For 12,000 years, Buttermilk Creek has splashed down the hill, gradually shaping its glen and waterfalls in rocks older than dinosaurs. The water of Buttermilk Falls begins its journey six miles south at Jennings Pond in Michigan Hollow. From the pond, Buttermilk Creek winds through pastures and woodlands until it reaches the brim of the Cayuga Valley. From there, the creek plunges through Buttermilk Glen under cliffs, through pools, and over hundreds of rock ledges. The water dancing down Buttermilk Falls soon enters the Cayuga Inlet on the other side of the highway. From there, it flows three miles through the City of Ithaca to enter Cayuga Lake. The water of Buttermilk Falls, along with the water from all of Ithaca's gorges, may remain in Cayuga Lake for ten years. Eventually, the water of Buttermilk Falls leaves the north end of Cayuga Lake via the Seneca River to mix with the water flowing from six other Finger Lakes. The Seneca River enters the Oswego River, which takes the water to Lake Ontario. After six years, the water of Buttermilk Falls leaves Lake Ontario through the Saint Lawrence River to reach the Atlantic Ocean.