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bspross - 2/2/2008
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Distance: 1.00 Mile
Duration: 30 minutes
The rock shelter reminds me of Mesa Verde. It follows the stream and has some extra rock steps and some grade. We also did the nature trail which goes back to the Visitor Center and Upper McKinney Falls.
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bspross - 2/2/2008
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
Duration: 2 hours
I was actually surprised at how few people we saw after the falls. It was a beautiful day and this hike is very close to Austin, yet we only saw people every 15 minutes or so.
Onion Creek
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Ollie - 1/2/2008
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Distance: 2.00 Miles
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Nice hike and it was interesting to see the ruins.
Onion Creek Flashlight Hike
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Kieve - 7/24/2007
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
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This hike was great for a flashlight hike (after dark hike). The Onion Creek trail provided a paved trail... difficult to get lost. Easy footing for when the sun went down. It gets pretty dark out there. The trail travels through the camping sites & gave us some great ideas of where we'd like to camp next. Great for a group of hikers who were wandering around like the seven dwarfs with headlamps on their hats. All we needed to do was sing "hi ho". There were so many funky bugs & spiders along the way. I think if anything I would rename the hike "spider alley" for the MANY spiders we saw. There were some BIG Texas spiders there! Many of which were hanging out in the middle of the trail.
Easy and short
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sprucega - 5/28/2007
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Distance: 0.50 Mile
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This little trail is charming and easy and affords nice views of Onion Creek. When taking the trail clockwise, there's a confusing moment when you leave the woods and have to decide which way to go to pick up the trail again -- just turn right and follow the tree line. You'll see the trail within twenty feet or so.
Interesting walk...
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lordvallsbyrd - 5/22/2007
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Distance: 0.80 Mile
Duration: 15 minutes
The rock shelter was interesting, as was the HUGE bald cypress tree.
Nice and easy
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sprucega - 5/5/2007
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Distance: 2.00 Miles
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Though there were lots of kids there, they didn't show up until afternoon. The first half of my day was predominantly kid free. Additionally, the kids weren't running around like crazy at a campsite -- they were quietly biking or fishing with their parents. The wildflowers here were abundant, and the giant field of flowers by the upper falls parking lot had oodles of butterflies by the tree line.
A very pretty hike, even good on a hot day.
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jstrait - 4/28/2007
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Distance: 1.00 Mile
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This was a beautiful hike. We went to the lower McKinney falls and walked down the creek along an unofficial trail for a bit. On the side trail we didn't see anyone. Solitude was good overall for a Saturday. A few people passed us. The falls was a bit crowded, but it's spread out enough that it wasn't bad. It was pretty warm when we went, but the trees kept it comfortable. It would be nice to go in the water along the hike, but the bacteria levels were too high and it was closed to swimming when we were there. Our youngest, 6, was tired by the end, but made it with no problems and had fun. This is a great family hike. We went to the upper falls after the hike. There's a great swimming hole if it's open.
Very enjoyable!
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christiniprosperity - 4/1/2007
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
Duration: 1 minute
I went off the path a bit to try to get my heart rate up. It was muddy! Onion Creek looked like chocolate soup after all the rain. This was one of my first Texas hikes and I loved it! Over all very enjoyable. Probably a better trail for cyclists. I prefer a bit rougher terrain.
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toobsox - 2/2/2007
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Distance: 2.00 Miles
Duration: 3 minutes
hot and humid
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caspalding66 - 5/8/2006
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Hot and humid but a great hike
Confusing, but fun
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Riff Raff - 4/30/2006
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Distance: 4.50 Miles
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My hike was a bit on the long side because I took a wrong turn or three toward the beginning. :-) As mentioned above, the state park map's depiction of this trail has very little connection with reality. Use the map from here instead. I personally took a wrong turn at the very beginning, by the actual Homestead, and wound up on an access road instead. It did eventually meet up with the actual trail at around its halfway point, so to complete the loop I did a bit of backtracking and ended up going down the access road twice. The sign theoretically pointing the way by the Grist Mill end of the loop also seemed to be actively pointing people in the wrong direction.
