Buttermilk Falls State Park

We visited too late in the season, so the gorge trail was closed for the season and repairs. And although not as immersive as Watkins Glen or Robert Treman, it is so convenient to town that it can really add to a visit to the area. The upper falls parking area was a bit quieter and more intimate than the main lower falls parking. There were also stone picnic tables, and smaller, flatter trails near the upper falls parking.

This is a nice well-kept state park much like many of the New York State parks we visited. Unfortunately at the time we visited (early August 2025), there wasn’t enough rain in the past few days which resulted in just a trickle to be seen on the main falls. But the staff was very helpful in guiding us to the Gorge Trail from the Lower Park area (main area) to see the other falls and pools. It is a hike up with trail and steps of about 1/2 mile and you can see 5-6 smaller waterfalls which look great. The main falls at the parking area also has a nice pool area - clean and clear water.

Beauty around every corner. The gorge trail starts with a ton of stairs, but there are 2 falls just on the way up. The climb is worth the view. There are multiple falls along the trail all relatively close giving you amazing photo opportunities. There is a swimming area at the bottom of the falls right near the parking area and restrooms. There are also camping and picnicking areas. This is one of my favorite waterfall trails out of the many in the area

I came here with a couple friends while visiting from out of state. The waterfall system was pretty cool to see and the trail was well maintained. There are some wetter spots on the trail from the falls and plenty of stairs, so I'd be mindful of these things as you traverse it. It's a cool spot that plenty of people were seeming to enjoy. There are also trails leading off the falls if someone wanted to hike longer and I thought that was cool. 5 stars from me!

Beautiful spot! The waterfall is stunning and the short trail gives you great views from both the top and bottom. Easy to reach, well maintained, and perfect for a peaceful nature stop.

A beautiful park with a waterfall. Ideal for families wanting to enjoy a picnic or do camping. Great outdoor activities for kids. Lots of cabins built inside the park for families to book and enjoy. 10 USD Vehicle entry and parking fee. Loved the beauty of the place.

This is big park but we did a short hike from Buttermilk falls to Pinnacle falls and its gorgeous. Especially the middle falls. For photography you have to find a good location and wide angle lens can help.

Easy waterfall to visit. Plenty of parking spaces, picnic tables and clean bathrooms available. You can walk right up to the falls with no hiking required if that is what you are looking for. Hiking optional.

I went on a 2-mile hike with Nike today at Buttermilk Falls. It was very nice, especially on a hot day in upstate New York. I would definitely do it again! I thought it was an easy hike; just make sure to wear the right shoes. They test the water once a week to determine if it's safe to swim, and today it was. Bring sunglasses. Parking was free my cousin has a season pass.

Located just on the southern edge of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls named as early as 1866, as it was likened to "a mass of thick, frothy foam" is a wildly popular spot for tourists and local residents, especially during the height of summer where some of us visited this park. Formed by Buttermilk Creek as it flows down the steep valley side toward Cayuga Lake ranging in height from 5 to 35 feet and descending more than 500 feet in a series of cascades and rapids, a natural pool at the base of fall provides swimming with the feel of an old swimming hole that was closed today due to lack of life guards. Like many NY state parks, there are two entrances. We walked from the parking lot at the lower park and hiked up the picturesaque dog friendly Gorge Trail until the cross-over bridge. Then we returned back down the other side of the gorge on the less travelled Rim Trail. Bathrooms were clean with 4 showers. If one carries in food or drinks into the park, one must carry out as there are no trash cans. Parking was $10 and our picnic lunch made for an inexpensive, fabulous day, which we can recommend.

Our second stop on our hiking adventure today, you enter the park and there is a $9 flat rate fee per car which goes towards the upkeep and park maintenance. I strongly suggest sturdy sneakers or walking shoes. There are very steep stairs and a steep incline uphill until you get towards the top where is levels out. Some part are more narrow and hard to navigate but I was impressed how well people kindly moved over and out of the way. I will say there were alot of families with smaller child that were letting their kids into the gorge which was a bit concerning but whatever. The views were immaculate and the trail for the most part was covered with shade so you aren't too hot. The biggest downside I would say is the parking lot is not painted and so many people couldn't park. Cars were blocked in and way too close so it was just inconsiderate.

