Buttermilk Falls

VERMONT

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Vermont · Waterfalls

Buttermilk Falls

Three-tier waterfall on Falls Brook near Ludlow—roadside parking, a roughly half-mile walk, and clear pools at each drop, with slick rock and changing flow after rain.

Falls Brook tiers near Ludlow—cold pools, granite ledges, and a short woods walk from the road.

Ludlow · Windsor County

Wide waterfall flowing over smooth grey ledges into a dark pool at Buttermilk Falls in Ludlow, Vermont, with forested banks and blue sky above.

First Time Here

Park along the road where posting allows, then expect a walk on the order of half a mile through woods to reach the falls. Roots, stone, and seasonal mud are normal—shoes with grip beat smooth soles.

The brook drops in three main steps; people spread out along the pools and ledges. Rock stays slippery when wet, and depth and push change after storms and snowmelt.

Should You Go

Good for

  • Swimmers and waders who are fine with cold mountain water and uneven footing
  • A Ludlow or Okemo-area day trip with time for a short hike in and out
  • Visitors who read the water and move carefully on wet stone

Skip if

  • You need lifeguards, ropes, or a managed swim facility
  • Half a mile each way on forest tread is more than you want
  • Cliff jumping or deep-water tricks are a requirement—this is a natural brook, not a pool

Site Note

Parking, posting, and trail use can change with weather and local decisions. Treat signs and town guidance as final. This guide is independent—not an official town or land-manager site.

Map & Trail

Driving lands you on Ludlow-area roads with roadside parking near the trail approach. The walk is short but real—save offline context if service is weak, and match any pin to what you see on the ground.

Map & directionsOpen in Google Maps
  • Figure on the order of half a mile from typical roadside parking to the falls—pace and mud depend on season.
  • Ice and snow rewrite the tread in winter; what feels easy in July is not the same on hardpack or glaze.
Waterfall cascading over wide grey ledges into a dark pool with a cobble shoreline and forest behind at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Main pool and ledge from stream level.
Wide waterfall over grey rock into a dark swimming hole, evergreen and deciduous forest at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Whitewater dropping between two massive grey boulders into a pool, forested ridge behind Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Cascade between granite boulders into a dark pool, green forest and blue sky, Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Close view of a vigorous cascade over dark wet boulders into foamy water at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Waterfall plunging through a rock notch into a dark pool, mixed forest with early fall color at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Sunlit cascade over rocks and a flat boulder in a narrow forested stream at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
High-angle view of a small falls and clear stream over stone in woods at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.
Shallow clear stream over smooth grey rock above a small falls, dense green forest at Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, Vermont.

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