Esopus is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,041 at the 2010 census. The town was named after the local Indian tribe and means "high banks" in English. They were one of the Lenape bands, belonging to a people who ranged from western Connecticut through lower New York, western Long Island, and parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania along the Delaware River.The Town of Esopus is on the west bank of the Hudson River south of the City of Kingston. The town center is in Port Ewen. US Route 9W passes along the east side of the town.