In Buttermilk Falls State Park, like most of the Finger Lakes gorge parks, stairs are the primary walkway along Buttermilk Creek. It’s a challenging hike and worth it!
Where to begin
Google Maps will direct you to the Lower park entrance where you begin at the bottom and climb your way up along the Gorge Trail. Once you reach the bridge you can either keep going toward the upper park entrance, turn around and walk back along the Gorge Trail, or cross the bridge and take the Rim Trail down. The Rim Trail is more of a sloped trail through woodlands; quite beautiful, but no view of the creek.
We met locals who said they started from the upper entrance to Buttermilk Falls and walked all the way to the bottom along the Gorge and up the Rim. One woman said she walks the trails 3 times a week, up the Gorge and down the Rim. Really quite impressive as we were ready to call it after the first set of stairs! Again, fellow hikers encouraged us to keep going, and that it was worth it for the view. They were right.
More information about Buttermilk Falls
- Cost: $7 per vehicle, free off-season (roughly Oct-May)
- Located in Ithaca, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes / 90 miles from Rochester (get directions)
- More information: parks.ny.gov or take a virtual tour
- Find more NYS Parks to hike around Rochester!