The topography of New York State is dominated by the Adirondack Mountains and the Appalachian Highlands.
One-fourth of the state’s total area is covered by the Adirondacks. The Appalachian Highlands, including the Catskill Mountains and Kittatinny Mountain Ridge (or Shawangunk Mountains), extend across the southern half of the state, from the Hudson River Valley to the basin of Lake Erie. The Great Lakes Plain; the Hudson, Mohawk, Lake Champlain, and St. Lawrence valleys; and the coastal areas of New York City and Long Island are regions which lie between the two upland regions.
Mt. March, at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters), and Algonquin Peak, at 5,114 feet (1,559 meters) are the two highest peaks found in the Adirondacks. The State also boasts of some of the best scenic lakes like Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Lake George. The region is also the source of the Hudson and Ausable rivers.
The highest peak in the Catskills is Slide Mountain, at 4,204 feet (1,281 meters). Lesser upland regions of New York include the Hudson Highlands, projecting into the Hudson Valley; the Taconic Range, along the state's eastern border; and Tug Hill Plateau, set amid the lowlands just west of the Adirondacks.
New York has about 8,000 lakes, the largest being Oneida, about 22 mi (35 km) long, with a maximum width of 6 mi (10 km) and an area of 80 sq mi (207 sq km). Many smaller lakes are found in the Adirondacks and in the Finger Lakes region in west-central New York. They are famous for its vineyards and great natural beauty.
The longest river of New York is the Hudson River which extends from the Adirondacks to New York Bay for a distance of 306 mi (492 km). Some of the major rivers include the Mohawk River the Black, Genesee, and Oswego. Rivers defining the state's borders are the St. Lawrence, Delaware, Niagra, and the Poultney form the state’s borders. Along the Niagara River, Niagara Falls forms New York's most spectacular natural feature. Glaciers from the last Ice Age carved out the inland lakes and valleys and determined the surface features of Staten Island and Long Island.