December 5, 2019
I've had to go to Austin three days in a row. I got a new lens in my eye, then had to go back the following day for a checkup, and then had to get my neck and back worked on. I've been hiking somewhere every time I go to Austin, except for my surgery day. After my appointments, I look up a local hike and go do it. On this day, I decided to go hike in McKinney Falls State Park, to check out the upper and lower falls of Onion Creek.
McKinney Falls is only thirteen miles from downtown Austin and is was an easy park to visit when I lived in the area. It has lots of places to hike and some to bike, as well as lots of wildflowers and birds. It also has swimming holes under both falls and you can fish without a license, as you can in all Texas state parks. It is also the park where I photographed a flower opening over a ten minute period.
I've had to go to Austin three days in a row. I got a new lens in my eye, then had to go back the following day for a checkup, and then had to get my neck and back worked on. I've been hiking somewhere every time I go to Austin, except for my surgery day. After my appointments, I look up a local hike and go do it. On this day, I decided to go hike in McKinney Falls State Park, to check out the upper and lower falls of Onion Creek.
McKinney Falls is only thirteen miles from downtown Austin and is was an easy park to visit when I lived in the area. It has lots of places to hike and some to bike, as well as lots of wildflowers and birds. It also has swimming holes under both falls and you can fish without a license, as you can in all Texas state parks. It is also the park where I photographed a flower opening over a ten minute period.
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| My first glimpse of Onion Creek from the bluff above it |
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| A view near the lower falls |
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| Most of the "holes" in the rock are small and shallow. This one was about four feet deep and supported a tree |
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| It was fun to see these limestone rock formations in dry conditions. Sometimes most of the area is covered by water |
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| One of the few trees with colored leaves |
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| A view below lower falls |
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| There were a few individuals of a couple of species of flowers still blooming |
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| Persistence - this little tree seems to be growing in rock |
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| A view of lower falls - in spring the falls will be all along the ledge |
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| Both the swimming holes below upper and lower falls have swim rescue rings |
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| This brilliant grasshopper(eastern lubber grasshopper - Romalea microptera) caught my eye when he flew onto this branch |
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| Near Upper Falls - actually the channel on the right is one of the channels forming the falls now |
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| I found these glowing oak leaves below the trail |
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| The Upper Falls are barely there in this low water |
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| A zoomed in view of the falls |
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| Creek View from the picnic area |
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| These leaves were lying all arranged for their picture |
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| I straddled the carved out channel ,where most of the water is flowing, to take this picture |
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| Asters were still abundantly blooming - and I figured out how to get to my macro setting on my new camera |
On a personal note, I'm in LOVE with my new eye. Now, as predicted, I can barely see out of my left eye and can't wait till Tuesday when I get that lens replaced.
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