Located in Travis County, Texas, McKinney Falls State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Onion Creek, about 7.7 km (4.8 mi) away (McKinney Falls State Park lies NE of town).
McKinney Falls State Park is a 744.4-acre (301.2 ha) state park in Austin, Texas, United States 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 namesake features of the park are the scenic upper and lower falls along Onion Creek. The park is on the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail.From the Wikipedia article “McKinney Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McKinney Falls State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 62° ENE | 8:36 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 117° ESE | 5:36 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:26 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 13m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From McKinney Falls State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 6:19 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 4:59 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:52 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 1:20 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:21 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.83 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 85 | 90 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 110 | 112 | 112 | 108 | 101 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 17 | 17 | 21 | 34 | 43 | 61 | 65 | 65 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of McKinney Falls State Park, closest first.
Lake
Cave
Botanical Garden
Lake
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Ghost Town
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph McKinney Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at McKinney Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at McKinney Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from McKinney Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McKinney Falls State Park?
How far is McKinney Falls State Park from Onion Creek?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.