Upper McKinney Falls
Austin, Texas · on Onion Creek · McKinney Falls State Park
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- waterfall pool
- FALLS
- Waterfall on site
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $6 per adult
- SEASON
- TPWD identifies March through November as the park's busiest season, with reservations strongly recommended during that window.
About Upper McKinney Falls
Upper McKinney Falls is a natural limestone-shelf waterfall and swimming hole on Onion Creek inside McKinney Falls State Park in southeast Austin, Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officially permits swimming in Onion Creek and maintains specific rules for the Upper and Lower Falls areas, two of the park's designated places to swim. The falls formed where softer volcanic ash eroded faster than the surrounding Cretaceous limestone, creating cascading channels and pools.
The park sits at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek southeast of downtown Austin. Upper Falls features water cascading through natural channels cut into a wide, exposed bed of limestone interlaid with volcanic ash, per TPWD's own trail description. Nearby park features include the Smith Rock Shelter, a limestone overhang used historically by Native Americans, and the ruins of pioneer Thomas F. McKinney's stone house and gristmill, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Swimming at Upper McKinney Falls
TPWD's official park page states visitors can fish and swim in Onion Creek, with specific rules posted for the Upper and Lower Falls swimming areas (no food/snacks, no alcohol or glass, no coolers/ice chests, no pets in the water, no speakers/music, no hard balls). The park explicitly warns that Onion Creek can flood after rainfall and to be aware of the creek's flow before swimming. Wikipedia notes that swimming here has periodically been restricted for water-quality reasons, including a ban from 1981 that was lifted in 1993, and that closures still occur after heavy rains due to elevated fecal coliform counts, so swimming conditions are not constant.
The hike in
Rock Shelter Trail
- To the water
- 0.6 mi per TPWD's trail listing (the page does not specify whether this figure is one-way or round-trip)
- Time on foot
- about 15 minutes (per TPWD)
Difficulty: easy (per TPWD)
Rock Shelter Trail is a short, hiking-only, 0.6-mile path (not part of a longer through-trail) that TPWD's official trails page groups with access to the Upper Falls area; it passes the 'Old Baldy' bald cypress tree and the historic Smith Rock Shelter along the way, with views of Onion Creek.
TPWD does not give elevation change, river-crossing, or scramble details for this trail; given the 'easy' rating and short length it is presumably a flat, creekside walk. A separate Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail (2.8 mi, easy, ~1.5 hr) parallels the creek toward the campground/swimming area but is described as a general multi-use path rather than the specific route to Upper Falls.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
TPWD markets the park as family-oriented (free entry for kids 12 and under, Junior Ranger program, borrowable fishing rods), and the swimming areas are shallow natural pools over limestone shelves. However, TPWD's own park page and general swimming-safety page warn Onion Creek can flood rapidly after rain and to check current/flow before swimming, and the streambed is exposed limestone/volcanic-ash rock rather than sand, so footing can be uneven and slick. No lifeguards are mentioned anywhere in official materials.
Parking
Available
The park is a developed TPWD day-use area, so vehicle parking exists, but no official source specifies lot names/locations, capacity, or whether parking has its own fee separate from the standard day-use entrance fee ($6/adult, 13+; free for 12 and under).
Restrooms
Yes
TPWD's campsite page confirms restrooms with showers are available near the campground areas; the park also has a staffed visitor center. Official sources do not specify a restroom building located directly at the Upper Falls swimming area itself.
Hours
Park gate: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Office: 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Visitor center: Tue-Thu noon-4 p.m., Fri-Sun 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (per tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls).
On the water
No official TPWD page, the park's trails-info page, nor general reference articles on the park mention kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, tubing, or motorized watercraft at Upper Falls or Onion Creek. TPWD's park page confirms fishing and swimming are permitted in Onion Creek and Williamson Creek, but Upper Falls itself is described as a shallow limestone-shelf/cascade area, not a paddling destination. Independent visitor reports confirming the absence of paddling (or naming rental outfitters) could not be retrieved this session, so this is based on the absence of any mention in the official sources actually retrieved, not a confirmed prohibition.
Backstory
The park opened to the public in 1976 on land tied to pioneer Thomas F. McKinney, whose 19th-century stone house, gristmill, and horse trainer's cabin ruins remain on the National Register of Historic Places. The Smith Rock Shelter within the park was used by Native Americans for shelter over many centuries. The falls themselves formed over millions of years as volcanic ash eroded faster than the surrounding Cretaceous-era limestone, undercutting the rock to create the cascades.
Upper McKinney Falls: FAQ
Does Upper McKinney Falls charge a fee?
TPWD day-use entrance fee is $6 per adult (ages 13+); children 12 and under are free. A $70 annual Texas State Parks Pass is also available for unlimited entry across state parks.
Is Upper McKinney Falls kid friendly?
TPWD markets the park as family-oriented (free entry for kids 12 and under, Junior Ranger program, borrowable fishing rods), and the swimming areas are shallow natural pools over limestone shelves. However, TPWD's own park page and general swimming-safety page warn Onion Creek can flood rapidly after rain and to check current/flow before swimming, and the streambed is exposed limestone/volcanic-ash rock rather than sand, so footing can be uneven and slick. No lifeguards are mentioned anywhere in official materials.
How hard is the hike to Upper McKinney Falls?
A hike is required, about 0.6 mi per TPWD's trail listing (the page does not specify whether this figure is one-way or round-trip) to the water (about 15 minutes (per tpwd)). Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Upper McKinney Falls?
The park is a developed TPWD day-use area, so vehicle parking exists, but no official source specifies lot names/locations, capacity, or whether parking has its own fee separate from the standard day-use entrance fee ($6/adult, 13+; free for 12 and under).
When is the best time to visit Upper McKinney Falls?
TPWD identifies March through November as the park's busiest season, with reservations strongly recommended during that window.
What are the rules at Upper McKinney Falls?
At the Upper and Lower Falls swimming areas specifically: no food or snacks, no alcohol or glass containers, no coolers/ice chests/thermal bags, no pets allowed in the water, no speakers or music, and no frisbees/footballs/soccer balls or other hard balls. Park gate hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
What water body is Upper McKinney Falls on?
Upper McKinney Falls is on Onion Creek, a natural waterfall pool verified in USGS hydrography data.
