New York State's 11 Physiographic Regions: From Erie-Ontario Lowlands to Atlantic Coastal Plain

New York's diverse landscape is organized into 11 physiographic provinces (west to east):

1. Erie-Ontario Lowlands: Flat, fertile plains along Lakes Erie & Ontario. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse.
2. Allegheny Plateau: Dissected plateau, deep valleys. Southern tier. Includes Mount Marcy? No — Marcy is in Adirondacks. Highest plateau elevations ~2,500 ft.
3. Appalachian Plateau: Gently rolling, drained by Susquehanna. Finger Lakes, Catskills foothills.
4. Mohawk Valley: Fertile corridor between Adirondacks and Appalachian Plateau. Albany, Schenectady, Utica, Rome. Erie Canal route.
5. Adirondack Mountains: Ancient crystalline massif, 46 High Peaks >4,000 ft. Mount Marcy (5,344 ft) — state high point. Forever Wild (Forest Preserve).
6. Tug Hill Plateau: East of Lake Ontario. Heavy lake-effect snow. Skiing, snowmobiling.
7. Champlain Valley: Along Lake Champlain (VT/NY border). Flat, fertile. Plattsburgh, Ticonderoga.
8. Taconic Mountains: Low range along NY/MA/CT border. Kaaterskill Falls, Bash Bish Falls.
9. Hudson Highlands: Rugged, scenic Hudson River gorge. West Point, Bear Mountain, Storm King. Near NYC.
10. Newark Basin (Piedmont): Small SE corner — Triassic rift basin (Palisades).
11. Atlantic Coastal Plain: Long Island, Staten Island, NYC coastal fringe. Sandy, flat. Jones Beach, Fire Island.

This mosaic creates New York's extraordinary scenic and ecological variety.