What Are the Main Towns in the Sullivan Catskills?

If you are planning a trip to Sullivan County, New York and wondering which towns to explore, here is what you need to know.

The Sullivan Catskills is a region of distinct communities, each shaped by its own river, ridge, or road. Some sit along the Delaware. Some grew up around storied trout streams. Some are year-round hubs with resort amenities and history that stretches back to the Borscht Belt. All of them are rooted, real, and worth knowing.

Quick Answer: What Are the Main Towns in the Sullivan Catskills?

The most visited communities in the Sullivan Catskills include:

  • Narrowsburg: riverside arts town on the Upper Delaware River
  • Livingston Manor: creative mountain hub with galleries, breweries, and fly fishing
  • Callicoon: Delaware River village known for indie shops and community events
  • Roscoe: Trout Town USA and the fly-fishing capital of the Catskills
  • Bethel: home of the 1969 Woodstock Festival and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
  • Monticello: the county seat, with the Kartrite Resort and Resorts World Catskills
  • Liberty: the county’s geographic center with a growing independent business scene
  • Wurtsboro: antique shops, glider flights, and the Basha Kill Wetlands
  • Hurleyville: home of the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre
  • Jeffersonville: quiet village base for hiking the northern county
  • Barryville: small river hamlet on the scenic Route 97 corridor

The Sullivan Catskills Towns

Narrowsburg

Narrowsburg sits above the Big Eddy, the deepest point of the Upper Delaware River at 113 feet, about 2.5 hours from New York City. It has earned a reputation as one of the most creative and walkable river towns in the region: strong on arts, strong on food, and right on the water.

  • Delaware Valley Arts Alliance: galleries, the Tusten Theatre, and the Arts Council for Sullivan County
  • Big Eddy Brewing Co., The Heron, and The Laundrette anchor a strong dining and nightlife scene
  • Narrowsburg RiverFest in Juli and the Big Eddy Film Festival in September
  • Tusten Mountain trail: 3.1-mile loop with Delaware River overlooks
  • River trips, tubing, and kayaking through Lander’s River Trips
A green bridge arches over a serene river, surrounded by lush foliage and blooming flowers under a soft, cloudy sky.

Livingston-Gutshof

Livingston Manor sits at the confluence of the Beaverkill and Willowemoc rivers and has become one of the Sullivan Catskills’ most talked-about destinations. Fly fishing defines the identity of this place, and the creative culture has grown up right alongside it.

A rustic wooden covered bridge spans a calm river, marked by clearance and weight limit signs, surrounded by greenery.

Callicoon

Callicoon is a Delaware River town with a well-loved Main Street, a seasonal farmers market, and a genuine community character built over generations. Come for a morning at the market. Stay for the afternoon.

  • Tractor Parade in Juni: one of Sullivan County’s most beloved traditions
  • Callicoon Country Fair in Juli: vendors, live music, and river park activities
  • Independent shops, antiques, and the Depot Main Stage for summer performances
  • Direct river access for tubing, rafting, and paddling
Main street Callicoon with people dining al fresco on the sidewalk and shopping.

Roscoe

Roscoe is Trout Town USA. The Beaverkill and Willowemoc rivers meet at Junction Pool just outside town, one of the most storied fly-fishing spots in the world. The town sits at the Route 17 junction and makes a natural first stop on any Sullivan County itinerary.

  • Junction Pool: legendary meeting point of two world-class trout streams
  • Catskill Flies and Beaverkill Angler for outfitting and local expertise
  • Wulff School of Fly Fishing in nearby Lew Beach
  • Roscoe Beer Company with a large beer garden, food trucks, and live music

Bethel

Bethel Woods is where Woodstock actually happened. On August 15 through 18, 1969, approximately 500,000 people gathered on Max Yasgur’s farm in the Town of Bethel. The site is now Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, and the land still carries the weight of what happened here.

  • Museum at Bethel Woods: immersive exhibits on the 1969 festival and its era
  • Pavilion Stage: 16,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater with major touring acts all summer
  • Bindy Bazaar Trails lead to the original Woodstock stage marker
  • Lake Superior State Park: supervised swimming beach, picnicking, and boat rentals
The painted dove at Bethel Woods as part of the Dove Trail.

