Mountain is a mountain located in Ulster County, New York.The mountain is part of the Catskill Mountains.Peekamoose Mountain is flanked to the north by Table Mountain....
and Table
Table Mountain (New York)
Table Mountain is a mountain located in Ulster County, New York.The mountain is part of the Catskill Mountains.Table Mountain is flanked to the south by Peekamoose Mountain, and to the northeast by Lone Mountain....
Mountains, the southernmost Catskill High Peaks
Catskill High Peaks
The Catskill High Peaks are all of the mountains in New York's Catskill Mountains above 3,500 ft in elevation whose summits are separated either by one-half mile or a vertical drop of at least 250 ft between it and the next nearest separate summit...
, directly ahead. Denman Mountain, Sullivan County's second highest peak, can also be seen to the northwest.
The southern segment then officially ends at a traffic light with NY 55
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale...
in the tiny hamlet of Grahamsville
Grahamsville, New York
Grahamsville is an unincorporated hamlet at the junction of NY 42 and 55 in the Town of Neversink, in Sullivan County, New York, USA. It is near the western end of Rondout Reservoir, and is the southernmost community in the Catskill Park...
.
Former middle segment
The middle segment of 42 was removed from the route decades ago, although the route remains in the text of the state's Highway Law. It can still be followed through some of the wildest sections of the Catskills. Were it still a state highway, it would be the highest-elevation in the state after the toll roadNew York State Route 431
New York State Route 431 is a state highway in Essex County, New York, United States. The highway, also known as the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway, begins at an intersection with NY 86 in Wilmington and climbs Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks...
up Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain is the fifth-highest mountain in New York State, and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view featuring the Adirondacks and perhaps on a clear day glimpses of Vermont and even Canada. The...
. Today, it takes the form of three separate county routes, two in Sullivan and one in Ulster. It is even state-signed in some areas.
West of the 55 junction in Grahamsville, along the portion maintained by Sullivan County, reference markers, and at least one shield, for 42 are visible. These terminate in the former hamlet of Curry, where Sullivan County Route 19, the former route of 42, runs north and steeply uphill. A sign for westbound traffic similar to those used along other state highways indicates the road runs toward Big Indian but the distance has been painted out.
19 continues through heavily forested country, running alongside wilder stretches of the Neversink in the process. Leveling out, it reaches the southern fringe of the backwoods hamlet of Claryville. 19 goes straight ahead to it while County Route 153 and the old route of 42 head east at another junction with a state-standard sign.
153 crosses first the east branch of the Neversink, then the west, as it is here just above the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the two. It then crosses into Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
; this is the start of Ulster County Route 47. Passing through a narrow valley known informally as Neversink Gorge, drivers are treated to scenic stretches of the upper West Branch on one side of the road and waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s created by its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
on the other.
Eventually, the road moves away from the river and passes Frost Valley YMCA resort, with views to Doubletop and Big Indian mountains, both among the Catskill High Peaks
Catskill High Peaks
The Catskill High Peaks are all of the mountains in New York's Catskill Mountains above 3,500 ft in elevation whose summits are separated either by one-half mile or a vertical drop of at least 250 ft between it and the next nearest separate summit...
. The road continues to climb in elevation steadily but surely as it passes Biscuit Brook and the trailhead
Trailhead
A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles...
s of Slide Mountain
Slide Mountain (New York)
Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills. It is located in the Town of Shandaken in Ulster County, in southern New York. While the contour line on topographic maps is generally accepted as its height, the exact elevation of the summit has never been officially determined by the U.S...
, the latter frequently filled with the cars of hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
ascending the range's highest summit. At one point it forms the boundary between the Slide Mountain
Slide Mountain Wilderness Area
The Slide Mountain Wilderness Area is, at 47,500 acres , the largest tract of state-owned Forest Preserve in New York's Catskill Park, and the largest area under any kind of wilderness area protection between the Adirondacks and the southern Appalachians...
and Big Indian-Beaverkill wilderness areas, the only artificial intrusion into over 100,000 acres (400 km²) of contiguous Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
.
After the Slide trailhead, the road climbs to Winnisook Lake
Winnisook Lake
Winnisook Lake is an artificial lake located in Oliverea, New York, United States. It is the source of Esopus Creek and the highest lake in the Catskill Mountains at above sea level....
, where it crosses the Catskill Divide and the tiny headwaters of Esopus Creek
Esopus Creek
Esopus Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east-central Catskill Mountains of the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Winnisook Lake on the slopes of Slide Mountain, the Catskills' highest peak, it flows across Ulster County to the Hudson at Saugerties. Many tributaries...
at approximately 2,680 feet (817 m) in elevation. This stretch of road is the highest paved free public road in New York.
