About this spot
Buttermilk Falls State Park gets its name from the white water created by Buttermilk Creek descending the steep hillside toward Cayuga Lake. The upper section features a small pond, forest and gorge trails, picnic grounds and sports fields. The lower section includes camping facilities, a swimming pool, recreational fields, and Larch Meadows—a shaded wetland with an interpretive nature path. Access via Route 13 south of Ithaca, following state park signage. From the lower swimming area, hike the falls trail uphill for roughly half a mile. You'll encounter a 40-foot waterfall, then a shallow 8-foot-wide channel feeding it. Continue about 100 feet to locate a large round pool approximately 10 feet in depth with a 15-foot rock face adjacent to it. Above this basin sits a flat outcropping where water is only inches deep. The jump occurs from this 15-foot ledge into the basin below. The limited 10-foot depth requires caution, and park officials enforce a strict no-jumping policy. Additional deep basins exist nearby but remain untested. The park operates year-round. Camping runs mid-May through mid-October. Trail closures occur November 10. Bow hunting for deer happens during season. Pets must be domesticated animals only, kept caged or leashed to a maximum 6 feet, with current rabies vaccination documentation required. Animals are prohibited from swimming areas.