The Catskills The Catskill Protectorate stretches from the Hudson River Valley to Syracuse, and is dominated by the Catskill Mountains, Catskill Park, and the lush Hudson River Valley. New England is to the east, and New Jersey is to the southwest. New York City is to the south.The cities of Troy, Albany, and Schenectady are on the northern border of this area. The Erie Canal reaches the Hudson River near Troy and Albany, connecting New York City to Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the rest of the western United States. |  |