Buttermilk Falls — a waterfall in Sussex County, New Jersey — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Crandon Lakes, about 4.3 km (2.7 mi) away (Buttermilk Falls lies WNW of town). Its recorded drop is about 85 m (279 ft).
There are many waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, a national recreation area managed by the National Park Service in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.From the Wikipedia article “List of waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
Buttermilk Falls is New Jersey's tallest waterfall! Besides that, it also acts as an Appalachian Trail connector trailhead, and an accessible waterfall viewing spot.
The cascade is right off a gravel backroad called Mountain Road near Walpack Center, NJ. The wooden staircase that leads up the side of the waterfall is part of a trail that climbs to the ridge and connects with the Appalachian Trail.
For more information on the trail, please visit Buttermilk Falls Trail - Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) .
Please note: At this time, Mountain Road leading to Buttermilk Falls is only accessible from Struble Road in Stokes State Forest, which is closed from December 15th through April 15th every year. When the road is closed, Buttermilk Falls is not accessible by vehicle.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buttermilk Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 57° ENE | 8:36 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 121° ESE | 4:35 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 07m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 51m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 14m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Buttermilk Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:46 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 1:54 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 11:45 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 9:45 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 7:52 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.98 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 64 | 70 | 72 | 90 | 88 | 94 | 99 | 101 | 95 | 88 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -14 | -19 | -8 | 18 | 28 | 37 | 47 | 48 | 37 | 21 | 5 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Buttermilk Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
State Park
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Valley View Group Campground6.8 km (4.2 mi) · reservable
- Rivers Bend Group Campground7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Alosa Campsites9.4 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Worthington State Forest Campground21 km (13 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buttermilk Falls?
What time is golden hour at Buttermilk Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buttermilk Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buttermilk Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buttermilk Falls?
How far is Buttermilk Falls from Crandon Lakes?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.