Buttermilk Falls

On the second day of a Memorial Day long weekend trip in Upstate New York, after being completely amazed by the waterfall gorge at Watkins Glen, I still felt like I hadn’t had enough and decided to continue chasing waterfalls before sunset. I headed back near Ithaca and visited Buttermilk Falls. I did the Gorge Trail Loop, which is about 1.8 miles and takes a little over an hour. Compared to Watkins Glen, Buttermilk Falls had far fewer visitors, but in my opinion the waterfall and gorge scenery are just as impressive. It was a huge surprise and definitely worth recommending. Just like Watkins Glen, the creek water is extremely clear and clean, and the sound of flowing water is very soothing. It’s a really peaceful and beautiful place to visit. Parking is usually around $10, but I parked at the Dairy Queen lot about a 5-minute walk from the entrance and stayed for less than two hours.