Buttermilk Falls Lollipop



Buttermilk Falls Lollipop, Delaware Water Gap (2/2/2008)

This lollipop hike was highly recommended by my friend Andy, who hiked this a few weeks ago. The biggest attraction is the magnificent Buttermilk Falls, where the hike begins and ends. The first and last time we were at the falls was when we visited (by car) after hiking Tillman Ravine on July 2, 2008. On that day, the falls was just a tiny trickle (scroll to the bottom of that set for a look). But today, after a few days of intermittent rain showers, it was raging!

A complete description of the hike can be found here. In addition to what is described there we also followed a 10 minute spur trail along the brook at the top of the falls (as suggested by Andy). It led to an interesting cave and some closer views of upper cascades not visible from the Buttermilk falls trail. From the cave, we took a higher spur back to the main trail, which eliminated a tiny, but very steep, stretch of the Buttermilk Falls trail. But 99.99% of the ascent remained of this somewhat strenuous hike which took us about 4.5 hours.

(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)


After days ...

... of intermittent rain ...

... the falls raged

View from first platform


Steps allow ...

... for easy ascent

View from second platform

Second viewing platform

 

An upper cascade [photo by Laura]

Gorgeous ferns

Upper cascades from spur trail

 


Cave at end of spur

View from cave

Ascending on Buttermilk Falls trail

Tight squeeze here
 


Off comes a layer

Ferns line ...

... the wet trail

And mushrooms
 


And more ferns


Spiky caterpillar

 


Partial views ...

... north ...

... northwest ...

... and west
 





Woods road looking east
 


Woods road looking west

Woods road

Amorous Six-Spotted Tiger Beetles

Tick check
 


Beaver damage at swamp

Huge beaver dam ...

... made this swamp ...

... a pond
 



Mountain Laurel flowers at swamp

Swamp with dam on left

Drowned trees
 


View from near dam

View of swamp from Woods Road west


Hemlock Pond
 


View from ...

... eastern tip

[Photo by Laura]

Laura taking ...
 


... this photo [photo by Laura]


See the wild turkey?

Male scarlet tanager
 



On the AT

Blooming mountain laurel ...

... on the AT
 



Female scarlet tanager

View from ...

... Buttermilk Falls trail
 


View west



Lots of growth on the trail
 


Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle


Tiny toad

Mushrooms
 


A rocky descent on Buttermilk Falls trail


Back to the top viewing platform

Steps down
 


Photographing the falls

They're still raging


Culvert at falls
 

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