Apart from those issues, it was an enjoyable hike. I ran into perhaps a dozen people total on the trail, three on bikes. The crossing at the Lower Falls was no problem at all.
On the way
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Riff Raff - 4/30/2006
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Distance: 0.50 Mile
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I just hiked this on my way to and from the Homestead trail. The Rock Shelter area on the way to the lower falls was pretty cool though.
Easy trail
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Riff Raff - 4/30/2006
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
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The entire trail is broken pavement, so this is a nice and easy walk. There's one steep hill on it, which the bicyclists are warned about. There were lots and lots of people near the upper falls area naturally, and was almost run over by tricycles several times. Once I got past the main picnic areas though, it was actually a rather private walk. Fun.
Nice, easy hike.
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ninjason - 3/12/2006
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Distance: 3.50 Miles
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Few cities can claim such good hikes within a few miles of downtown. This park is definately geared towards families.
Let down
User:
LVX - 1/2/2006
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Distance: 4.20 Miles
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If you are out of shape, bored or just don't want to drive very far from Austin, you might enjoy this hike. We went in search of our first Geocache and found it on this trail. - I guess it is good that we can just check it off the list.
meandering trail but dull scenery for a hike.
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e5200 - 10/21/2005
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Distance: 5.00 Miles
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Found this hike to be longer than 3 miles. According to my pedometer it was over 4.5 miles, and probably 5 miles - not including the walk from the parking area across the falls to the sign identifying the trail. I became concerned that maybe I was doubling back without realizing it, however, I had not veered off the narrow footpath - I like that the footpath meandered - saw a few birds, a few butterflies and near the falls I saw many dragonflies. Was astonished, over half way on the trail came upon a huge office complex that I believe are the office buildings for the Texas Wildlife Parks Department.
I was the only one on the trail and wore high top soft hiking shoes - the trail was rough enough and with two areas of scree I was glad I had the protection for my ankles. The scenery was dull - one spot borders an open field and the rest is typcial Austin hill country. At the start of the hike is the burned out shell of the McKinney home and near the end of the trail is the remains of the old Grist Mill - with the hot dry early fall it was easy crossing the "moonscape" rock area where the water runs to the falls - didn't have time to explore the beach or the falls but for sure the trail is longer than 3 miles...the longer trail knocked my timing off so that instead of finishing 4:20 it was 5:10, which meant leaving during rush hour traffic.
Closed
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mylasher - 8/3/2005
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Distance: 0.10 Mile
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I tried to take this hike, but found that the trail is fenced closed shortly after it veers from the park's trail. I was very disappointed.
The park fee is now $3.
Decent, small walk
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mylasher - 8/3/2005
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
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I started near the pool and saw three bikers near the beginning, and one walking couple later. Not a bad hike, short and easy, but the Texas heat in the dense short growth is stifling.
I saw a couple fawns, a few large birds (that I didn't recognize--no surprise), and one snake that was in such a hurry to get away from me that it climbed a tree so fast that it 'ran' off the top branch, fell and had to climb up again. The park fee is now $3.
Nice, easy hike. Great hike for my dog!
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gwenmotz - 7/23/2005
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
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This park is right in Austin & worth the visit. We hiked the Onion Creek trail, which is paved, pretty flat, & a nice easy hike. Unfortunately, dogs aren't permitted to swim in the stream, so we didn't swim, but others seemed to enjoy themselves in the water.
very nice hike along Onion Creek
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laisabel - 7/10/2005
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
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My husband and I hiked here in summer 2004 and loved it. In mid-June 2005 we went back, but the Upper O.C. trail is blocked off with a fence soon after you leave the main, paved O.C. trail. Does someone know why the trail is blocked off?