Consider all-season outdoor adventures when visiting Sullivan County in southern New York State.
After all, the nearly 1000-square-mile county spreads on the southern foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
Likewise, there’s more to Sullivan County besides its nature parks, trails, and campgrounds.
Established in 1809, this county also shares much of the great culture and history of New York State.
Discover great points of interest in the 36 towns and village courts of Sullivan County.
A visit to its seat Monticello looms as an excellent start to unreel a day’s itinerary in Sullivan County.
Other principal communities in Sullivan, like Liberty, South Fallsburg, Smallwood, Bethel, and Livingston Manor, are also attractions worth visiting.
Find out the best things to do in Sullivan County, New York.
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The Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum is a must-visit for anglers on a trip to Sullivan County.
This anglers’ hub, located on Old Route 17 in Livingston Manor, draws fishing enthusiasts worldwide.
The Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum boasts 50 acres of grounds on the banks of the famed fly fishing destination Willowemoc Creek.
The attractions in the unique museum include fishing gear and fly fishing memorabilia, as well as artworks and old photographs of anglers.
The Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum also features a gift shop, two bunkhouses, and a covered pavilion.
Other points of interest for visiting anglers include a casting field, pond, and a trail system with access to the Willowemoc.
A sandy beach leads the attractions at Lake Superior State Park on Dr. Duggan Road in Bethel.
This park sprawls over 1409 acres featuring Lake Superior and the Chestnut Ridge Pond.
Pedal boat and rowboat rentals are available at the Lake Superior State Park.
The park provides a boat ramp for visitors bringing their watercraft.
Only electric-powered vessels, though, are allowed motor boats in the lake.
A fantastic array of recreational activities draw visitors to Family Fun Farm on Friedman Road in Sullivan’s county seat Monticello.
True to its farm theme, this fun family center keeps endearing animals like alpacas and rabbits that you and your kids can feed or interact with.
Family Fun Farm is also the place for pony rides, wagon rides, and hiking on the trails.
The 18-acre Family Fun Farm also offers rides on squirting bumper boats, go-karts, pedal cars, and zip lines.
Other features in the Family Fun Farm that you and your kids can enjoy include a giant pipe slide, jumping pillow, raft swings, and tactical laser tag.
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Visitors of Sullivan County can explore the southwestern side of the Catskill Mountains with a hike on the Willowemoc Wild Forest.
This natural attraction spreads over more than 14,800 acres, covering parts of three Sullivan County towns: Livingston Manor, Neversink, and Rockland.
The Willowemoc Wild Forest is accessible via Debruce Road in Livingston Manor, which leads eastward to several campgrounds on Pole Road.
Near the Willowemoc Campgrounds, visitors can access the Long Pond Trailhead.
This trailhead is one of the entry points to the 40-mile trail network of the Willowemoc Wild Forest.
The forest trails open access to six ponds and the Willowemoc Creek, a world-class trout stream said to be the birthplace of American dry fly fishing.
The various campsites in and around the Willowemoc Wild Forest enable extended stays for visitors to enjoy hiking and fishing.
The Sullivan County Museum is a charming facility on Main Street in the Hurleyville hamlet.
It is also home to the Sullivan County Historical Society and the Frederick A. Cook Society.
The Sullivan County Museum occupies a three-story building once used as a schoolhouse.
The museum’s exhibits include vintage household and general store items depicting families’ lifestyles during the late 19th century.
Visitors of the Sullivan County Museum will also find displays of mounted birds, mammals, and fish native to Sullivan County.
Trips to Sullivan County become a learning experience with Apple Pond Farm as part of the itinerary.
Located on Hahn Road in the hamlet of Callicoon Center, this Sullivan destination offers private tours, workshops, and classes that educate, inspire and entertain.
You can learn about organic gardening and cheese-making at the 80-acre Apple Pond Farm.
The farm also offers insights into various projects, such as wool production and raising chickens, sheep, and goats.
In addition, the farm functions as a renewable energy education center and demonstrates how wind and solar power supply about 85% of its electricity.
Wholesale farm items like garden produce, lamb and goat, and woolen yarn are available at Apple Pond Farm.
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The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts invites visitors to return to the storied 1969 Woodstock festival site in Bethel.
Some 400,000 music fans gathered on the 600-acre dairy farm for a three-day landmark music festival.
The performers in the three-day music festival included the legendary Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, the Who, and Sly and the Family Stone, among other pop music icons.
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Stroll on the Bindy Bazaar Trails on the grounds of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts to recall the vibe of the Woodstock festival.
You can drop by the center’s Main Exhibit Gallery, where the permanent exhibits include 164 Woodstock-related artifacts, 20 films, and five interactive productions.
Check out the calendar of events of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts for a chance to catch performances of top musicians and bands.
