Buttermilk Falls — a waterfall in Montgomery County, New York at about 249 m (817 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.7 km (6.6 mi) ESE of Canajoharie.
Yatesville Creek is a river in Montgomery County in the state of New York. It begins northeast of Charleston Four Corners and flows in a general northwest direction before converging with the Mohawk River in Randall. The creek flows through the 712 acres (2.88 km2) Yatesville Falls State Forest which was purchased by the state in the 1930s. Within the state forest is Yatesville Falls, also known as Buttermilk Falls, is located on the creek. On a land grant, dated 1727, it is referred to by the Indian name "Wasontha".From the Wikipedia article “Yatesville Creek”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buttermilk Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:20 AM | 56° ENE | 8:41 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 122° ESE | 4:27 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 01m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:33 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:57 PM | 9h 03m |
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 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:43 AM – 3:33 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:55 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:34 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 11:40 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 9:36 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 61 | 70 | 72 | 83 | 86 | 88 | 92 | 95 | 91 | 83 | 71 | 66 |
| Low °F | -21 | -17 | -16 | 9 | 26 | 34 | 44 | 44 | 32 | 17 | -3 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Buttermilk Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
Cave
Cave
Waterfall
Covered BridgeFAQ
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 Canajoharie?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.