We hiked the gorge trail that is approximately 1.5 miles with plenty of steps and elevation change of about 450 feet. There were a lot of others enjoying the hike and picture taking. If you are into picture taking this is a great area.

I still recommend Robert H Treman over Buttermilk Falls if it's swimming and diving you're interested in. The water is more shallow here so no diving is allowed. Maybe the better choice for people with younger children. Older children will find Robert H Treman more their speed. The hike is beautiful, though. So many little waterfalls and pools. As with Robert H Treman, there's a gorge path and a rim path that combine to make a loop with lots of stairs but this hike is under two miles. There's other trails in the upper park if you want to explore more.

We have a few days in the area and after visiting the farmers market, took a short drive here. It was cold, rainy, and windy when we visited so we opted to drive to the lower falls and take a brief view without paying the $9.00 entry fee, since it is visible from the entry drive. We then drove to the upper parking lot and really enjoyed the drive thru the fall foliage. A short walk from the parking lot is another small fall visible from a pedestrian bridge. We would have gladly stayed and payed the entry fee, had we been better prepared for the weather. Our next visit to the area I hope to spend the day exploring.

A beautiful park where you can go swimming and hiking. The hiking trail is not difficult and is beautiful during the summer and autumn.

Absolutely beautiful park in the fall, I would love to see the waterfalls in the summer and winter. There's tons of trails to hike, lots to see. So many breathtaking views!

This was one of the best hiking experiences we've ever had, surrounded by breathtaking sights and soothing sounds. Be prepared for plenty of steps, as it can be physically demanding. Along the way, there are plenty of places to rest, and you can even enjoy the water if you're careful. The final waterfall is truly worth it, offering a moment of pure relaxation. A must-visit!

Spectacular trails around, under and over the falls. Buttermilk Falls State Park takes its name from the foaming cascade formed by Buttermilk Creek as it flows down the steep valley side toward Cayuga Lake. The upper park has a small lake, hiking trails through woodlands and along the gorge and rim, picnic areas & playing fields. I've never been to the lower park but understand there is a campground, natural pool, playing fields and Larch Meadows.

Hope you like stairs... this is nature's stair master. On vacay and didn't go to the gym or skipped leg day for the past year? Go to Buttermilk Falls. What's even worst is the people I went with told me about this place and for some weird reason I thought it was a restaurant that serves buttermilk pancakes or some sort of buttermilk goods. Now it's my fault for not clarifying and everyone specifically telling me to wear hiking boots. I was like weird but let's gooooooo... sadly there was no pancakes but a lot of waterfalls and stairs. I climbed up but I couldn't get back down. I live here now... one with nature... Fun fact, if you stay here past dark (which you shouldn't) and you hear what sounds like a grown man crying for pancakes... that's probably my ghost...

This park is home to another dramatic waterfall that is easily seen - you can see it pretty much as soon as you enter the park. It's a short flat walk from the parking lot to get closer to the view. It was running a bit low at the time of our visit, but still a nice sight.

Buttermilk Falls is huge and gorgeous!! The park is pretty easy to navigate and there are free maps and brochures near the parking lot. I hiked the gorge trail to rim which allowed me to see a ton of waterfalls and loop around to where I started and ended up being less than 2 miles There were a ton of stairs on the gorge path so I wouldn't suggest bringing small dogs or children if they can't handle climbing. With each set of stairs there was another beautiful view. Well worth the climb!

The people working the desk are so helpful! I had a problem with my reservation, and they resolved it quickly. Really nice people! The park is lovely and our campsite was large and nicely shaded. The bathrooms and showers were amazingly clean with no yuk factor at all. The falls, of course, are amazing.

