Pulpit Falls is a 40-foot, two-drop waterfall on Buttermilk Creek in Buttermilk Falls State Park, Tompkins County, New York, with a 30-foot plunge as its taller stage.
The falls
A survey conducted in person puts the total drop at 40 feet across two stages, the taller a 30-foot plunge; the survey was last updated June 28, 2024. Flow on Buttermilk Creek can fall to a trickle by late summer.
Getting there
New York State Parks manages Buttermilk Falls State Park at 106 E. Buttermilk Falls Road, Ithaca. Pulpit Falls sits about a third of a mile up the Gorge Trail. The park is open dawn to dusk year-round, and all trails were open at last check, though a January 22, 2026 notice warned of vehicle thefts at Ithaca-area trailheads. The 2026 vehicle fee is $10, collected April 1 through November 30 from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; the Empire Pass is accepted.
When to go
Flow is higher before late summer. The Gorge Trail is subject to seasonal conditions even when open.
On site
From the Gorge Trail, views of the falls are partial and filtered by trees from high on the gorge rim; stone steps on the trail make it difficult for some visitors. Swimming is not authorized at the falls; the park's staffed swim area, open in 2026 from July 3 and generally Friday through Monday, is separate and can close for water, weather or staffing conditions.
History and name
Pulpit Falls is a historical name that the World Waterfall Database attributes to the rounded shape of the bedrock.
Nearby
Pinnacle Falls is about 0.1 mile away, and Buttermilk Falls and Shower Bath Falls are each about 0.2 mile away. Owl Creek Falls, on Owl Creek, is about 0.4 mile.
Distances are straight-line.