{"data":{"site":{"siteMetadata":{"title":"awst.in","author":"EB"}},"markdownRemark":{"id":"cb65b301-5025-5b9a-9771-75a11da7bc60","excerpt":"McKinney Falls State Park Address:  5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744 Hours:  Daily 8am–10pm Cost:  $7/person (day use)   The Hook…","html":"<h1>McKinney Falls State Park</h1>\n<p><strong>Address:</strong> 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744<br>\n<strong>Hours:</strong> Daily 8am–10pm<br>\n<strong>Cost:</strong> $7/person (day use)  </p>\n<h2>The Hook</h2>\n<p>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.</p>\n<h2>Key Facts</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>641 acres within Austin city limits</li>\n<li>Features upper and lower falls on Onion Creek, carved through layered limestone</li>\n<li>The creek exposes fossil-bearing rock — shells and marine organisms from when this was seafloor</li>\n<li>8 miles of hiking and biking trails</li>\n<li>Swimming allowed at the lower falls (conditions permitting)</li>\n<li>The homestead ruins of Thomas F. McKinney are still on the property</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Story / History</h2>\n<p>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.</p>\n<p>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.</p>\n<h2>Insider Tips</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Lower falls are the main attraction — easy walk from the parking area</li>\n<li>Check water levels before bringing a group; Onion Creek floods and the falls can be dangerous or completely dry depending on recent rain</li>\n<li>The homestead ruins are a short detour worth taking — good storytelling anchor</li>\n<li>Look for fossils in the exposed limestone slabs near the water’s edge</li>\n<li>Less crowded on weekday mornings</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Logistics</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tour stop duration:</strong> 1–2 hours</li>\n<li><strong>Parking:</strong> Main lot off McKinney Falls Pkwy; $7/person entry required</li>\n<li><strong>Nearby stops:</strong> Southeast Austin food scene (15 min drive), downtown Austin (20 min drive)</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Sources</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Texas Parks &#x26; Wildlife: tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls</li>\n</ul>","frontmatter":{"title":"McKinney Falls State Park","date":"June 14, 2026"}}},"pageContext":{"slug":"/City of Austin/McKinney Falls State Park/","previous":{"fields":{"slug":"/City of Austin/Mount Bonnell/"},"frontmatter":{"title":"Mount Bonnell"}},"next":{"fields":{"slug":"/City of Austin/Mayfield Park and Preserve/"},"frontmatter":{"title":"Mayfield Park and Preserve"}}}}