Mohawk Valley

Created by glaciers thousands of years ago, the Mohawk River winds its way through the Mohawk Valley connecting two glacial lakes and cutting through seven counties before it reaches the Hudson River. This valley, wedged between the Adirondack and Catskill mountains, has seen many great happenings, from being the home of the Iroquois Indian Nation to Revolutionary War battles to the opening of the Erie Canal for settlement in the Midwest and many decades of commerce and industry. The Schenectady Museum has a cutting-edge planetarium; at the Rome Historical Society Museum learn the history of the valley while at the Children’s Museum of ...

Created by glaciers thousands of years ago, the Mohawk River winds its way through the Mohawk Valley connecting two glacial lakes and cutting through seven counties before it reaches the Hudson River. This valley, wedged between the Adirondack and Catskill mountains, has seen many great happenings, from being the home of the Iroquois Indian Nation to Revolutionary War battles to the opening of the Erie Canal for settlement in the Midwest and many decades of commerce and industry. The Schenectady Museum has a cutting-edge planetarium; at the Rome Historical Society Museum learn the history of the valley while at the Children’s Museum of History in Utica kids get a hands-on experience of natural history, science and technology. The Central Park Rose Garden in Schenectady has 3000 rose bushes. Tour the Herkimer State Historic Site, built in 1764; it was the home of Revolutionary War General Nicholas Herkimer. The valley’s lakes offer any manner of water sports including whitewater rafting. Three scenic byways — the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, the Revolutionary Trail and the Southern Adirondack Trail — offer hundreds of miles for biking along beautiful vistas such as the Erie Canal and focal pints highlighting the area’s history.

About the Expert

Frances Folsom is the author of CitySpot Palermo, a contributor to the Reiskits guides to Milan and Italy's Lakes Region, and Thomas Cook's Independent Traveller USA.