Buttermilk Falls, May, 2005

Buttermilk Falls State Park is located southwest of Ithaca, New York, USA. Like Robert H. Treman State Park, the initial grant of land for the park came from Robert and Laura Treman, in 1924.

The park offers a beach, cabins, fishing, hiking, hunting (bow-hunting deer), a nature trail, pavilions, a playground, playing fields, recreation programs, and a campground with tent and trailer sites. The park also has nine other waterfalls, but Buttermilk Falls is the main attraction.

Trails

The nature trails in the park include Gorge Trail, which follows the Buttermilk Creek as it cascades dropping about 500 feet along the trail. Gorge Trail is complemented by Rim Trail on the other side of the creek, which make for a loop of about 1.5 miles. Beyond these two trails is the Bear Trail which continues up Buttermilk Creek to Lake Treman Falls and Lake Treman. The trail to and around the lake is another 1.5 miles. At the far end of the lake is a spur of the Finger Lakes Trail. Another trail in the park is the Larch Trail, which circles a marsh near the main (lower) parking area and is about 1 mile in length. The best view of the falls are along the Gorge Trail, although the creek loses much of its flow whenever rain is scarce.

Revolutionary War era soldier Joseph Plumb Martin mentioned a Buttermilk Falls in his diary; however, this refers to present day Highland Falls in the Hudson Valley and not in Ithaca, NY.

See also

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Coordinates: 42°24′N 76°32′W / 42.40°N 76.53°W / 42.40; -76.53