Ulster County

Ulster County is in New York's Catskills region.

Cities

Understand

Ulster County is located in the humid continental climate zone and has cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet summers; the county experiences four distinct seasons. Snowfall is significant. Ulster County is close enough to the Atlantic coast to receive heavy snow from Nor'easters and the county occasionally receives Alberta clippers. Winters can be very cold with fluctuating conditions. Summers in Ulster County can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity.

Get in

By plane

By car

Common access routes are:

From north and south: I-87 (New York State Thruway) Exits 18 & 19.
From west: NY-52 from Liberty and NY-28 from Margaretville.
From east: NY-199 across the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge from Red Hook and NY-44/55 across the Mid-Hudson Bridge from Poughkeepsie

By train

There is no direct rail service to Ulster County, but a UCAT bus (bicycles carried) connects Rosendale, New Paltz, and Highland to the Poughkeepsie train station, served by Metro-North and Amtrak, across the river in Dutchess County. The bus schedule coordinates with specific Metro-North arrivals from and departures to New York City.

By bus
  • Shortline-Coach USA, toll-free: +1-800-631-8405. Shortline Bus Line-Coach USA offers three bus trips daily between New York City and some towns in Ulster County, such as Ellenville and Kerhonkson. Other ground transportation will be needed once inside the county. 
  • Pine Hill Trailways, New Paltz, toll-free: +1-800-776-7548. Pine Hill Trailways offers several bus trips daily between New York City and New Paltz. Ground transportation will be needed from New Paltz to your final destination. A connection may be available with Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT). 

Get around

In most cases, a car is necessary to get around Ulster County. However, there is limited bus service, operated by UCAT, from Kingston to outlying areas. Taxis can be summoned by phone in all towns.

By bus

See
  • Minnewaska State Park Reserve, 5281 Route 44-55, ☏ +1 845 255-0753. The State Park Reserve includes birds of forest habitat including breeding northern saw-whet owl, black-and-white warbler, black-throated blue warbler, Canada warbler, eastern wood-pewee, northern flicker and scarlet tanager; and breeding shrub/scrub species eastern towhee, field sparrow, gray catbird, indigo bunting and prairie warbler. Species at risk include a pair of peregrine falcons (endangered) that nest on the cliff face. 

Do

Belleayre Mountain is a state-run ski resort in the heart of the Catskills. Wide array of trails, and compared to the other large mountains in the region (e.g. Windham, Hunter), Belleayre is less expensive.

Some of the best climbs in the northeast are at the Shawangunk Mountains, also known as the "Gunks". You will need to get a day pass from Mohonk Preserve.

Visit the Kingston farmers market every Sa 10AM-2PM Wall Street Kingston from the end of May until the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Annual and seasonal, a grower producer market.

You can choose to volunteer at a soup kitchen. The Queens Galley soup kitchen at 254 Washington Ave, Kingston is the only soup kitchen in Ulster County to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Volunteers are welcome 7:15AM-7PM and can call ahead to arrange their schedule at +1 845 338-3468.

Connect

Cellular signal is spotty west of the Thruway but can be found around some of the larger towns and generally outside of the Catskill Park region.

Area Code is 845

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