A hike that ends with a natural pool that you can take a dip in? SIGN. ME. UP! We hiked about two miles down from the Buttermilk Trailhead at Firelight Camps to the swimming area. It took around an hour and a half, wasn't too steep and was very scenic the entire time. It's also mostly shaded which was a huge bonus on a super hot day. The trail is well marked and easy to navigate. There is also a park area with a bathroom in the middle of the trail. There's been a bit of a drought in the area and some of the falls are dried up, so that was a bit of a bummer. But towards the end of the hike, as you get closer to the end the falls are in full force. I'll also add that the swimming area is super legitimate - there was even a lifeguard on duty! Bring bug spray, plenty of water and sturdy shoes for some of those downhill moments. Definitely a must-do in Ithaca!

If there's such a thing as a "beginner's" waterfall, this is it. Yes, there's a LOT of stairs (it's a shelf waterfall system) but there are also many places to rest, good canopy shads, and handrails. The bottom of the park has a picnic area and a place to wade. If you manage to hike the whole system it connects to other parks. Just don't do what I did and wear your normal sneakers during a downpour. The mountain is slate, you will end up climbing down on your butt to avoid falling over the one area without a fence.

Had a wonderful trip out to Buttermilk Falls this past weekend and always look forward to any opportunity I get to visit. From the stunning views to the heart pumping hikes, there's a lot to love here. This time, we started the uphill hike up the gorge trail stairs, met up with the best trail that is more wooded, and then came back down the falls using the rim trail. It's all super clearly marked here and a great way to see all the park has to offer. There was a downed tree that stopped us short on the bear trail, so all in it took us right around two hours to hike all the way through. If you're in the Ithaca area, this is absolutely unmissable. I saw kids making their way up the gorge trail (though I don't really know how) and depending on the type of dog you have this might not be the best option for them. Or use the rim trail instead of the muddy/wet/slippery rim trail. Entrance fee is $9 and I recommend getting there before 11am if possible on busy summer weekend days. Grateful to take in this beauty and can't wait until I'm able to climb those gorge stairs again!

Absolutely fabulous- relaxing- great time - excited we found this gem heading back for Acadia state park to Cortland oh

This is probably one of my new favorite hiking trails. My husband and I love hiking nature trails. This one was great because there are several trail options and some are not difficult at all. Especially being 7 months pregnant, I needed something more on the easy end. The hardest part was the incline but that's only at the beginning on the one trail. After that it was flat trails and great views. The water looked so refreshing and the water falls were amazing. I could have stayed there all day. We only got to see two of the trails and would love to come back in the area to see the other trails. It wasn't too crowded so I would have been comfortable bringing our dogs to hike it. The trails were well kept and there was no trash anywhere. Bathrooms were great too; nice and clean. Only bummer was the park admission price increased but that's not the park's fault!

Absolutely stunning state park. The fall, the trees, and the trail were mind-blowing. We followed the trail along the creek, and the falls were fantastic. We were a large family with a kid and a dog, so we couldn't reach the end of the trail and had to return, but it was already a wonderful experience. We will revisit this area if we come back to Ithaca in the future

Such a pretty hike! Didn't know what to expect since a lot of reviews simply compare it to Watkins Glen and say it's shorter. Well, firstly the Falls are right there as soon as you pull up into the parking lot which I thought was really cool! Instant gratification. But then what is the point of going on the hike you say? So the part you see from the parking lot is just the very last bit of the falls and certainly not the most impressive part by far. To see that you need to follow the gorge trail which goes right along the falls and is an upward climb made quite comfortable by the many steps constructed or cut out into the rocks. Apparently the whole hike is about 7 miles long, but I chose to do approx a mile in and the same mile back for a quick version since we were on a schedule and totally loved it! It's also dog friendly as long as your pup is on a leash. Highly recommend!

Such a pretty pretty park! You can swim and hike the gorges here about a 1.25 miles around the entire gores. It's nice to start up the gorge trail and then down the rim trail but because of covid right now they have you starting up the rim and down the gorge which isn't bad either. The weather was 91 degrees out and water as only 65 so too cold for me in July. The park is a great spot for gorgeous pictures and is pretty safe and easy hike for anyone in decent shape. It is often over looked as a park to visit in Ithaca too so usually not over crowded.

Wow! There are a lot of steps to climb to get to the end... but it is a gorgeous gift of nature, with beautiful waterfall after waterfall along the trek.. saw several folks picnicking on the grounds and a super nice kiddie playground. If you like woodsy trails, built-in steps for the climb, and cool waterfalls... this is it! A bit pricey parking fee.