The Fort Delaware Museum is worth stopping by on a drive along the scenic New York State Route 97 on the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
This museum is tucked along the east banks of the Delaware River near the highway’s junction with Kirks Road in the quaint Sullivan hamlet of Narrowsburg.
The Fort Delaware Museum is a re-creation of the 1750s frontier settlement of the Delaware Company pioneers.
The recreated fort consists of a small settlement encircled by high log walls or fences.
Striking sights in the Fort Delaware Museum include the blockhouse, which stored the settlers’ arms and ammunition.
Settlers’ cabins, a blacksmith shop, a candle-making shed, and a barn are also among the museum’s exciting features.
The Time and the Valleys Museum is among the attractions in the historic hamlet of Grahamsville in Neversink.
Located on the hamlet’s Main Street, this museum boasts three floors of interactive displays.
One of these exhibits, Water and the Valleys, tells the geological history of the Rondout and Neversink Watersheds.
The Time and the Valleys Museum also features New York City’s quest for water in the exhibit Tunnels, Toil, and Trouble.
Another attraction behind the museum is the 1930s Lost Catskill Farm, with several period buildings.
It tells the story of the farmers who gave their land to make way for the New York City water system.
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Gain in-depth knowledge of the American Revolutionary War with a visit to the Minisink Battleground Park.
Owned by Sullivan County, this park on Monument Road in the hamlet of Barryville is dedicated to those who perished in the Battle of Minisink.
This encounter is the only recorded major Revolutionary War skirmish in Upper Delaware, and its current park site is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Minisink Battleground Park features several monuments commemorating the battle.
It also has an Interpretive Center with displays about the battle, flora, and fauna within the park.
The park, which spreads over 57 acres, also features nature trails, picnic areas, restrooms, and a rentable pavilion.
The nonprofit Delaware Company holds programming at the Minisink Battleground Park, including the annual holding of a reenactment of the battle.
Try the handcrafted wines and the food servings of Bashakill Vineyards & Winery for a memorable visit to Sullivan County.
This small winery on S Road in the village of Wurtsboro offers the perfect setting to mark a trip to the county.
Bashakill Vineyards & Winery sits within the 2,409-acre Bashakill Wildlife Management Area.
This winery has an upper deck where you can enjoy craft-made dry red wines from its cellar, and spring rolls, tacos, and dumplings from its kitchen.
All Bashakill Vineyards & Winery wines are vegan-friendly, and its chef prepares gluten-free and vegan dishes.
Drop by this winery on the weekend to catch live music performers for a memorable visit.
You’ll learn about the railroad’s growth to Sullivan County and its New York neighbors with a visit to the Roscoe O&W Railway Museum.
Located on Railroad Avenue in the Sullivan hamlet of Roscoe, this museum displays artifacts revolving around the New York Ontario & Western Railway from 1868 to 1957.
The Roscoe O&W Railway Museum also features three model railroads, a refurbished caboose, and a hands-on train layout.
Other exhibits include watchman shanties and a trout car that once carried fish fry from upstate New York and Long Island hatcheries to stock streams in the area.
Memorabilia from Rockland and its neighbors are also in the Roscoe O&W Railway Museum.
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The town of Mamakating offers access to the 3,107-acre Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, a birdwatching haven.
This wildlife habitat is accessible in Mamakating via Haven Road off Treasure Lake Road.
Visitors of the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area can explore its 1,920-acre freshwater wetland through 15 miles of walking trails.
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Several observation towers are also within this freshwater wetland wildlife habitat which ranks as the largest in southeastern New York.
The bird migration of warblers in spring and waterfowl in spring and fall are seasonal spectacles at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area.
Sightings of osprey and bald eagles are common in several easily accessible points in this wildlife habitat.
Sustainable practices in beer-making bring repeat patrons to the taproom of Catskill Brewery.
Located on Old Route 17 in Livingston Manor, it pitches its brews as “Honest Hardworking Beer.”
Catskill Brewery highlights sustainability in its brewing by using only the best natural ingredients and pure Catskill Mountain water.
Some enchanting brews in the taproom include Freak Tractor, featuring earthy notes and a hint of tropical fruit.
Devils Path IPA is another drink that makes the rounds in the Catskill Brewery’s taproom, which opens from Wednesday to Sunday.
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Sullivan County offers several access points for boating, rafting, or tubing the Delaware River.
Skinners Falls in the hamlet of Narrowsburg is the most popular.
This river access point is near Skinner Falls Road and accommodates non-motorized watercraft only.
The ramp is partially concrete, sand, and gravel, with users accessing 50 parking spaces nearby.
A trip down the Upper Delaware River passes through quiet pools and rapids, so wear life jackets.
You’ll pass charming riverfront villages and picturesque rolling hills along the way.
Sullivan County brings a variety of colors to southern New York.
This county captures not only the natural splendor of the Catskill Mountains.
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