Austin, TX – This campground is a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the Austin area. It’s about a 20 minute drive into downtown Austin, and most grocery stores and restaurants are about 10 minutes away. Like many state parks, you get a lot for your money, mainly in the form of space. For ~$30/night you get a very large and private spot that is surrounded by trees. At your typical private campground near a major city you pay $50/night for 1/3 the space. Then add in state park amenities such as nearly 9 miles of hiking and biking trails and you can see why we usually prefer public campgrounds to private. For those so inclined, fishing is available in two creeks, and a license is not required to fish from shore in a Texas state park. We had a very rainy week during our visit, and while the main hiking trail is a hard surface, other trails are dirt/stone and could get muddy in sections.
Outdoor area at our site
Bath house at McKinney Falls State Park campground
After several months in the southeast, we are back in cactus country
There are several overlooks of Onion Creek along the Onion Creek Trail
This large rocky expanse leads to the Lower McKinney Falls
The Lower McKinney Falls area must be crossed to reach several of the hiking trails
The Onion Creek Trail and Smith Visitor Center which was closed at the time of our visit due to flood damage
Cabin remnants from the 1850’s
Upper McKinney Falls on a Saturday, the busiest day while we visited. Most days we encountered no other hikers
There were many day use picnic areas
Ok, there are downsides. Public campgrounds can’t seem to create a level site and McKinney Falls State Park is no exception. Plan on using every leveling block you own, plus choosing the most level site you can find, and you may end up almost level. Plus there are no sewer connections, just a single dump site on the way out. But those are pretty minor complaints given the peace and quiet of camping in the woods.
Interior roads are paved and the park is laid out in loops
Our site was roomy, but unlevel with the front corner at 22 inches from the ground (blue line) and the first step up to enter the RV is 21″.
Back of the RV measured 9″ from the ground (blue line) versus 22″ up front, meaning the site’s slope changes about 13 inches from front to back
McKinney Falls State Park is a nicely wooded location
The base price here is only $20/night for 30 amp or $24/night for 50 amp sites. But they charge non-Texas residents an additional usage fee of $6 per person per day! An option they offer to avoid the usage fee is purchasing an annual Texas state park pass for $70, which also includes 50% off the first nights camping fee. If you’re staying a week like we did this is obviously the better deal, costing us $58 in usage fees vs. $84. Plus you get free admission into all Texas state parks for 365 days.
Date of Stay: February 19 – 26, 2018
Rating: 
Campground website: McKinney Falls State Park
