Friday, March 30, 2018

Trip #5e McKinney Falls State Park, TX (4-10 Mar 2018)

 

This park is a 13 mile drive to downtown Austin and adjacent to the Texas state park HQ. I was pretty interested in what it would be like camping, so close to a metropolitan area (Austin is now over 1M). We were also there during the Austin Film Festival and South-by-Southwest Music Festival. Another pretty cool aspect of the park was that one of my favorite drama series "The Leftover" had been filmed there.

McKinney Falls State Park is at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek. It is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The park opened on April 15, 1976 and is named after Thomas F. McKinney, a businessman, race horse breeder and rancher, who owned and lived on the land in the mid-to-late 19th century. The park is part of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail.

The park offers camping, hiking, mountain or road biking, geocaching go bouldering, and picnic. You can also fish and swim in Onion Creek.

Upper Falls

 
 

Lower Falls

 

Mountain Biking on the Homestead Trail



 

Played a round of DISC Golf at Searight Park (second busiest course in the US). This has become a fun option if there is a course near out campsite. We count pars versus getting too depressed with an overall score. Also, we never really have to count very high.

 

Enjoying carry out from the Austin's Famous BQ Joint "Salt Lick"



I wanted to get more exposure to hill country, so we decided to spend the day at Pedernales Falls State Park near Johnson City about 40 miles away. A nice low key drive through the outskirts/ subdivision of the Austin area, and then then country side. There is so much history in the area which includes LBJ and Lady Bird. I think most Texan's are sort-of proud their exe-presidents. Pedernales Falls another lovely park with many trails along the river. Mickie got to see her first live Armadillo.
We hiked the following trail Pedernales Falls Overlook, Hackenburg Loop, Swimming Area, and Twin Falls trails.

 

Pedernales Falls Overllok and Hackenburg Loop Trails

 

Swimming Area Trail



Twin Falls Trail

  

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