McKinney Falls State Park in south Austin, is a 744.4-acre park acquired in 1970 from private donation and opened to the public in 1976. The headquarters of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are near this location. Few locals realize it is only a short drive of 13 miles from the capitol building, making it one of Austin's best kept secrets.
Wildlife to be observed and photographed includes white-tailed deer, raccoons, armadillos, squirrels, and numerous birds (checklist available).
Hike and swim in the lovely McKinney Falls State Park.
The Park's History The park is named for Thomas F. McKinney, who came to Texas in the early 1820s as one of Stephen F. Austin's first 300 colonists. Sometime between 1850 and 1852, McKinney moved to Travis County and his property on Onion Creek, where he became a prominent breeder of race horses with his own stable and private track. He built his large two-story home, stone fences, and the first flour mill in the area with slave labor.
Park Activities Preserved in the park are the ruins of his trainer's cabin and the stabilized ruins of his own homestead. Camping, hiking, mountain biking, road biking, picnicking, fishing, and wildlife observation are other activities. Swimming is now allowed in Onion Creek; call 512/243-1643 for current creek conditions.
The Park Facilities Park facilities include screened shelters with bunk beds (no mattresses); campsites with water; campsites with water and electricity; walk-in water sites (200 yards in with a picnic table, a fire ring, a grill, and water in area); picnic sites; an interpretive hiking trail, approximately 3/4 mile long; 3.5 miles of paved trails; 4 miles of multi-use trails for hiking and mountain biking; an interpretive center with an exhibit room and audiovisual room; a sponsored youth group area; and a group camp which includes the screened shelters located next to the dining hall; the dining hall (capacity 80) may be rented separately for day use. There is also an amphitheater that seats 50 people.
Arriving in Austin during covid, Wonderspaces offers 28,000 square feet of art installations to dazzle every corner of your mind. An exquisite fun house of varied installations of light, mirror, te...
Locals and visitors alike will enjoy the dark, spooky style of Haunted ATX hearse limo and van tours. One of the more unique experiences in Austin that is seriously keeping Austin weird, this tour ...
There are two large river boat operations on Lady Bird Lake that are super packed during warmer months taking people on bat watching tours. When they bats leave, they still offer great sunset, sigh...
One of the first tours to show visitors around town and the only land and water tour available, Austin Duck Adventures is one of the most popular tours in town. The tour starts at the Austin Visito...
Located downtown next to the Austin Visitor Center, this is the #1 escape room in Austin. You and your friends will work together to find clues and overcome challenges to ultimately complete a miss...
A uniquely Austin activity that usually takes about an hour, visiting the Texas State Capitol is both enjoyable and educational. Who knows, you might get lucky and bump into Alex Jones protesting a...
One of the most exotic Austin things to do, Unchartered Adventures features a variety of high octane activities. Originally they featured a Rage Room full of breakables, suited up guests in protect...
If you’re looking for a very unique and fun thing to do in Austin, check out the Eureka Room. It's Austin’s one-of-a-kind boutique immersive experience space. The Eureka Room is a curious mix of de...
Everybody has a friend that claims their city has the most restaurants per capita. You hear that from Austin locals all the time. While it may not offer the most restaurants per capita, it's defini...
With the craft brew trend hitting overdrive in Austin, there are quite a few fantastic breweries to choose from for a private tour. A favorite among the bachelor and bachelorette activities, a guid...