McKinney Falls State Park

Address: 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744
Hours: Daily 8am–10pm
Cost: $7/person (day use)

The Hook

Two sets of limestone waterfalls inside Austin’s city limits, on land that once belonged to a Kentucky-born frontiersman whose horse is arguably more famous than he is.

Key Facts

• 641 acres within Austin city limits
• Features upper and lower falls on Onion Creek, carved through layered limestone
• The creek exposes fossil-bearing rock — shells and marine organisms from when this was seafloor
• 8 miles of hiking and biking trails
• Swimming allowed at the lower falls (conditions permitting)
• The homestead ruins of Thomas F. McKinney are still on the property

Story / History

Thomas F. McKinney was one of Stephen F. Austin’s original 300 colonists — the first Anglo settlers of Texas. He became a successful merchant and helped finance the Texas Revolution, personally lending money to the provisional government. His horse, Bald Galloway, won a famous race in 1839 that’s considered one of the earliest documented horse races in Texas. McKinney built a mill and homestead at these falls in the 1850s; the ruins remain visible on the property.

Onion Creek is fed by the Edwards Aquifer and flows across the Balcones Escarpment. The layered limestone the falls pour over is Cretaceous-era seabed — roughly 100 million years old. The fossils embedded in the rock are real and visible to the naked eye.

Insider Tips

• Lower falls are the main attraction — easy walk from the parking area
• Check water levels before bringing a group; Onion Creek floods and the falls can be dangerous or completely dry depending on recent rain
• The homestead ruins are a short detour worth taking — good storytelling anchor
• Look for fossils in the exposed limestone slabs near the water’s edge
• Less crowded on weekday mornings

Logistics

• Tour stop duration: 1–2 hours
• Parking: Main lot off McKinney Falls Pkwy; $7/person entry required
• Nearby stops: Southeast Austin food scene (15 min drive), downtown Austin (20 min drive)

Sources

• Texas Parks & Wildlife: tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls