Differing from the urban expanse of New York City, the majority of the state’s expansive geographical area is characterized by meadows, forests, rivers, farmlands, mountains, and lakes. The southern portion of the state is mainly situated on the Allegheny Plateau, which stretches from the southeastern U.S. to the Catskill Mountains; this segment within New York is termed the Southern Tier. The rugged Adirondack Mountains, featuring extensive stretches of untamed wilderness, are located to the west of the Lake Champlain Valley. To the east, the Great Appalachian Valley commands the landscape of eastern New York, encompassing the northern part as the Lake Champlain Valley and the southern part as the Hudson Valley within the state’s borders. To the east of Lake Ontario, the Tug Hill region emerges as a cuesta. Furthermore, the state of New York contains a section of the Marcellus shale, extending into Ohio and Pennsylvania.