Buttermilk Falls
By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026
LiDAR & 3D terrain
Photo Credits (5)
About Buttermilk Falls
This Buttermilk Falls is on Buttermilk Creek in Falls Township, Wyoming County, about 0.3 mile above the creek's mouth on the Susquehanna River near the village of Falls. The creek drops in a series of falls of about 10 to 35 feet each, and the falls gave the township its name. The site is listed on the Wyoming County Natural Areas Inventory.
Trail & Hike Details
Frequently Asked Questions
🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Buttermilk Falls?
❌ Dogs are not allowed
Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?
🆖 No fees required
🏊 Is There Swimming at Buttermilk Falls?
❌ Swimming is not allowed
When to Visit
Seasonal Access
The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.
Safety Information
One visitor report says the path down to the lower falls is very slippery. Use care on wet rock.
Current Water Conditions
These readings come from the USGS gauge on Tunkhannock Creek, 7.2 miles away, not on Buttermilk Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.
120 ft³/s
Current discharge — how much water is flowing
Lower than usual for this time of year
Based on 112 years of record
1.32 ft
Water depth at gauge
7-Day Discharge Trend
What does this mean for your visit?
Flow is lower than usual for this time of year.
About This Gauge
This gauge is on a nearby waterway and may not reflect exact conditions at the falls.
7-Day Flow Outlook
Based on the USGS gauge Tunkhannock Creek near Tunkhannock, PA (12 km away).
Today
Low
130 cfs
4/10Tomorrow
Low
143 cfs
4/10Sat
Low
146 cfs
4/10Sun
Low
152 cfs
4/10Mon
Low
140 cfs
5/10Tue
Barely Flowing
133 cfs
5/10Wed
Barely Flowing
124 cfs
5/10Best window: Mon — low flow, mostly cloudy (trip score 5/10).
Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from late February to late May, peaking in April.
How we calculate this
This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.
Know when to go.
Get a free email alert when waterfalls near West Falls hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.
Is Buttermilk Falls Frozen?
Updated about 6 hours agoNot frozen highs above freezing lately north-facing, shaded
Buttermilk Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 62°F to 38°F.
- Days below freezing
- 0 of the last 14
- Current cold streak
- 0 days
- Freezing days ahead
- 0 of the next 7
- Flow
- 113 ft³/s
Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.
Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in Pennsylvania.
Weather Forecast
The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR
Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.
1-meter lidar shows the creek losing roughly 105 feet through Buttermilk Falls over a long run of ledges. Elevation at the pin is about 642 feet.
The ground changes about 52 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 33 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face northwest and stay mostly shaded, with soft, even light all day.
Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.
- Ground elevation
- 642 feet
- Measured by 1-meter lidar
- Drop at the falls
- About 105 feet
- Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
- Faces
- Northwest
- Mostly shaded, so the light stays soft and even all day.
A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading northwest).
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
Location & Access
Elevation
643 feet above sea level
Coordinates
41.460078° N, -75.847974° W
Visitor Tips & Gear
Where to Stay
Lakeside, Dock, Hot Tub, Kayaks, Arcade, Playset
Quiet Getaway with Queen Bed & Wi-Fi
Lakefront Family Home, Kayaks, Hot Tub, Fireplace
Best Western Plus Clarks Summit Scranton Hotel
Browse vacation cabins and private rentals nearby
Unique outdoor stays — tents, yurts, and treehouses
Rent a campervan or RV for your waterfall road trip
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Additional Information
Cities near Buttermilk Falls
Other waterfalls named Buttermilk Falls
23 other waterfalls share this name across the U.S.
-
01
Apalachin
50 ftCurrent flow 47 ft³/s -
02
Claverack-Red Mills
-
03
Cohoes
15 ftCurrent flow 2,590 ft³/s -
04
East Worcester
104 ftCurrent flow 13 ft³/s -
05
Fultonville
30 ftCurrent flow 2,450 ft³/s -
06
Gloversville
Current flow 2,450 ft³/s -
07
Greenwood Lake
Current flow 39 ft³/s -
08
Highland Falls
100 ftCurrent flow 28 ft³/s -
09
Hudson Falls
60 ftCurrent flow 1 ft³/s -
10
Keeseville
128 ftCurrent flow 101 ft³/s -
11
Linwood
70 ftCurrent flow 20 ft³/s -
12
Palenville
549 ftCurrent flow 2 ft³/s -
13
South Hill
165 ft -
14
Speculator
25 ftCurrent flow 169 ft³/s -
15
Wampsville
30 ftCurrent flow 18 ft³/s
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