The Catskills began existence as a river delta 350 million years ago. Streams flowing off the then-mighty Acadian Mountains deposited sediment where the river met a sea (now the Allegheny Plateau). Eventually the Taconics eroded to their present size and the waters dried up, leaving a mostly flat plain. During this time period, a meteor is believed to have struck the area. Panther Mountain is the remains of its crater.
