Ithaca, New York is best known as the home of Cornell University and the culture of culture that such a major institution of higher learning accretes around it. But it’s also home to some pretty nifty natural wonders, including many miles of hiking trails – some of the most striking of which can be found in Buttermilk Falls State Park.

This park, which is a century old as of 2024, has expanded to over 800 acres since its inception in 1924 when the original parcel was presented to the state as a gift. It has expanded not because it’s a reproducing blob, but because additional adjacent territory has been annexed several times.

But the heart of the park is, as it always has been, its namesake series of waterfalls. These falls, numbering 10 in all, derive their name from the milky tint the water seems to acquire as it cascades in fine torrents down the rocks.

In addition to several hiking trails, the park offers swimming, cabins, fishing, deer bow-hunting (ouch), a playground, athletic fields, and a campground with tent and RV accommodations.

And oh yes, there are plenty of chances for you to unleash your camera to bag a whole passel of photographs to take home. Just as we did. Enjoy.

And afterward, we headed to Home Depot to take care of some business, where we ended up “boondocking” in the parking lot for the night. Once more for old time’s sake.

6/5/2023