Buttermilk Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Length: 1.6 miles, one way
Time: 1 hour with time to enjoy the waterfall
Difficulty: Strenuous with extremely difficult terrain

The Buttermilk Falls Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a strenuous trail that runs straight up a mountain from a parking lot on Mountain Road to the Appalachian Trail. From there you can hike south to the trails in the Blue Mountain Lake area of the park, including a hike around Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond, which is what I did. I don’t see any reason to hike the Buttermilk Falls Trail if all you plan on doing is turning around at the top. The namesake Buttermilk Falls is at the parking lot, so if that’s what you came for, all you have to do is step out of your vehicle.

Buttermilk Falls Trail Map (click to enlarge)

The trail itself is a difficult hike, and getting there is nearly as tough. The dirt road is full of potholes, so you and your car are in for some serious jostling. Do not drive out here in a new Mercedes or a low-to-the-ground sports car. No four wheel drive is required, just a vehicle that is built tough or that you don’t give a damn about.

The route of the Buttermilk Falls Trail is marked with blue blazes. These are paint splotches on trees and rocks that serve as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs, and they come in handy on this hike. There aren’t any tricky intersections, but at times I felt as if I might have made a wrong turn due to sections being a little rough, but eventually I always saw a blaze. As long as you see one every few minutes, you should be heading in the right direction.

The route of the Buttermilk Falls Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is marked with blue blazes

As mentioned, the Buttermilk Falls Trail heads straight up a mountain. The gain in elevation is roughly 1,110 feet, and this is accomplished in less than a mile and a half. Luckily the majority of it is not too steep, but there is an extreme climb at the beginning and end, and much of the trail is covered in ankle-breaking rocks and tree roots.

When you see Buttermilk Falls at the parking lot, realize that the first segment of the hike is to the top of it. That itself is a 200-foot climb with an overall grade of 50%, and half of it has a grade of 84%. To put that into perspective, 15% is where most hikers agree strenuous starts; a 100% grade is a 45-degree angle. I don’t recall any other trails within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area having grades like this.

Most of the climb to the top of Buttermilk Falls is done via a wooden staircase. You can see the waterfall on the way up, and there are observation decks at the halfway point and at the top. However, the best view and photo op is at the parking lot.

Stairs at the start of the Buttermilk Falls Trail take hikers to the top of the waterfall, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Observation deck at the halfway point on the climb to the top of Buttermilk Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

View of Buttermilk Falls at the halfway point on the climb to the top, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Top of Buttermilk Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

No sooner do you get to the top of Buttermilk Falls than there is a 500-foot climb with an average grade of 37%. Without steps, this is tippy-toe steep. That’s when you have to push off on the balls of your feet to move forward, and your heels never touch the ground. I saw plenty of skid marks where hikers had slipped on the clay-like surface, most likely when it was wet. There are a lot of rocks and roots on this section, so be careful not to twist an ankle.

Rough and steep terrain on the Buttermilk Falls Trail once at the top of the falls, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Once you get to the top of the hill—.25 mile into the overall hike—things get much easier for the next mile. The average uphill grade on this stretch of trail is only 10%, which is moderate in difficulty. The other difference is that the roots mainly disappear and now there are just a lot of rocks, so you still have to watch your step.

Typical terrain on the Buttermilk Falls Trail at the top of the first steep hill, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Buttermilk Falls Trail crosses Woods Road (aka Woods Trail) at the 1.1-mile point on the hike. The road, which is nothing more than a wider version of a rocky trail, is at the bottom of a hill, one of the very few downhill segments on the hike. The Buttermilk Falls Trail continues on the other side of Woods Road, but you must first turn right and walk down the road for about 25 feet to where the trail forks off to the left. If you get confused for some reason, look for the blue blazes. There are also white directional signs with arrows on them.

Intersection of the Buttermilk Falls Trail and Woods Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At this point there are so many rocks on the trail that it is like walking through the rubble of a bombed-out building. I slightly twisted my ankle a couple of times, saved from a full sprain only because I had on ankle braces. This is slow going, and that’s not just an old man talking. My assistant who is 30 years younger and in good shape also complained about the rocks.

Extreme rocky terrain on the Buttermilk Falls Trail south of Woods Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Extreme rocky terrain on the Buttermilk Falls Trail south of Woods Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

There are so many rocks in this area that without the blue blazes it would be difficult to stay on the trail because there is no worn path in the dirt to follow. In fact, your feet will never touch earth for long stretches. The only other National Park property on the east coast that I have seen with this many rocks on the trails is Acadia National Park.

Blazes painted on rocks along the Buttermilk Falls Trail south of Woods Road, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

With all the rocks to complain about, I almost forgot to mention that a tenth of a mile past Woods Road is one last steep push to the top. The first 250 feet has a grade of 35%, and after that the remaining .15 mile averages 27%. A short, level area separates the two climbs. It’s not as steep as the hike to the top of Buttermilk Falls, but it’s still damn steep.

Steep and rocky terrain on the last quarter mile of the Buttermilk Falls Trail before reaching the Appalachian Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Buttermilk Falls Trail eventually dead ends into the Appalachian Trail. As I said earlier, there is no point to hike out-and-back on this trail unless you are a glutton for punishment. I took a right and hiked down to the Blue Mountain Lakes area to do the loop trails around Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond. I had a ride at the end, so I did not have to hike all the way back to where I started, which would have been sheer misery.

Intersection of the Buttermilk Falls Trail and Appalachian Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

I won’t detail the hike along the Appalachian Trail in this report other than to say it is .9 mile to the Crater Lake Trail on fairly level terrain. There are some rocks on the trail, but compared to the Buttermilk Falls Trail, you might as well say it has a surface smooth. See the Appalachian Trail: Buttermilk Falls to Crater Lake report here on National Park Planner for details about the hike.

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