Buttermilk Falls and Long Path in Rockland County

Buttermilk Falls County Park

West-facing view from the Blue Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin West-facing view from the Blue Trail - Photo by Daniel Chazin

This loop hike passes scenic Buttermilk Falls and climbs to several panoramic viewpoints.

41.087131, -73.94744

From the northern end of the parking area, head into the woods on a blue-blazed trail, which climbs steadily to the right of a ravine. Soon, you’ll reach the remnants of two stone pillars to the left of the trail, with scenic Buttermilk Falls cascading down the mountain.

The trail now bears right and continues to climb. After a brief descent, you’ll reach a limited west-facing...

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Trip Reports

rate experience
July 03, 2017
4
Decent hike, nothing to write home about
I did this hike today. Buttermilk falls were dried up for the most part. The views along the blue and red trails were nice, but I feel like they were obscured my the leaves on the trees. This would probably be a good hike for the spring thaw. More incredible views can be found at Hook Mountain State Park and High Tor, which are just short drives away from Mountainview Nature Park.
bromli
July 06, 2016
0
Views are still there; mileage is correct
<p>&nbsp;<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: small;">Regarding the views from the trail, the directions state that, for the best views, you have to continue for 150 feet along the blue trail, then go back to the orange trail. The views are still there, and it seems that you may have just turned onto the orange trail without making the slight detour to the viewpoint.&nbsp; The same can be said about the next viewpoint (on the Long Path), where you have to continue beyond the red trail to a “graffitti-scarred rock” and then return to the red trail.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: small;">It also seems that you made a wrong turn, towards the end of the hike, when you reached the terminus of the red trail at the white trail.&nbsp; The directions clearly state to turn left here.&nbsp; It would seem that you continued straight ahead.&nbsp; I have added some additional white blazes near this junction, so that they are now more visible to anyone who looks for them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: small;">As for the mileage of the hike, our cartographer, Jeremy Apgar, has carefully calculated the length of the hike from very accurate GIS data and has determined that the distance of 4.0 miles is correct.&nbsp; We have found that some GPS units give inaccurate distances when used in the field, and that more accurate distances can be obtained once the tracks are downloaded to a computer and carefully measured.&nbsp; It is also possible that, due to the mistake you made in following the route, you hiked a longer distance.</span></p> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">We encourage all hikers to bring along a copy of our trail maps, which enable one to understand the hike route and not just blindly follow written directions.&nbsp; This hike is on Map 109 of our Hudson Palisades map set, and we would encourage you to take a copy of this map with you the next time you take this hike.</span></div> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br></span></div> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Glad to hear that you did enjoy your hike after all was said and done!</span></div> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br></span></div> <div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br></span></div>
jakobfranke
July 04, 2016
0
The trail for winter only!
<p>Three issues with this hike: There wasn't even one observation point throughout the hike. Maybe during the winter, when leafs are down, you can see something through the trees, otherwise the trees blocking everything. Another issue is bad marking on the trail. In the very end when it says to take the white-blazed trail to go back, it's a mistake. It's going to take you right into the loop where you started. Instead you have to continue on the orange/red trail till it meets blue, make right at the blue marked trail and then continue on the blue market trail the same way you came in to the parking lot. Third issue the hike came out to be about 6.2 miles insted of 4 as it says in the itinerary. Otherwise the nature and the forest were lively and beautiful.</p>
reddave
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