Buttermilk Falls
Rensselaer County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Rensselaer County, New York
- Access status
- Partial guide: roadside view from an informal pull-off; land status of the path not stated
- The walk
- Roadside view; a small foot path leads down over the guardrail to the water
- Ground & access
- Roadside pull-off and a short informal path over a guardrail to the creek bank.
Buttermilk Falls is a 16-foot cascade across a broad section of Tomhannock Creek in Schaghticoke, easily seen from Buttermilk Falls Road. From Troy, take Route 40 north to Route 67 in Schaghticoke, turn left, then turn left onto Buttermilk Falls Road. The falls appear on the left after about a mile and a half. There is no formal parking; an obvious pull-off sits just after a bridge. A small foot path leads down over the guardrail to the water’s edge. Another waterfall downstream is on private property. The route description dates from 2015.
Plan your visit
Buttermilk Falls Road off Route 67 in Schaghticoke, roadside view from a pull-off just after a bridge over Tomhannock Creek
No walking distance is given. The falls are visible from the road; the foot path to the water’s edge is short.
Roadside pull-off and a short informal path over a guardrail to the creek bank.
Where to start
No formal parking. An informal pull-off just after the bridge on Buttermilk Falls Road. Do not block the road.
Timing & water
The falls often dry out in summer; best in spring and after heavy rain.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Buttermilk Middle FallsRensselaer County, NY0.2 miW
- Buttermilk Lower FallsRensselaer County, NY0.2 miW
- Swatling FallsPartial guide: short trail in a housing development; manager and parking status not statedSaratoga County, NY5.0 miW
Cohoes FallsViewing parks beside the falls; seasonal opening89 ft (27 m) · Albany County, NY8.3 miSW- Piscawen FallsPartial guide: public city park; walking route to the falls not describedRensselaer County, NY10.0 miS
Poesten Kill FallsPartial guide: views only; the city prohibits access into the gorge, and park overlook rules are not publishedRensselaer County, NY12 miS- Upper Burden FallsPartial guide: informal urban trail; which falls carries the name Upper Burden Falls is not settledRensselaer County, NY13 miS
- Smart's CascadeRensselaer County, NY13 miS
- Lower Burden FallsPartial guide: preserve trail past several Wynantskill falls; which drop is Lower Burden Falls is not statedRensselaer County, NY13 miS