Buttermilk Falls
About
Buttermilk Falls is a waterfall in Columbia County, New York, sitting at about 268 feet in elevation. The nearest town is Claverack-Red Mills, about 1.2 miles away, which puts the falls in the Hudson Valley countryside east of the river. Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 75°F, while July runs warmer at about 85°F. The closest trail is the Path of Light (Light Purple), just 0.3 miles away. Paddlers can head to Claverack Creek, about 2.8 miles off. Within about 4 to 6 miles are the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (Hudson to Kinderhook) and the Hudson River Skywalk.
Waterfall Facts
Elevation
268 ft
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Buttermilk Falls
New York
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–85°F and lows of 38–63°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Hudson Correctional Facility, NY weather station, 5 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan35° high18° low
- Feb38° high19° low
- Mar48° high28° low
- Apr63° high38° low
- May74° high49° low
- Jun81° high58° low
- Jul85° high63° low
- Aug83° high61° low
- Sep75° high54° low
- Oct64° high43° low
- Nov51° high33° low
- Dec40° high25° low
Nearby
- Path of Light (Light Purple)Hiking0.3 mi
Claverack CreekCanoeingPhoto: Rreu, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2.8 mi- Cedar Park CemeteryRock climbing3.7 mi
- Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (Hudson to Kinderhook)Hiking4.5 mi
- Hudson River Greenway Water TrailCanoeing5.9 mi
- Blue TrailHiking5.9 mi
Hudson River SkywalkHikingPhoto: Camp Harrigan, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)6.2 mi- Hudson Valley Greenway Trail (Olana to Hudson)HikingPhoto: Camp Harrigan, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)6.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Buttermilk Falls
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
35° / 18°
8 wet
Feb
38° / 19°
8 wet
Mar
48° / 28°
9 wet
Apr
63° / 38°
10 wet
May
74° / 49°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 58°
11 wet
Jul
85° / 63°
11 wet
Aug
83° / 61°
10 wet
Sep
75° / 54°
9 wet
Oct
64° / 43°
10 wet
Nov
51° / 33°
9 wet
Dec
40° / 25°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hudson Correctional Facility, NY, 5 mi away at 30 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