I love it here! I have been here many times and really like hiking here. This is always a popular spot however, because you can easily see the falls from the road. So, it ends up being crowded any time you stop by. There are stairs you can take for a longer trail and for more views of the falls. There are picnic tables and spots to sit and enjoy the scenery from the bottom of the falls, as well.

I haven't been to this falls in many years so I wanted to check it out again. At this time of year the parking is free. My friend and I wanted to walk down to the base of the falls but it was closed. We were able to walk the rim trail. I have to say this is not an easy trail, many roots and steep hills on this trail. It is an easy trail to follow and view the upper falls. I want to come back when I can go to the base of the falls.

Huge park with lots to explore. We first did the trail around the lake and enjoyed the peace and quiet. We even saw a heron! Then we did the waterfall trail. Unfortunately, due to a rather dry summer, the waterfalls weren't at their full glory but still very pretty. It's an easy to moderate level hike and the trails were very clean. I will say it got a tad crowded near the falls and made it difficult to distance.

Best outdoors park ever! Buttermilk Falls in New York is a vast expansive upward trail with a close river that trickled down the mountain. Some pools where the water collects itself are swimmable and diveable. The trail is of modest difficulty with benches and perches to sit near the waterfalls and slides in the rocks. There's a fee to enter this park at the bottom of about $5-$10 for a car parking spot. The park is well maintained and there are trash bins all over. There is a great view from the top of the steep trail at the mid-heights of the waterfalls. Review: fantastic 5+

It's called Buttermilk because of the foaming cascade. How delicious! We made a quick stop here to see the water fall. When we visited the waterfall was very calm and peaceful. I'm not sure if it like this all year round. This location is accessible. Parking and entrance are free. You can drive in and see the waterfall from your car if you don't want to walk. But we got out and strolled around a bit. It's a nice place to picnic too. They have some benches around. It was really quiet and no one was around so I would take precaution. There is a guard station but no one was in. They do have public restrooms available.

This park is such a gem in Ithaca! As it is a state park, be prepared to pay $8 for parking to support the park upkeep. The trail was fairly busy with families on the Saturday I went, but they limited the trail to be a one-way loop so we did not have to pass too many people. The first part of the hike is moderate intensity - kids are able to hike this, but you have to have some level of fitness ability. The steepest parts do not last for too long and once you are halfway through, it is all downhill on stairs and flat parts through the gorge. There are many watering holes, which technically do not allow swimming but many people were swimming and walking through the water regardless. Overall, an excellent hike that takes about 2 hours including time spent in the water and taking photos. If you walked this straight through with no breaks, you could be done in about an hour.

Lovely park just wrong time to visit. No water flowing so we will have to come back after at least some rain!!! But the park is beautiful!!!

Buttermilk is my all-time favorite state park in NY and maybe even in the U.S. as a whole! It's always so beautiful there, but it's incredibly gorgeous in the fall. It's a "can't miss" park if you are in or near the Ithaca area! There are a lot of steps up and down on the gorge trail, but it's so worth it for this beautiful park. There are so many waterfalls throughout the hike, that you will be left in awe the whole time!

Great place to go for a hike, I have been many times and it's still nice to go each time. If you park at the lower entrance near the main road you will be near the biggest part of the Falls, but there will be a lot of stairs to climb. There is another parking lot at the end of the trail, where are you can walk the trail down to the main waterfall. There is a price to pay for parking but you can use the same ticket to go to other state parks on the same day. There is more trails in the upper parking lot. There are several different trails but the most popular is the gorge trail.

8$ to park like any NY state park. Steep climb up working the glutei and calves but the reward coming down along the waterfalls is totally worth it. I like that the waterfalls were cascading onto one another; centralized. Not as crowded as Watkins Glen or some of the other state parks but definitely popular. Blue pools of water and green lakes etching out the unique carved rock facades of all the rocks. Pet friendly, kid friendly; may be tough if you have children/fam that aren't used to walking/trekking. Not a beginner's hike in my opinion bc of the steepness of the ascent, but good sneakers and good hydration ahead of time on an overcast day or less than 75 degrees is safe for the crew. Recommend spending no more than 2 mins snapping your photos if you're going to be posing on the rocks- sometimes people just splashed and posed for over 10 mins slowing down crowds and photo taking oppportunities; be conscientious.

