Ithaca Has More Waterfalls Than You Think

Taughannock Falls gets the headlines — 215 feet of single-drop waterfall, 33 feet taller than Niagara, an easy flat trail to the base. It deserves the attention. But treating Taughannock as the only waterfall worth seeing near Ithaca is like going to a 12-course meal and leaving after the appetizer. Within a 15-mile radius of downtown, more than 150 waterfalls carve through layers of Devonian-era shale and limestone, and at least a dozen of them are significant enough to justify a dedicated trip. Several require real hiking. Others are visible from a parking lot. All of them are the result of the same geological forces — glacial retreat, erosion, and 380 million years of sedimentary rock — that make this stretch of central New York one of the densest waterfall regions in the eastern United States.

This guide covers the waterfalls beyond Taughannock that are worth your time, organized by effort required and distance from downtown Ithaca.

Lucifer Falls at Robert H. Treman State Park

Height: 115 feet
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 5 miles south (10 minutes by car)
Trail: 2.3 miles round trip on the Gorge Trail from the lower entrance
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (stone steps, uneven terrain, wet surfaces)
Season: Mid-May through early November (gorge trail); the rim trail is accessible year-round

Lucifer Falls cascades 115 feet down a layered rock face at the head of Enfield Glen, and the best view comes from the stone bridge overlook on the Rim Trail, where you look down at the water from above as it drops through a series of stacked ledges into the gorge below. The Gorge Trail from the lower entrance follows Enfield Creek upstream past a series of smaller falls, deep pools, and shale walls that narrow as you climb. The trail culminates at a viewpoint directly opposite the falls. The return via the Rim Trail creates a 4.5-mile loop with dramatic overlook perspectives.

At the lower entrance, the creek pools at the base of Lower Falls (about 20 feet) into a stone-lined swimming hole that is one of the best natural swimming spots in the Finger Lakes. Lifeguards are on duty in summer. The water stays in the 60s even in August — cold enough to take your breath but warm enough to stay in for 15 minutes once you adjust. The combination of a waterfall swim and a gorge hike makes Treman one of the most complete waterfall experiences near Ithaca.

Vehicle entrance fee: $8 to $10 on summer weekends, often waived on weekdays and in the off-season. The park is on Route 327, off Route 13 south of Ithaca.

Buttermilk Falls

Height: 165 feet (main cascade, with the full series dropping over 500 feet)
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 2 miles south (5 minutes by car)
Trail: 1.6 miles one way on the Gorge Trail to Pinnacle Rock; 0 miles to see the main falls (visible from the parking lot)
Difficulty: Moderate (stone steps, sustained climb of about 500 feet)
Season: Mid-May through early November (gorge trail); main falls viewable year-round

Buttermilk Falls is not a single waterfall but a cascading series that drops more than 500 feet over about half a mile. The main cascade at the base — a 165-foot tiered waterfall that fans across a wide rock face — is visible the moment you pull into the parking lot. You do not need to take a single step on a trail to see it. For anyone with limited mobility or traveling with very young children, this is the most accessible major waterfall in the Ithaca area.

The Gorge Trail climbs alongside the falls for 1.6 miles to Pinnacle Rock and Lake Treman at the top. The views are continuous — you are walking parallel to cascading water the entire way, with the creek tumbling over ledge after ledge beside you. At the base, a natural swimming pool forms beneath the main falls, with lifeguards on duty in summer. Swimming here, with the waterfall dropping into the pool directly above you, is one of Ithaca’s signature summer experiences.

The park is on Route 13 at Ithaca’s southern edge, making it the closest state park waterfall to downtown. Vehicle entrance fee applies on summer weekends.

