Ten waterfalls in a single gorge. The lower trail starts a five-minute drive from downtown Ithaca and climbs a kilometre alongside the creek, with cascades dropping past every bend. The eponymous Buttermilk Falls at the bottom — a 165-foot wall of white water — is the photogenic showpiece.
The lower swimming hole, fenced off with stone, is open in summer with lifeguards and a small fee. Combine the lower gorge trail with the upper Bear Trail loop for a two-hour walk through hemlock forest and back along a quiet ridge. Sturdy shoes — the rock steps are slick.