McKinney Falls State Park can be a tranquil oasis during much of the year despite its proximity to Texas state capital. A wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities exist, including camping, bicycling, picnicking, swimming, and wildlife observation. Fishing opportunities also exist in Onion Creek which flows about two miles through the park.

The park is enchanted with many trails that mark the path to a great adventure. Six total miles of hiking and biking trails are available at your fingertips. The easy 3/4 mile Smith Rock Shelter interpretive trail begins at the visitor center, taking visitors past sights such as one of Travis County's oldest bald cypress trees. The 3.7-mile Hike and Bike Trail is paved and wheelchair-accessible, while the 3-mile unpaved Homestead Trail is superb for mountain biking and hiking enthusiasts. Wildlife observation is an advantage at McKinney because you can observe armadillos, rock squirrels, white-tailed deer, and numerous bird species. During the fall, winter and spring, shorebirds and ducks are fairly common.

Justin Wale, a camper at the park, explains his purpose at the park, "we timed our March visit to McKinney to coincide with the peak bluebonnet viewing season in South Texas."

Wale added, "despite the after-effects of the 1996 drought, there were many beautiful expanses of wildflowers on the drive from San Antonio to Austin."

Wale is convinced that there is nothing more rewarding than to camp at McKinney for several days just to relax and forget everyday stress.

For Wale an interesting aspect of McKinney are it’s flowers. He comments that "the park itself had bluebonnets scattered throughout; one of the most accessible expanses of the Texas state flower was at the Smith Visitor Center."

Learn some history over this place: McKinney is named for Thomas F. McKinney, who came to Texas in the early1820s as one of Stephen F. Austin's first 300 colonists. Sometime between 1850 and 1852, McKinney moved to Travis County and his property on Onion Creek, where he became a prominent breeder of race horses with his own stable and private track. He built his large two-story home, stone fences, and the first flour mill in the area with slave labor.

Since the rules regarding pets vary from park to park, responsible pet owners should be aware of the rules prior to visiting. There has been reasonable effort to ensure the parks are "pet-friendly." However, park rules do occasionally change leaving the responsibility on your shoulders. In general, all parks managed by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department have rules pertaining to pets.