Monticello

Monticello is the county seat and largest village in Sullivan County, with county government offices, Catskill Regional Medical Center, and the most concentrated services in the region.

  • Kartrite Resort and Indoor Waterpark: New York State’s largest indoor water park
  • Resorts World Catskills: casino, dining, and entertainment complex
  • Monticello Bagel Festival in August: the county’s biggest free street festival

Liberty

Liberty is Sullivan County’s geographic center and second-largest community. Route 17 runs through town, making it one of the most accessible stops for visitors arriving from the east.

  • Sullivan County Museum on Main Street
  • O&W Rail Trail: 2.7-mile multi-use path through the surrounding landscape
  • Growing independent restaurant and retail scene on Main Street
Ein ruhiger Wasserfall fließt über moosbedeckte Felsen, umgeben von üppigem Wald und Eis, und schafft eine friedliche Winterlandschaft.

Wurtsboro

Wurtsboro is a village in the southeastern county just off Route 17, with a well-preserved 19th-century main street and easy access to some of the region’s best nature.

  • Antique shops and independent retail along Sullivan Street
  • Wurtsboro Airport: scenic glider flights over the Shawangunk Ridge
  • Basha Kill Wetlands: one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the Hudson Valley, with birding and flat-water paddling
Eine Hirschkuh, die sanft mit ihrem Kitz in einer üppig grünen Umgebung interagiert und ihre Verbundenheit in der Natur zeigt.

Hurleyville

Hurleyville is a hamlet in the Town of Fallsburg with a full arts campus right on its main street.

  • Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre: cinema, ballroom, gallery, dance studios, and Tango Cafe
  • HPAC Pride Festival in Juni and HPAC Music Festival in Juli
  • Gallery 222 with rotating regional exhibitions on weekends
Eine Nahaufnahme von blühenden rosa und weißen Blumen vor einem zarten grünen Hintergrund, die die Essenz des Frühlings einfängt.

Jeffersonville

Jeffersonville is a quiet village in the Town of Callicoon, about 20 minutes from both Callicoon and Livingston Manor. It works well as a base for multi-day visits to the northern county.

  • Jeffersonville Bake Shop and Sullivan Sundries on Main Street
  • Close access to Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower trail and Alder Lake Loop
A scenic landscape showing a river winding through lush green hills and an old building surrounded by trees.

Barryville

Barryville is a small hamlet in the Town of Lumberland on Route 97, about 20 miles south of Narrowsburg. It is a good reason to take the scenic road.

  • The Hawk’s Nest: dramatic switchbacks above the Delaware River gorge on the drive north
  • Delaware River access and a handful of local outfitters
  • Near Minisink Ford and the Battle of Minisink Revolutionary War historic site

Häufig gestellte Fragen

The most visited communities include Narrowsburg, Livingston Manor, Callicoon, Roscoe, Bethel, Monticello, Liberty, Wurtsboro, Hurleyville, Jeffersonville, and Barryville. Each has its own character, from river arts towns to fly fishing destinations to resort communities.

Monticello is the county seat and largest village in Sullivan County, home to county government, Catskill Regional Medical Center, the Kartrite Resort and Indoor Waterpark, and Resorts World Catskills.

Narrowsburg and Livingston Manor are the county’s leading arts destinations. Narrowsburg is home to the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance and the Big Eddy Film Festival. Livingston Manor has Catskill Art Space and the Shandelee Music Festival. Hurleyville’s HPAC offers cinema, gallery, and live events year-round.

Narrowsburg offers direct access to the Delaware River for rafting, kayaking, and tubing. Roscoe is the fly fishing capital of the Catskills. Livingston Manor sits between two rivers and provides easy access to the county’s best hiking trails.

The 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held in the Town of Bethel, Sullivan County, New York, on Max Yasgur’s farm. The site is now Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Narrowsburg is a strong first stop, with a walkable Main Street, excellent dining, and direct river access. Livingston Manor pairs well with it. The two towns are about 20 minutes apart and cover a lot of what the Sullivan Catskills does best in a single weekend.

Wurtsboro and Bloomingburg in the Town of Mamakating are the closest to New York City, roughly 75 to 80 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Most of the county’s most visited towns sit between 90 and 120 miles from the city.

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