Ithaca Falls

Height: 100 feet tall, 150 feet wide
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 1 mile north (5 minutes by car, 15 minutes on foot)
Trail: None required — a short path from the road leads to the base viewing area
Difficulty: Easy (flat, under 5 minutes of walking)
Season: Year-round

Ithaca Falls is the waterfall that most locals take for granted. A 150-foot-wide curtain of water drops 100 feet over a broad rock face on Fall Creek, roughly a mile from the Ithaca Commons. Walk or drive to the intersection of Lake Street and Falls Street, take the short path to the viewing area at the base, and there it is — a waterfall of considerable scale at the edge of a residential neighborhood, with no park entrance, no fee, and no infrastructure beyond a path and a few benches.

The falls run hardest in spring (March through May) and after heavy rains at any time of year. In late summer during dry stretches, the flow diminishes but the rock face and the gorge walls remain dramatic. In winter, the falls partially freeze, creating ice formations that are striking against the dark shale. Total visit time: 15 to 20 minutes including the walk from parking.

Cascadilla Gorge (Eight Waterfalls)

Heights: Various, ranging from 10 to 30 feet across eight distinct falls
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 0 miles (the trail starts in downtown Ithaca)
Trail: 1.2 miles one way from Court Street to the Cornell campus
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (400 feet of elevation gain via stone steps)
Season: Mid-May through November

Cascadilla Gorge connects downtown Ithaca to the Cornell University campus via a mile of stone steps, footbridges, and eight distinct waterfalls. The gorge is a narrow canyon cut through Devonian shale, with the creek rushing alongside the trail and water dropping over ledges every few hundred yards. No other city in the United States has a waterfall gorge trail that starts in its downtown.

Start at the top (College Avenue, near the Cornell campus) and walk down — the waterfalls unfold in front of you, and the descent is easier on the knees. The trail takes 30 to 45 minutes one way at a moderate pace. The stone steps are uneven and frequently wet; shoes with grip are essential. No entrance fee. The trail is maintained by Cornell University and closes in winter due to ice.

Triphammer Falls

Height: 60 feet
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 2 miles (10 minutes by car, 25 minutes on foot)
Trail: None required — visible from the path beside Beebe Lake on the Cornell campus
Difficulty: Easy
Season: Year-round

Triphammer Falls drops 60 feet off a rock ledge beside Beebe Lake on the north side of the Cornell campus. The waterfall is visible from the footpath that circles the lake, and it drops right next to a campus building — the juxtaposition of a significant waterfall and a university dormitory is uniquely Ithaca. The falls run strongest in spring and after rain. In dry periods, the flow is controlled by a dam at Beebe Lake and can diminish to a trickle. Free, accessible, and a two-minute walk from the Fall Creek Suspension Bridge.

Wells Falls (Ithaca Gun Falls)

Height: Approximately 40 feet
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 0.5 miles (10 minutes on foot)
Trail: Viewable from the Fall Creek bridge on Lake Street
Difficulty: Easy
Season: Year-round

Wells Falls, sometimes called Ithaca Gun Falls (for the former Ithaca Gun Company factory that once stood alongside), is a broad 40-foot cascade on Fall Creek, visible from the Lake Street bridge. The falls are downstream of Ithaca Falls and represent the final significant drop before Fall Creek enters Cayuga Lake. The viewing is entirely from the bridge and adjacent sidewalk — no trail, no fee, and you can see it while walking between downtown and the Fall Creek neighborhood. Combine it with Ithaca Falls, which is a quarter mile upstream, for a quick two-waterfall walk.

Six Mile Creek Falls

Height: Various, up to 20 feet across several cascades
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 0.5 miles south (10 minutes on foot)
Trail: Loop trails totaling about 2 miles through the Six Mile Creek Natural Area
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Season: Year-round (trails may be icy in winter)

The Six Mile Creek Natural Area is a 36-acre gorge and forest preserve within the city limits, managed by the city of Ithaca. The main loop follows Six Mile Creek through a wooded gorge past several small waterfalls and dramatic rock formations. The waterfalls here are not as tall as the state park cascades, but the gorge setting is surprisingly scenic and the trail sees a fraction of the foot traffic. The trailhead is on Giles Street, a short walk from the south end of the Ithaca Commons. Locals use this as their after-work gorge walk — a 45-minute to one-hour loop through waterfall terrain, free, and rarely crowded.

