stay cool on hot summer
days. If you prefer a more
placid surface you can
head around 11 miles west
on Rte 28 to swim in Pine
Hill Lake at Belleayre
Beach (%845-254-5202; per
person/car $2/10; h10am-6pm
Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat & Sun Jun
14-Sep), which has outdoor
concerts in the summer;
Belleayre Mountain has
skiing in the winter.4 p63
The Drive » Mountains are
on either side of Rte 28 for the
15 miles west to Fleischmanns.
About halfway there on your left
is Rte 47 which climbs through
the heart of Catskill Park proper
and its highest peaks. The road
is narrow and somewhat rough
in places though it’s a scenic
way to connect with Sullivan
County to the south.4 Fleischmanns
The once well-known
town of Fleischmanns
was home to the famous
yeast company of the
same name as well
as dozens of lodging
houses that brought
summer vacationers
in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. Now little
more than a tiny main
street surrounded by the
second homes of wealthy
New Yorkers up in the
hills, Fleischmanns is
an offbeat location for
lunch. In the summer
months it fills up with
Orthodox Jewish families
who’ve adopted it as
their weekend retreat. On
Saturday evenings afterSabbath the families
stroll the streets, not
doffing their customary
clothes or hats even in
August heat.
You can get a glimpse
of early railroad life
nearby in Arkville at the
Empire State Railway
Museum, housed in the
historic Delaware &
Ulster Station (%845-
688-7501; http://www.esrm.com;
43510 State Hwy 28, Arkville;
h11am-4pm Sat & Sun; c)
that was built around- Displays detail
how the old train tracks
turned this corner of
the Catskills into a
tourist center. You can
also travel the 24 miles
between Arkville and
Roxbury in a steam
locomotive (adult/child
$12/7; check website for
schedule) past rural if
unspectacular scenery.
The Drive » Head west to the
town of Margaretville where
you then turn north on Rte 30;
about 5 miles up is Pakatakan
Farmers Market (9am-2pm Sat
mid-May to mid-Oct), one of the
best in the area, housed in the
distinctive-looking round barn.
Roxbury is another 10 miles
further along.5 Roxbury
Bringing style and
panache to this rural
region and a destination
into and of itself, the
Roxbury Motel (%607-326-
7200; http://www.theroxburymotel.
com; 2258 County Hwy 41; r incl
breakfast wkday Jun-Oct $100-
300; aW) is a fabulousTRIP HIGHLIGHTStart: 5 Roxbury
For sports fans, Cooperstown, 50 miles west of
Albany, is instantly recognized as the home of the
shrine for the national sport (baseball). But the
small-town atmosphere and stunning views of the
countryside around beautiful Ostego Lake make it
worth visiting even for those who don’t know the
difference between ERA and RBI.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
(%888-425-5633; http://www.baseballhalloffame.org; 25 Main
St; adult/child $19.50/7; h9am-5pm, to 9pm summer)
has exhibits, a theater, a library and an interactive
statistical database. The old stone Fenimore Art
Museum (%607-547-1400; http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org;
5798 Lake Rd; adult/child $11/5; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun) has
an outstanding collection of Americana.
To reach Cooperstown, leave Roxbury on Rte 30 north
and after 6 miles turn onto Rte 23 west. After 28
miles, hook up with Rte 28 north for another 16 miles.COOPERSTOWN
DETOUR:
NEW.YORK.TRIPS3
(^) TRANqUIL CATSKILLS