Haines Falls, NY · Catskill Mountains, Greene County, New York
About
Kaaterskill Falls drops in two tiers down a rock amphitheater in the eastern Catskills, about 260 feet in all, an upper plunge of roughly 180 feet into a shallow pool, then a second fall near 80 feet. It ranks among New York's tallest waterfalls, and it carries a painter's pedigree: Thomas Cole sketched here in 1825, helping launch the Hudson River School, and Asher Durand used the falls as the setting for his 1849 Kindred Spirits. Spruce Creek feeds it, so the flow runs hardest in spring snowmelt and after heavy rain, then thins to a ribbon by late summer. Autumn brings color to the clove and lighter crowds. To reach it, park at Laurel House Road or Scutt Road, both fill early, and take the short gravel path to the accessible overlook platform finished in 2016, or hike up from Route 23A to the base. Roadside parking on 23A gets ticketed and towed, so use the lots.
Highlights
Two tiers, about 260 ft total dropUpper plunge roughly 180 ftAmong the tallest waterfalls in New YorkFed by Spruce Creek, strongest in spring snowmeltAccessible overlook platform (built 2016)Park at Laurel House Rd or Scutt Rd, not on Route 23A
Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres of subtropical wilderness at the southern tip of Florida, the largest such ecosystem in North America. It is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to manatees, wading birds, and the elusive Florida panther. Visitors can walk the famed Anhinga Trail, paddle mangrove waterways, or take an airboat-free ranger tour through the 'River of Grass.'
Located almost 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park is a remote cluster of seven small islands reachable only by ferry or seaplane. Its centerpiece is Fort Jefferson, one of the nation's largest 19th-century masonry forts, surrounded by crystal-clear waters renowned for snorkeling, coral reefs, and shipwrecks. The park is also a haven for nesting seabirds and migratory birds.
One of Florida's oldest and largest state parks, Myakka spreads 37,000 acres of wetlands, prairies, and hammocks along the slow Myakka River east of Sarasota. Climb the canopy walkway, the first public treetop trail in North America, suspended 25 feet up with a tower above the oaks, then board one of the giant airboats for an alligator-lined cruise on Upper Myakka Lake. Winter brings cooler air and crowds of wading birds.