It took us about 90 minutes from Rochester on several one lane roads. It was a long drive but worth it. We parked near the park office where there are bathrooms and you can see the fall. Parking is $8 but if you're with a senior it's free on weekdays! You can start your hike along Ridge trail and come back on Gorge. To prevent the spread of Covid, the trails are supposedly one way but some people chose not to heed the signs. ABeware. The Ridge trail starts with a steep hill. Once you get past that, it gets much easier. According to AllTrail, the loop is 1.6 miles but that incline made it seem longer. I really enjoyed Gorge trail as you walk along water falls and the sound of chirping birds. I highly recommend coming here. If you have time, visit Taughannock Falls State Park which is close by.

Absolutely beautiful state park just outside of Ithaca. Due to shelter in place orders, park entry fees were waived. We entered via the Upper Falls lot (south of the actual Buttermilk Falls) and found this was a good home base for hiking. For first-timers to explore the north and south portions of the park I'd allow anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on your walking speed and if you want time for pictures or snack breaks. Bathroom facilities are currently closed, there are port-a-john's at Buttermilk Falls and at the Upper Lot. Bring your own hand sanitizer. The trails here are all easy to moderate, so approachable for those with any fitness level. Quite a few young children and dogs on the trail as well. The Bear Trail leads south from the Upper Falls lot to the Lake Treman Trail, where you'll find the cutest set of picnic tables next to the creek and a small waterfall. There's a paved path you can also take that sort of parallels Bear Trail which is nice for anyone with disabilities to navigate. The Lake Treman Trail is a short, neat hike with some elevation variations that loops around a small lake. The trail to Buttermilk Falls winds north from Upper Falls and takes you to the base of the park's namesake waterfall. It's a straightforward hike, nothing too exciting, and you'll find quite a few people just opt to park at the main Buttermilk Falls lot to swim or picnic at the base. Vending machines are available for drinks. I suspect the best views would be from the Gorge Trail, but unfortunately this was closed as no workers had been deployed to make sure it was safe for the general populace yet. Normally these trails are closed during winter and open sometime in spring. You get a glimpse from the Lake Treman trail (in my opinion the best view was from the dam across Lake Treman), but hopefully will be able to come back and complete the experience!

A must see if you find yourself in the Ithaca area. We happened to catch the fall foliage at a perfect time so this short rim trail hike was perfect. The water level was a bit low but the falls still looked beautiful of I don't say so myself! If you take another trail that skirts the falls, be sure to wear shoes you don't mind getting wet.

Great camping again . Different site than last time Deffinetly have to camp here Cabin camping ..tent camping...small camper..

If you're outdoorsy, you'll love this. Considering I am not an outdoors person...There is a fee for parking. There are picnic benches and a straight on view of at least one gorge.

Drought killed our excitement in the beginning of the trail. Starting our hiking trail in the lower falls with no visible water at all was disappointing. But as we hiked up, the short 0.75 mile gorge trail to point marker felt like longer. The stairs were steep and understanding during the hike their "strenuous" hiking grade. It worth anyway all the effort of going to the top as the view was amazingly beautiful and such an accomplishment on hiking down as the trail was as steep as it was of going up. Air. Mountain. Trees. Waterfalls. This is what it is to be happy.

I really want to give this park a better rating , but on this particular holiday weekend, my experience was only fair. I'm sure the park is very picturesque when the waterfalls are flowing and the leaves have turned. I also expected the crowds, being as it was around Labor Day . What really stunk was, after hiking uphill for about 30 minutes and taking a few pictures at the gorge, we were told we had to turn around because a hiker fell and broke his leg and had to be pulled up! Was it the hiker's fault or the uneven terrain in the park? Not sure exactly, all I know is that after the uphill climb, I was looking forward to seeing the other side of the trail, that had stairs leading down and a different view. Instead we had to go back down the same steep trail (where many were still making there way up) which made it very tricky to social distance. I am sure this isn't the normal case, but reading that it has happened a few times already this year , I wonder if they can hire people to watch those trickier spots to make sure unwise hikers don't go off the path and hurt themselves. I would go back during a weekday to give the park a second chance, but so far Watkins Glen is by far a better hiking destination, in my humble opinion!

