Getting There
I have always thought that It is the journey; not the destination was a truism. So often everyone forgets to enjoy the “getting there.” However, today it is the destination only that we seek, as we race toward McKinney Falls State Park, driving north on I35, then zipping through suburbia on William Cannon Road. Sadly, the top stays up on my little Red Mustang. Going 60 mph as you race down the highway, wind roaring in your ears, beating you to death, and severely limiting conversation, is not fun. I knew there was a reason we moved to the country so many years ago—roads with no stripes, no traffic, and 25 mph speed limits are my dream.
Finally, at an intersection, we turn left on McKinney Falls Road and are at the park entrance within minutes. I hand our reservation to Michael; he, in turn, tries to pass it to the park ranger, who says, “Just give me your name.” Each week I print our reservation, and each week the park ranger says the same thing. Apparently, park personnel do not want to reach across the six feet between us and retrieve the paper or touch what we have touched. I understand.
After checking-in, Michael stops and gets a map of the park, instructing me to tell him where the picnic area is. Looking at the map, I see a long narrow yellow blob with a river running through and beside it—only it’s not a river; it is Onion Creek and the smaller Williamson Creek. There are so many twisting roads and dotted trails snaking through its 15-inch length, and so many gold round dots indicating points of interest that I am having a hard time locating the picnic table icon.
A Picnic at the Park
We stop in a parking area, Michael determines there is a picnic site at the Upper Falls, and he as barely restarted the car before we stop again. Leaving everything in the trunk, walking down a wide gravel path that leads to the creek, we hear squeals of delight—or shock—as brave souls jump into the icy water below.
Beyond the falls is the picnic area, tables are far apart, the area full of towering trees, with barely another soul in sight. Most park-goers are sparsely scattered along the rocky terrain that borders the creek. Since food is only allowed in the picnic areas, obviously most visitors do not have eating anything as part of their POD.
Michael trudges back up the hill to fetch our transportable lunch.
After seeing Heather’s beautiful charcuterie presentation this weekend, I texted her earlier and let her know that we too were having a charcuterie picnic—sans board. I have dirtied myriad containers putting our simple lunch together. Michael sits patiently as I set out and open up the little plastic Click-Clack dishes.
It seems we have too much; we have artichokes and grape tomatoes with green goddess dressing for dipping. I added boiled eggs, Polish sausage, a few olives, a tiny bit of cheese, as well as leftover focaccia that I pulled out of the freezer and warmed. And of course, there are teeny tiny cherry streusel tarts. A lot of words, but not much substance. However, it does fill the plate.
Lunch demolished, Michael hauls the two baskets filled with empty containers up the hill and back to the car. Grabbing our walking sticks, we explore.
Exploring McKinney Falls State Park
Once again, we are in a beautiful setting. The day is pleasantly cool, other park visitors are few, and the terrain surrounding the creek is magnificent. Glorious! It is stark and sprawling, gouged, and carved. Millions of years of Hill Country storms have left their mark, sinking liquid teeth into hard stone, forming deep crevices and erratically shaped shallow indentations, some containing water, some dry as bone. I walk gingerly, continually looking down. For my klutzy feet, this rocky path is a sprained ankle waiting to happen.
In the wide pool beneath the falls, groups of two sometimes parents with children, are sprinkled on the beach, everyone claiming their private niche. Michael sits on a rocky ledge, trying to capture the perfect picture of the stream of rushing water as it spills from the creek above to the wider pool below.
The Lower Falls
To see the Lower Falls which are north of us—that doesn’t seem right—we must drive, park the car, and then walk the path of history on the El Camino Real, down a rocky road and over an extensive slab of limestone that seems to go on forever. Looking north, past rocky ruins we cannot see, there is only wilderness, and eight miles of trails, that twist and turn and meander. During some past decade, we would have crossed the creek, taking our chances on slippery stones, laughing at our wet feet, and trekked for hours, but not today. Instead, Michael walks while I sit and enjoy Mother Nature’s glorious wonders.
McKinney Falls State Park
Located within the city limits of Austin, Texas, and only thirteen miles from the state capitol, McKinney Falls State Park is a gift of natural wonder to those living in Austin, and the rest of us who are lucky enough to discover it. Virtually unspoiled and untouched by the 21st century, it is 672 acres of natural beauty—rushing water, giant boulders, immense limestone slabs, forests, wildflowers, and trails. As well as these natural wonders, McKinney Falls State Park shelters a small piece of Texas history within its boundaries—a prehistoric rock shelter used by Native Americans for more than 8,000 years; a portion of the 2,500-mile road stretching from Louisiana to Mexico known as the El Camino Real; remnants of the homestead, horse trainers cabin and gristmill built by John Freeman McKinney.
John Freeman McKinney
John Freeman McKinney, born in Kentucky and part of the original Austin Colony who donated money to support the Texas Revolution, touched commerce and politics in Texas from Nacogdoches to Galveston, Houston, Austin, and beyond. He purchased 40,000 acres, of which McKinney Falls State Park is at its center, in 1839, waiting till 1850 to move to his land, taking two years to build a stone house and barns with slave labor. He also built a water-powered flour gristmill in 1852, ranched and raised thoroughbred horses. The decayed ruins of some of the buildings can be seen throughout the park. After his death in 1873, McKinney’s wife sold the bulk of the estate to James W. Smith, whose grandson J.E. “Pete” Smith, donated the land for the State Park in 1971. The park opened to the public in 1976.
Park Details
Today McKinney Falls State Park Contains over 10 miles of trails that allow both hiking and biking unless otherwise indicated. Some trails need to be accessed by crossing the creek, which entails getting your feet wet. There are six camping areas in the park, as well as several picnic areas. Most of the picnic areas require a short hike to access. A list of park rules can be seen in the image below, and more information on the park and reservations may be made by clicking on the following link.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls
Recipes for the following picnic menu are linked to the item’s description.
Picnic Menu
Artichokes with Green Goddess Dressing
Cherry Tomatoes
Deconstructed Deviled Eggs w/Green Goddess Dressing or Charlotte’s Aioli
Smokey Sausage (your choice)
Assorted Cheese (your choice)
Olives
Bread (your choice)
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