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Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster County, New York, that rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into New York City's Rondout Reservoir, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk Ridge, where it goes over the spectacular High Falls and finally out to the Hudson at Kingston, receiving along the way the Wallkill River.

Contents 1 Course 2 See also 3 External links 3.1 Online maps and aerial photos

The Rondout flows generally southerly down from the slopes of Rocky into the narrow valley known informally as Peekamoose Gorge. Most of the land surrounding the creek is part of New York's Forest Preserve and thus undeveloped. The rocky stream boasts several popular swimming holes, one of which is known as Blue Hole for the greenish tone of the deep water within.

It receives several tributaries (Buttermilk Falls Brook, High Falls Brook and Bear Hole Brook), most of them rising, like the Rondout itself, in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area to the west. Eventually it reaches the hamlet of Sundown and widens slightly as a flood plain develops alongside.

After crossing under NY 55A, it widens into the reservoir. The creek resumes at the former site of Lackawack, now headed eastwards. It follows closely alongside NY 55 to Napanoch, where after crossing under US 209 it heads northeast.

Paralleling the Shawangunk Ridge and the edge of the Catskill Plateau, the Rondout continues to grow, receiving the Ver Nooy Kill along the way. It has left rich soil on the valley floor that is actively farmed to this day.

At High Falls, as it begins to curve to the east around the northern end of the ridge, it goes over the spectacular waterfalll that gives the community its name. These have been the subject of much controversy in recent years, since they are both a popular swimming hole and an attractive nuisance. The local fire department, which owned the land, had to sell it to keep its liability insurance premiums affordable, and the new owner has posted the property for the same reason. However, swimmers routinely descend on the area on warm days.

Around the north end of the Shawangunks, it receives as tributaries many of the streams of the Minnewaska State Preserve: Peters Kill, Stony Kill and Coxing Kill. It reaches the former village of Rosendale in a gravel-lined flood control channel, but returns to a more natural bed shortly afterwards to flow beneath the New York State Thruway. In the wooded areas east of the Thruway, the Wallkill River, its flow attenuated by Sturgeon Pool just upriver, joins in from the south.

The Rondout turns north, then east again, finally reaching the Hudson along the south border of Kingston.

• List of New York rivers

Mouth or other endpoint (Hudson River)

• WikiSatellite view at WikiMapia
• Street map from MapQuest
• Topographic map from TopoZone
• Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
• Satellite image from Google Maps
• Other maps and aerial photos

Source (on Rocky Mountain)

• WikiSatellite view at WikiMapia
• Street map from MapQuest
• Topographic map from TopoZone
• Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
• Satellite image from Google Maps
• Other maps and aerial photos

v • d • e Implements in New York City's Water Supply System
Reservoirs (Croton Watershed):	New Croton Reservoir, Boyds Corner Reservoir, Middle Branch Reservoir, East Branch Reservoir/Bog Brook Reservoir, Titicus Reservoir, West Branch Reservoir, Amawalk Reservoir, Muscoot Reservoir, Cross River Reservoir, Croton Falls Reservoir/Diverting Reservoir
Reservoirs (Catskill/Delaware Watershed):	Ashokan Reservoir, Kensico Reservoir, Schoharie Reservoir, Rondout Reservoir, Neversink Reservoir, Pepacton Reservoir, Cannonsville Reservoir
Controlled Lakes:	Kirk Lake, Lake Gilead, Lake Gleneida
Waterways:	Croton River, West Branch Croton River, Middle Branch Croton River, East Branch Croton River, Titicus River, Muscoot River, Cross River, Esopus Creek, Neversink River, Rondout Creek, Delaware River, East Branch Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River
Aqueducts:	New Croton Aqueduct, Catskill Aqueduct, Shandaken Tunnel, Delaware Aqueduct, Neversink Tunnel, East Delaware Tunnel, West Delaware Tunnel
Storage Reservoirs:	Hillview Reservoir, Jerome Park Reservoir, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir (decommissioned), Silver Lake Reservoir, Ridgewood Reservoir
Distribution Tunnels:	New York City Water Tunnel No. 1, New York City Water Tunnel No. 2, New York City Water Tunnel No. 3 (under construction), Richmond Tunnel