McKinney Falls State Park – Texas State Park 14/89

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The Deets

McKinney Falls State Park is located just 15 minutes outside of Austin, TX, the state’s capital city. It offers hiking, camping, mountain/road biking, geocaching, swimming, and fishing. Onion Creek runs through the park and is a cool treat in the summer heat. There are nearly 10 miles of trails to hike and quite a few historical locations to check out. You can see what remains of the McKinney homestead and horse trainer’s cabin, visit Old Baldy, a 500-year-old bald cypress tree, or see the prehistoric rock shelter area. The cost of admission is $6 per adult and free for children aged 12 and under (or completely free for everyone if using a Park Pass).

The History

People have been coming to the McKinney Falls area for over 8,000 years. There is evidence of Native American tribes, but the individual tribes are not known. A prehistoric rock shelter area is located inside the park, and that would have been used often for cover. As of January 2021, you cannot walk under this area but can view it. I (Lydia) remember coming here on field trips as a kid, and we were lucky enough to explore this area then.

Between the late 1600s and early 1800s, part of the El Camino Real de los Tejas ran through the park. We saw another portion of this road when we visited Mission Tejas State Park. The road stretched 2,500 miles from Mexico, through Texas, and into Louisiana.

Thomas McKinney

Between 1850 and 1852, Thomas McKinney had his home built near the El Camino Real de los Tejas crossing. His ranch was expansive and included a grist mill. He raised thoroughbred horses, had a horse trainer, and is said to have also had a horse racetrack somewhere on the ranch. The location is not known. I think it’s important to note that slave labor built his ranch and made it grow into the prosperous operation that it was. McKinney died on 2 October 1873 in a second-floor bedroom in his home, the ruins of which are still standing in the park. For more history on Thomas McKinney, check out this page. He played an important part in Texas history, and there is quite a bit to say about him.

Anna, Thomas’s wife, sold the property to James Woods Smith after her husband’s death. They occupied the house until it burned in the 1940s. They would continue to live and farm there until 1973, when they donated the land to the state of Texas. McKinney Falls State Park opened to the public in 1976.

Our Experience

McKinney Falls State Park is OUR park. When we lived in Austin, we visited here at least once a week for quite a few years. It was so great to come back after not having visited in over two years. There were changes, some good and some bad. The Rock Shelter Trail was partially opened, which is great. Flood damage had caused the trail to close, and it had been off-limits since we started coming back in 2012. They are also in the process of adding a new trail over by the Onion Creek Trail, so we’ll definitely be back for that!

There was also one negative change. There is a new subdivision that went in right next to the park. It is right on the other side of the fence for a long section of the Onion Creek Trail. It’s very visible, especially right now in winter, and it just takes you out of that feeling that you’re away from the city. It’s not a huge problem by any means, just kind of a bummer.

In all, we had a spectacular day. The weather was gorgeous and it put us in good spirits. We ended up getting caught in the dark, but walking in the evening was really pleasant.

The Trails

We started on the Onion Creek Hike & Bike Trail. The path is easy and paved, perfect for walking, biking, and strollers. It’s on the long side but is very pleasant. You can also see the Horse Trainer’s Cabin ruins on this trail.

We highly recommend taking the Rock Shelter Trail. You’ll have to backtrack because it’s not fully open, but it’s worth it to see Old Baldy and the rock shelter. Plus, you can go off the path by the footbridge near Old Baldy and get down to the creek. It’s a gorgeous spot that we absolutely loved!

If you want to hike the rest of the trails, you’ll need to cross Onion Creek. Prepare to get wet! Most people cross with their shoes on, but we wouldn’t recommend it unless you want to hike the trails in soggy shoes. We always take our shoes and socks off. It is SUPER slippery due to algae growing on the slabs of stone so go slowly! We’ve each taken a tumble in the water. Billy has slipped in the past, but I was the lucky one to get my pants wet on this visit. I only wish we’d caught it on camera! Take a towel to dry your feet before putting your shoes back on, or blisters will be in your future.

Be aware of flash flooding. If it’s raining heavily, don’t get in the water. The water can rise incredibly fast. Don’t get caught in it when it does.

The trails on the other side of the creek are beautiful. They aren’t particularly hard, but they are long. Hiking shoes would probably be best for those trails. I wore my regular tennies and my feet were unhappy. There are quite a few roots and small stumps in the pathways, so keep an eye out for those. We tripped a few times while admiring the surroundings. You’ll get to see the McKinney House and gristmill ruins on the Homestead Trail. The Williamson Creek Overlook Trail was my favorite. Naturally, it’s also the farthest one away and takes a while to get there.

We didn’t walk the Picnic Trail but have in the past. It is an easy path with tons of picnic areas along the way.

Our Takeaway

We love it here. It’s always been one of our favorite places to go and we’ve walked many, many miles on these trails. When we were gearing up for Ireland in 2014, we came here and walked to prepare for the long hikes we’d have over there. It holds so many beautiful memories for us. Maybe we’re a little biased, but we think it’s a phenomenal park and we definitely think you should give it a try!

Prefer to see the park in action? Check out our McKinney Falls vlog here!
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy