HomePennsylvaniaFairview › Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls

4.6 ★★★★★ 61 Google reviews · Running trail in Fairview, Pennsylvania · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
5 mi
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from Buttermilk Falls' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

5 miOpen 24hScenicDog-friendlyHillyTrailhead parking

Watery feature, reachable by hiking or walking.

What runners say about Buttermilk Falls

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (61 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

As some others have mentioned, it’s a bit hard to find - especially for out of towners looking for a nice spot to hike. We followed the directions with Google Maps which brought us to a place on Old Sterrettania Road (no markings just a couple of other parked cars on the side of the road).

★★★★☆ — John , Sep 2022

Great falls !! A little tricky to get to tho . You will park in the brown farm parking lot and turn right stand follow the grass opening and walk up a rocky hill and you will come to a fork and turn right follow that until you get to the creek and walk along the creek until you get there

★★★★☆ — Kerry , Sep 2022

In my opinion it's the best waterfall within a 30 minute distance of Erie. It is a decent hike to get to. And you do need to venture off the trail to get to it, maybe 30 yards before the fall itself we went off of the trail into the creek to get to it. We saw snakes and trout along the way.

★★★★☆ — Alex , Sep 2022

Great hike in from Browns Farm. Little tricky to get there but if you get down to the creek you can find it.

★★★★★ — Mike , May 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 61 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 6 mentions

“In my opinion it's the best waterfall within a 30 minute distance of Erie.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 4 mentions

“Went first time, it was referred to me as buttermilk falls, climb up the falls and follow the stream up about 500 feet to find another small water fall”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“Nice area to walk with your dog.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“We followed the Google Maps directions and kept going a little bit past a bridge, there was some parking on the right hand side and a little path down to the creek.”

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🏃 Long-run distance (5mi+)

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Plan your run at Buttermilk Falls

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • Distance5 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websiteasburywoods.org
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Buttermilk Falls

Fairview, Pennsylvania

Get directions

Running trails near Fairview

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Brown's Farm

4.8 ★★★★★ 153 reviews

Fairview, PA

5 miScenicDog-friendly

Popular park with an information center featuring miles of hiking trails and scenic views.

under a mile away

Asbury Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 519 reviews

Erie, PA

5 miMixedScenic

Public park with nature trails, playgrounds, and picnic tables, plus tennis and basketball courts.

under a mile away

Asbury Woods

4.8 ★★★★★ 587 reviews

Erie, PA

5 miLoopBoardwalkLit

Preserve featuring old-growth forest, gardens, trails, a nature center, summer camps & more.

under a mile away

Bridger Park

4.1 ★★★★☆ 37 reviews

Erie, PA

LoopPavedScenic

3.8 miles away

Scott Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 312 reviews

Erie, PA

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Green space featuring baseball fields, playgrounds, a BMX track and a swing set.

4.1 miles away

Struchen Flats Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 68 reviews

Fairview, PA

Shallow, winding river that invites walking and swimming in spots, as well as a wide creek.

4.7 miles away

All running trails in Fairview, PA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.