Upper McKinney Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

8feet tall

A waterfall on Onion Creek.

Scale23/60

Documentation15/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Onion Creek
Coordinates: 30.18461, -97.72561

Get directions →

About Upper McKinney Falls

Upper McKinney Falls is a 8-foot waterfall in Texas, on Onion Creek.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Upper McKinney Falls 4.6/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Onion Creek stair-stepping over limestone ledges inside Austin's city limits — the state park you can practically reach by city bus. The Upper Falls pools run deep enough to swim when the creek behaves.

Getting there

Trailhead: McKinney Falls State Park, southeast Austin
Parking: Park lots
Road: Paved
Hike: 0.6 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: Reservations recommended — Austin loves this park to capacity most weekends.

When to go

Early summer mornings beat the crowd. After floods the park posts water-quality advisories before swimming reopens — check the alerts page.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $6/adult day-use
Dogs: Leashed on land; banned from the water at both falls areas
Hours: 8am–10pm
Camping: 81 sites in the park
Warnings: No coolers, alcohol, or glass at the falls areas; submerged debris after floods is the quiet hazard here.

Researched from TPWD — McKinney Falls State Park · Wikipedia — McKinney Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Upper McKinney Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.