McKinney Falls State Park

"It was just me and my son, so fee was only $6. Absolutely worth the drive from North Austin. Arrived sometime around 11AM I think, and was able to find a parking spot right off the bat. We walked the Onion Creek Trail (red on the map) and it was very nice. Almost all of it is paved, but be cautious - it's very rough and rocky in some areas. We stopped for a rest at one of the larger picnic areas along the red trail, and the restroom facilities there were clean and air-conditioned. It was such a beautiful way to spend a Saturday. Got my 10k steps in! 😃"

"This is such a neat park to visit. Awesome trails to explore and a visitor center that's informative. We enjoyed the upper and lower waterfalls even though the flow was minimal. Walking on the limestone rock was like walking on the moon almost (if I had to guess...haven't made it there yet). The rock overhangs were cool to walk through. Just a beautiful place right close to downtown Austin. Highly recommend a visit to Mckinney Falls!"

"Beautiful park. Hiked the Onion Creek trail and Picnic Trails. Very well maintained trails. Some signage is better than others but it is well marked compared to other parks I’ve visited. Wish I’d had more time here but loved what I did get to explore. Upper Falls didn’t have much “falls” to it but gorgeous nonetheless. Restrooms by playground area is clean and well kept."

"Urban oasis… My husband and I came here on February 1st, 2025. This was our first visit to a Texas state park. The park rangers are very polite and helpful. The park is beautifully maintained. We hiked at Lower Falls and Homestead Loop trail. Just down the boardwalk we saw the Bald Cypress (nicknamed Old Baldy) tree. As the Onion Creek flows year-round McKinney Falls (both upper and lower falls) have water during this season. To get to the homestead trail, we had to cross the creek at the lower falls. It was interesting to see ruins of the historic homestead of Thomas McKinney, with remnants of his limestone residence (Old Rock house) and old gristmill. The trail then led to Smith Rock Shelter, a naturally occurring limestone overhang. After exploring the trail, we had our lunch in the picnic area and headed over upper falls. We thoroughly enjoyed our day in this park."