Official Town of Esopus Website, Esopus New York

As early as 1620 the land on the west side of the Hudson River, south of the Rondout Creek, was known by the Dutch and English as a good place to trade with the Native Americans who called the area "esepu", meaning "high banks". In 1811 this area officially became the Town of Esopus (ee-SO-pus). We are beautifully situated on the west banks of the majestic Hudson River, nearly 100 miles North of New York City. Our Town is bounded on the North by the Roundout Creek, a waterway busy with commercial and pleasure craft, across which lies the City of Kingston. To the South is Highland in the Town of Lloyd, and to the West are the towns of Rosendale and New Paltz.

The Town of Esopus covers 40 square miles, much of which remains naturally decorated by lakes, waterways, and lush woodlands. In addition to the Hudson and Walkill Rivers, the Rondout, Black, and Swartekill Creeks wind through the Town...but not the Esopus Creek!