At 165 ft, Buttermilk Falls is one of the taller waterfalls in New York — a cascade waterfall worth seeking out.
Its water comes from Buttermilk Creek. It lies in Tompkins, New York. The site is on public land managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
This is a short hike waterfall: reached by a short trail, generally under about a mile each way. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 1.5 miles round trip. The nearest town is Ithaca.
When to go: Spring. Like most waterfalls, Buttermilk Falls runs highest after snowmelt or heavy rain and can thin out in late summer, so it's worth checking recent streamflow and the land manager's conditions page before a long drive.