Lick Brook Falls

Height: Approximately 140 feet total (two-tiered cascade)
Distance from downtown Ithaca: 4 miles south (10 minutes by car)
Trail: About 1 mile one way on the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) from the Lick Brook trailhead
Difficulty: Moderate (some steep sections, stream crossings possible)
Season: Best in spring (March through June) when water flow is high; the falls can dry to a trickle by late summer

Lick Brook Falls is a two-tiered cascade that drops approximately 140 feet total through a steep, narrow gorge south of Ithaca. The trail follows a section of the Finger Lakes Trail from the parking area on Town Line Road. The lower falls are about a half mile in; the upper falls require a steeper climb along the gorge rim. This is not a maintained state park trail — the path is rougher, the signage is minimal, and the gorge walls are steep. But the payoff in spring, when snowmelt sends the brook crashing down both tiers, is significant. By August in a dry year, the flow can diminish to almost nothing. Time your visit for spring or after a heavy rain.

The trailhead has limited parking (room for about six cars) on Town Line Road. Free, no entrance fee.

Seasonal Guide: When to See Each Waterfall

• Peak flow (March through May): The best time for volume and drama at every waterfall on this list. Snowmelt swells the creeks, and falls that trickle in August become thundering cascades. Lick Brook, Ithaca Falls, and Buttermilk are particularly impressive in spring. However, the state park gorge trails at Treman and Buttermilk are typically still closed until mid-May — you can see the main falls from parking areas and overlooks but cannot hike the gorge trails.
• Summer (June through August): All gorge trails are open. Water flow is moderate in June and gradually diminishes through August unless rains intervene. The best time for combining waterfall hikes with swimming at Treman and Buttermilk. Weekdays are significantly less crowded than weekends at all state parks.
• Fall (September through October): Foliage adds color to the gorge walls — red and orange maples against gray shale and white water. Autumn rains revive flow that may have slowed in August. Early October, with peak foliage and revived waterfalls, is arguably the single best time to photograph Ithaca-area falls.
• Winter (November through March): State park gorge trails close. Ithaca Falls, Wells Falls, and Triphammer Falls are accessible year-round and partially freeze in cold snaps — frozen waterfalls against dark shale make for striking winter photography. Cascadilla Gorge and the gorge trails at Treman and Buttermilk are closed due to ice.

Planning a Waterfall Day from Ithaca

You can see five or six waterfalls in a single day from an Ithaca base without driving more than 15 minutes in any direction. Here is a practical route:

• Morning: Start at Robert H. Treman State Park. Hike the Gorge Trail to Lucifer Falls (2.3 miles round trip, 90 minutes to 2 hours). Swim at the Lower Falls swimming hole if it is summer.
• Late morning: Drive 5 minutes to Buttermilk Falls State Park. See the main falls from the parking lot. If you have energy, hike partway up the Gorge Trail for continuous cascade views.
• Lunch: Eat in Ithaca. The Ithaca Commons is a 10-minute drive from both parks.
• Early afternoon: Walk Cascadilla Gorge from College Avenue down to downtown (1.2 miles, eight waterfalls, 30 to 45 minutes).
• Afternoon: Walk or drive to Ithaca Falls (15 minutes on foot from the Commons). Continue to Wells Falls on the Lake Street bridge (5-minute walk from Ithaca Falls).
• Late afternoon: If time allows, drive 10 minutes to the Cornell campus. See Triphammer Falls and walk across the Fall Creek Suspension Bridge.

Total: six waterfalls, three to four hours of active hiking and walking, all within the city or a short drive from it.

For the full regional waterfall map including Watkins Glen, Montour Falls, and the roadside cascades on Seneca Lake, see our Finger Lakes waterfalls guide. And for a broader look at planning a trip around these gorges, our long weekend in Ithaca itinerary builds three days around the waterfalls, food, and wine.