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Pedernales Falls or McKinney Falls: which is easier to book? Same 5-month window at 8 a.m. Central on ReserveAmerica; camp.land does not alert for either. McKinney Falls has the edge in inventory and cabins: the park page publishes 81 sites (69 water-and-electric at $20 plus 12 premium 50/30/20-amp sites at $24). Six remodeled cabins at $86 are listed separately and are not part of the 81 — entrance $6/person, 15 minutes from Austin. Pedernales Falls publishes 69 sites — 48 water-and-electric ($20), 11 water-only ($15), 10 walk-in primitive ($12) — no cabins, entrance $6/person, about 50 minutes from Austin. Both park pages say spring/fall weekends book months out. When either sells out, privately owned cabins near Austin (McKinney Falls) or Johnson City (Pedernales Falls) are the published fallback.
This is a booking compare for two waterfall parks near Austin. Facts come from the live Pedernales Falls park page and McKinney Falls park page. For booking steps, see how to get a Pedernales Falls campsite.
Both parks open reservations 5 months out at 8 a.m. Central. Set an alarm at 7:55 — that is the whole Texas system, not a park exception. Both charge $6/person entrance (kids 12 and under free). The drive differs a lot: McKinney Falls is about 15 minutes from downtown Austin per its park page; Pedernales Falls about 50 minutes.
McKinney Falls' park page publishes 81 campsites (69 water-and-electric at $20/night plus 12 premium 50/30/20-amp sites at $24/night — the ones that handle bigger rigs, so they go fastest per that page). Six remodeled cabins at $86/night with A/C-heater, mini-fridge, and microwave are listed separately and are not part of the 81. Its peak-season note says year-round demand thanks to mild Austin winters, with spring and fall weekends booking 3-5 months out.
Pedernales Falls' park page publishes 69 campsites across four loops: Oak Flat (29 water-and-electric, some pull-throughs) and Juniper Ridge (19 water-and-electric) both at $20/night, Bluff View (11 water-only) at $15, and a Primitive walk-in loop (10 sites) at $12. No cabins. Its peak note says weekends fill 3-5 months ahead, especially March through April wildflower season, and the falls area can close after heavy rain due to flash flood danger.
Book McKinney Falls if you want the shortest possible escape — swim Upper and Lower Falls on Onion Creek, bike the Violet Crown Trail toward downtown, and be home for tacos in fifteen minutes; it is also the choice if you need a cabin roof or a bigger-rig hookup. Book Pedernales Falls for the tiered limestone falls, 19.8 miles of trails, golden-cheeked warblers in spring, and a quieter bluff-top campground — with more water-only and walk-in budget options but no cabin fallback inside the park. Either way, reserve the day the window opens: both pages warn weekend demand runs months deep.
Pedernales Falls State Park fills up fast — lock in a cabin nearby
Tiered limestone falls and deep woods trails meet your secluded hill country retreat.
See cabins & rentals near Pedernales Falls State Park →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
McKinney Falls State Park fills up fast — lock in a cabin nearby
Rustic cabins and stone homes await near Onion Creek's cool limestone pools.
See cabins & rentals near McKinney Falls State Park →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
More compares: Enchanted Rock vs Garner and Garner vs Lost Maples. This page is the Pedernales/McKinney booking compare.
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Pedernales Falls or McKinney Falls: which is easier to book? Same 5-month window at 8 a.m. Central on ReserveAmerica; camp.land does not alert for either. McKinney Falls has the edge in inventory and cabins: the park page publishes 81 sites (69 water-and-electric at $20 plus 12 premium 50/30/20-amp sites at $24). Six remodeled cabins at $86 are listed separately and are not part of the 81 — entrance $6/person, 15 minutes from Austin. Pedernales Falls publishes 69 sites — 48 water-and-electric ($20), 11 water-only ($15), 10 walk-in primitive ($12) — no cabins, entrance $6/person, about 50 minutes from Austin. Both park pages say spring/fall weekends book months out. When either sells out, privately owned cabins near Austin (McKinney Falls) or Johnson City (Pedernales Falls) are the published fallback.
No. Both open reservations 5 months ahead at 8 a.m. Central on ReserveAmerica — the standard Texas State Parks window. The difference is inventory and proximity to Austin.
No. Camp.land does not scan or alert for Texas state parks. When a park sells out, the published backup is a privately owned cabin near Johnson City (Pedernales Falls) or Austin (McKinney Falls). We do not invent cabin names or nightly rates.
Per the live park pages: McKinney Falls publishes 81 sites (69 water-and-electric at $20/night plus 12 premium water-and-electric at $24/night, 50/30/20-amp, best for big rigs). Six remodeled cabins at $86/night with A/C, mini-fridge, and microwave (no linens) are listed separately and are not part of the 81. Entrance $6/person. Pedernales Falls publishes 69 sites across four loops: Oak Flat (29) and Juniper Ridge (19) water-and-electric at $20, Bluff View water-only (11) at $15, and 10 walk-in primitive tent sites at $12. No cabins. Entrance $6/person.