This beautiful park was located just about 8 minutes away from our air b&b, when we were visiting back in October. We knew we had to check it out. I will say that the trail is pretty steep at first, but did eventually level out. We stopped by on an overcast weekday and there was really not many other people on the trail- perfect COVID-19 activity. The views were amazing. On the way up the trail, the views of the waterfalls were ok, but coming down through the gorge was just amazing. We loved it. Would love to come back!

Was visiting the area and I love waterfalls so I had to check this place out. Parking was $9 per car for 24 hour all state park parking. With several near by state parks nearby not a bad deal. There is a walking path with onside camping available for those into that. The waterfall was visible from the entrance to the park and was beautiful.

Beautiful falls along the trail make great views and pictures. We started at the bottom and got to the mid-point with our 8 and 5 year olds. It is a good hike up the steps, so be prepared. Some people with health issues, may not be able to do it. Near the parking lot, there were bathrooms, a very nice playground, some picnic tables, water fountain. Swimming was closed for the season, but seems like it would be fun there. Looking forward to coming back to do the next part of the Falls with our kids.

The natural topography of this park and the falls was stunning. We went on a relatively dry day with low flow over the falls, but it was still a beauty to behold. The initial ascent had you sweating (a few hundred feet in elevation in less than a mile), but you were certainly rewarded in the end. Wandering around the falls area was easy and there were well-maintenanced staircases all around. In other, wetter, seasons there are opportunities to swim in some of the pools.

I just cannot say enough of how gorgeous all of the park systems in Ithaca are and how much I love to hike the trails and view the beautiful waterfalls and scenery. Buttermilk falls is a star attraction just south of Ithaca with a stunning waterfall in the very beginning. They have two rim trails and the super fun and beautiful gorge trail. The beginning of the gorge trail has loads of steps and it kind of sucks but it's so worth it to get to the top and enjoy the rest of the hike. The park itself has camping, picnicking facilities, and the waterfall opens into a huge natural swimming area which is super fun during the summer months. I love to hike here and it's a place that must not be missed if you're in the area! The park has two entrances but I seriously recommend starting at the bottom and working your way up. Trust me you'll appreciate it when you're exhausted later and walking downhill the whole way. This park is very popular and the main lot is often full. However, there is a secondary parking area just to the right of the lot if you're heading south towards the park. This park does have a vehicle entrance fee but it's going to support a good cause!

We went in the summer and this hike was gorgeous! Waterfalls, gorges and pools just kept going and going. This was a bit of a difficult hike just because it's all uphill but at least once we decided to turn around it was all downhill. We tried to go again this fall but because there was a a drought this summer, there was very little water, but summertime a year ago it was spectacular!

One word: Heaven. After a long week of work, people like to come to Buttermilk Falls to relax and rejuvenate their spirits. The long hikes help you to relax and forget about life in New York City. Listening and watching the waterfalls melts your stress away. It almost has a therapeutic effect on you. Breathe in the clean air. Walk slowly so you see the details of the gorges. Many people enjoy activities here: Dogs love to hike here. Bring your cameras. On a sunny day, you will have many opportunities to take beautiful pictures. The trail leads you to the bottom of the river. Some people swim in the water. I highly recommend this state park. Families, friends, and tour groups come here to see the majestic beauty of nature. Come and enjoy.

Above average way to spend an afternoon. The hike took us about an hour and 45 minutes to get from bottom to top. Highly recommend

I came hiking here in July 2020 and it was the highlight of my trip to Ithaca. You can look at the waterfall without having to hike but I do recommend the hike if you have time and are able to. The hike itself I'd say is moderate. We saw some kids doing it with their parents and even some dogs. The waterfalls you see along the way are gorgeous. We couldn't believe we were in New York.