Lower Buttermilk Falls
Greene County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 36 ft (11 m)
- Location
- Greene County, New York
- Access status
- Partial guide: bushwhack and creek crossing only safe at low water
- The walk
- About 1 mile one way, partly off trail
- Ground & access
- Bushwhack descent, old roadbed and a wade or rock hop across Kaaterskill Creek. The creek is Class V whitewater in high water and can be 10 to 15 feet deep. Stay off the slippery top of the falls and the landslide-prone east side of the ravine.
Lower Buttermilk Falls is a 46-foot cascade at the bottom of Buttermilk Ravine, where it drops into Kaaterskill Creek opposite the old Kiersted Tannery foundation. Catskill Mountaineer warns not to descend the steep slopes by the parking lot. Instead, walk roughly parallel to Route 23A toward Bastion Falls, then descend at an angle to Lake Creek. Follow an old trail down Lake Creek to the old Rip Van Winkle road at the bridge pillars and follow that road east until the falls come into view across Kaaterskill Creek. Crossing the creek is only safe at low water.
Plan your visit
DEC parking lot on Route 23A below Bastion Falls, bushwhack down to Lake Creek, the old Rip Van Winkle road east, then a crossing of Kaaterskill Creek at low water
Catskill Mountaineer gives about 1 mile from the parking lot below Bastion Falls, with about 300 feet of descent.
Bushwhack descent, old roadbed and a wade or rock hop across Kaaterskill Creek. The creek is Class V whitewater in high water and can be 10 to 15 feet deep. Stay off the slippery top of the falls and the landslide-prone east side of the ravine.
Where to start
DEC parking lot on the left (south) side of Route 23A before Bastion Falls, about 5 miles west of Route 32. Catskill Mountaineer gives the lot at 42.185617, -74.070717.
Timing & water
Visit only when Kaaterskill Creek is low. Avoid after storms and in ice or snow.
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 Falls75 ft (23 m) · Greene County, NY0.5 miSW
- Fawn's Leap26 ft (8 m) · Greene County, NY0.6 miSE
- Bastion FallsPartial: falls location documented; no parking on Route 23A and the walk from the lots is not described33 ft (10 m) · Greene County, NY0.7 miN
- Santa Cruz Falls56 ft (17 m) · Greene County, NY0.7 miW
- Wildcat FallsDEC trail crosses the top of the falls; base access dangerous98 ft (30 m) · Greene County, NY0.7 miS
Kaaterskill FallsResearched visit notes148 ft (45 m) · Greene County, NY0.8 miN- Elizabeth Falls26 ft (8 m) · Greene County, NY1.0 miSE
- Viola FallsForest Preserve trail past Poet's Ledge; about 3.7 miles one way30 ft (9 m) · Greene County, NY1.1 miSE
- Delmura FallsPartial guide: bushwhack approach; final route to the falls not described in detail13 ft (4 m) · Greene County, NY1.1 miNW