Beyond that point, the road begins to descend much more sharply into scenic Big Indian Hollow. A spectacular view of Giant Ledge and Panther Mountain
Panther Mountain (New York)
Panther Mountain is one of the Catskill High Peaks, located in the Town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York. At approximately 3,720 feet in elevation, it is the 18th highest in the range...
is available at this turn, and the corresponding trailhead is located at another sharp turn below.
The road finally levels off again at the hollow floor and proceeds alongside the Esopus to its junction with NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
, for all practical purposes the center of the hamlet of Big Indian. Ulster County 47 crosses Route 28 and continues onward to the east (a western spur leads back to 28), where 42's northern segment starts.
Northern segment
A small motelMotel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
marks the lower terminus of the upper segment where it leaves NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
at Shandaken
Shandaken, New York
Shandaken is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,235. The name is from a native phrase for "land of rapid waters."...
. After passing the hamlet's post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, 42 follows Bushnellsville Creek north and steadily but gently upwards into Greene County
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
. Halcott Mountain
Halcott Mountain
Halcott Mountain is one of the Catskill Mountains of the U.S. state of New York. It is mostly located in Greene County, with some of its lower slopes in Delaware and Ulster counties. Its exact summit elevation has not been officially determined, but the highest contour line on the mountain is...
, another High Peak, can be seen ahead at the beginning, heralding a stretch of road bordering on two large areas of state Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
.
Shortly after the county line, a parking area popular with hikers
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
that bushwhack up another High Peak, Mount Sherrill
Mount Sherrill
Mount Sherrill is a mountain located in Greene County, New York and is part of the Catskill Mountains.Mount Sherrill is flanked to the east by North Dome, and to the west by Balsam Mountain....
, appears on the east, its summit briefly visible from the road. The forever-wild lands of the West Kill Wilderness Area on that side and the Halcott Mountain Wild Forest on the other begin to, and then do, take over the adjoining road. Two roadside cascades
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
on the Halcott side often draw passersby to stop and look when water is high. On the east, the raised land and air intakes of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Shandaken Tunnel
Shandaken Tunnel
The Shandaken Tunnel is a tunnel in Eastern New York State, part of the New York City water supply system. It was constructed between 1916 and 1924. The aqueduct starts in Gilboa, New York at the Schoharie Reservoir, which is in the counties of Schoharie, Delaware, and Greene. The water flows south...
can be seen.
At the latter, right next to a rough parking area for hikers attempting the trailless Halcott, the dramatic drops of Deep Notch
Deep Notch
Deep Notch, sometimes West Kill Notch, or Echo Notch, is a mountain pass in Lexington, New York, United States. It divides two Catskill peaks, both subpeaks of high peaks of the range. The narrow groove between the steep, high slopes on either side is traversed by state highway NY 42 and the...
, 1,900 feet (579 m) above sea level, make a V shape with the road at the bottom. Extra fences are required to prevent landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s from blocking the road, and the steep creek chutes up the slopes attract ice climbers
Ice climbing
Ice climbing, as the term indicates, is the activity of ascending inclined ice formations. Usually, ice climbing refers to roped and protected climbing of features such as icefalls, frozen waterfalls, and cliffs and rock slabs covered with ice refrozen from flows of water. For the purposes of...
in winter.
Coming out of Deep Notch, 42 drops quickly into the West Kill valley, crossing the tunnel in the process. From the hamlet of West Kill, it wends its way along the stream to Lexington
Lexington, New York
Lexington is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 805 at the 2010 census.The Town of Lexington is in the southwest part of Greene County.- History :The town was first settled around 1788....
, where it crosses Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek in New York, USA flows north from the foot of Indian Head Mountain in the Catskill Mountains through the Schoharie Valley to the Mohawk River. It is twice impounded north of Prattsville to create New York City's Schoharie Reservoir and the Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project.Two notable...
and climbs up a short slope to its final northern end at NY 23A
New York State Route 23A
New York State Route 23A is an east–west state highway in Greene County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a alternate route of NY 23 through the northern Catskill Mountains...
.
History
When NY 42 was originally assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, it was a continuous route extending along a previously unnumbered roadway from Port JervisPort Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
in the south to Lexington
Lexington, New York
Lexington is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 805 at the 2010 census.The Town of Lexington is in the southwest part of Greene County.- History :The town was first settled around 1788....
in the north via Monticello
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
, Neversink
Neversink, New York
Neversink is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 3,553 at the 2000 census.The Town of Neversink is in the northeast corner of the county...
, and Shandaken
Shandaken, New York
Shandaken is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,235. The name is from a native phrase for "land of rapid waters."...
. The section of NY 42 between Neversink and Shandaken was eliminated ca. 1934 due to its low traffic volume and maintenance difficulties arising from the road's high elevation and exposure to severe winter weather. Even today the portion in Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
is visibly affected by these conditions.