McKinney Falls State Park
State park in Travis County, in the Hill Country region. Established 1976. 720 acres by TPWD boundary data.
McKinney Falls is inside Austin's city limits, 13 miles from the State Capitol. Onion Creek pours over limestone ledges at the Upper and Lower Falls, and you can swim and fish in the creek. There are nearly nine miles of trails, including a paved 2.8-mile hike-and-bike loop. The creek can flood after rain, so check conditions before you swim.
Things to do
See the falls
Water pours over the Lower Falls after a good rain upstream. The visitor center observation deck looks out over the Upper Falls.
Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail
The 2.8-mile trail has a hard surface, good for strollers and road bikes, and the park has all-terrain wheelchairs for it.
Cross to the far side
The Homestead, Flint Rock and Williamson Creek Overlook trails start across the Lower Falls, so expect wet feet. The hiker-only Rock Shelter Trail leads to a rock shelter that early visitors camped in.
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Trails
TPWD counts about 9 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Shelter Trail | 0.6 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail | 2.8 mi | Easy | 1.5 hrs. |
| Picnic Trail | 0.5 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Homestead Trail | 3.1 mi | Moderate | 1.5 hrs. |
| Flint Rock Loop Trail | 1.5 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Williamson Creek Overlook Trail | 1.1 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
| Cactus Garden Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | 15 min. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
All 81 campsites have water and electric hookups, and there are six cabins.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (50/30/20 amp)Water and electric | 12 | 8 | $24 |
| Campsites with Electricity (30/20 amp)Water and electric | 69 | 8 | $20 |
| CabinsCabins | 6 | 4 | $86 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
You can swim in Onion Creek, but the creek can flood after rain; contact the park for current conditions. In the Upper and Lower Falls areas, food, alcohol, glass, coolers, music, hard balls and pets in the water aren't allowed. There are no lifeguards.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- March through November
- January low
- 37°F
- July high
- 95°F
- Night sky
- Bortle 7
TPWD lists March through November as the busy season. May is the wettest month, and the July average high is 95°F.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Austin, TX 78744
(512) 243-1643
Open in OpenStreetMap (30.1808, -97.7220)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | 23 min | 8 mi |
| San Antonio | 1 hr 36 min | 69 mi |
| Waco | 2 hr 7 min | 100 mi |
| Houston | 3 hr | 142 mi |
| The Woodlands | 3 hr 9 min | 132 mi |
| Fort Worth | 3 hr 36 min | 181 mi |
Nearby parks
- Lockhart State Park
- Bastrop State Park
- Pedernales Falls State Park
- Buescher State Park
- Palmetto State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Hill Country.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at McKinney Falls?
Yes, in Onion Creek. The creek can flood after rain, so contact the park for current conditions. There are no lifeguards.
Can I bring my dog to McKinney Falls?
Yes, on a leash no longer than six feet. Pets aren't allowed in the water at the Upper and Lower Falls.
How far is McKinney Falls from downtown Austin?
About 13 miles from the State Capitol. It's inside the Austin city limits.
Photo credits
- Mckinney lower falls.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- McKinney Falls - Onion Creek (50910463891).jpg by G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0.
- River Cooters McKinney Falls State Park Texas 2024.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- McKinney Falls SP Entrance.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Pond McKinney Falls State Park Austin Texas 2024.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for McKinney Falls has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026