Since opening to the public nearly fifty years ago, McKinney Falls has been a hot spot for hiking, swimming and camping in Austin. However, the park has been developing for many years in response to natural disasters and development. Autumn brings refreshing and cool hiking and camping weather. Before heading to the nearest state park in Austin, here are five tips you need to know.

Go hiking. not completely. Austin's 10 best hiking trails allow you to enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

After closing for nearly eight years and opening in October, McKinney Falls updated the center to showcase new interpretive exhibits on the Bat Caves and the El Camino Real trail that missionaries and soldiers walked in the 1800s.

On Halloween in 2013, after nearly 40 inches of water flooded the building, the park closed the visitor center. The building was flooded again in 2015, further delaying the reopening of the center. 

McKinney Falls transformed the center to withstand future floods by using waterproof materials to create new exhibits and increasing heating, ventilation, and cooling systems above the flood line.

Come out at 8 o'clock on certain Saturday nights and easily hike 3/4 mile with family and friends. Hikers can try their luck and see tarantulas, scorpions and nocturnal wildlife.

Bring up to 8 people to enjoy one of 81 campgrounds equipped with electricity, picnic tables and grills. Prices range from US$20 to US$24 per night, however, these prices are subject to change. 

If you don’t like tents, try to book one of the six cabins located in the park. Although the park does not allow pets to enter or around the cabin area, the cabin provides accommodation facilities such as a microwave oven, a mini refrigerator, two single bunk beds and air conditioning. The current price is US$86 per night, and you need to rent at least two nights on weekends. 

Find modern buried treasures at McKinney Falls. Many people hide objects in state parks such as McKinney. Park visitors need to download coordinates from geocaching.com to different hidden items to start hunting. 

Old Baldy is 103 feet high, towering above visitors. The park estimates that this tree is 500 years old and is one of the oldest bald cypress trees on public land.