There are many kinds of Old Baldy in Texas – Mount Old Baldy at Garner State Park, the Old Baldy hike with 210+ rock steps in Wimberley, and the Old Baldy tree which is a 500 year old bald cypress tree in Austin! It is this tree that we’re talking about here and what a magnificent beauty it is!
Austin’s Old Baldy is located within McKinney Falls State Park. It is the park’s top attraction, besides the two waterfalls. It is also one of the oldest trees in Texas. Hiking to see this tree is an amazing experience – one you’re not likely to forget!
Also Read: Visitor Guide to McKinney Falls State Park in Austin
What makes Old Baldy so special?
Old Baldy is a gorgeous specimen of these ancient trees. It is so named because it sheds all its leaves in fall and is bald come winter. This bald cypress tree is at least 500 years old and has even been mentioned in historic Spanish expeditions that crossed the park. In those days it must have provided a shady respite along the dangerous El Camino Real.
Also Read: 7 Historic Structures within McKinney Falls State Park
Today, Old Baldy is over 103 feet tall and almost 16-17 feet wide at its widest point. It’s branches . Its scientific name is taxodium distichum and it is a deciduous conifer that sheds its trees every year. These trees like to grow where the water continuously floods and hence you will often spot them along creek or river banks in Texas with their roots spreading under the water.
Old Baldy was voted Austin’s Tree of the Year in 2012. It has stood the test of time and is a witness to the park’s ever changing landscape. It has survived the flooding of Onion Creek in 1869, 2013, and most recently in 2015. You can learn more about the tree at the park’s Smith Visitor Center.
How to reach the Old Baldy tree at McKinney Falls?
To reach Old Baldy, you need to hike the Rock Shelter trail. If you’re beginning at the Lower Falls parking lot, take the Picnic Trail to reach the Rock Shelter Trail. If you’re starting at the Visitor Center / Upper Falls, you can directly take the Rock Shelter Trail.
We hiked from the Visitor Center and that’s the direction we’ll use to describe this trail. The trail stays largely level as it goes into the woodlands. It follows the banks of the Onion creek and you can enjoy beautiful creek views in many spots.
The trail will take you to a series of stone steps that lead you to a long wooden bridge over the creek. And it is here that you find Old Baldy! You can easily spot the majestic tree from the wooden steps itself. It reaches towards the sky and looks quite regal. It provides the perfect spot to rest in the shade on a hot Texan summer day.
Be sure to peer down from the bridge to look at the tree’s extensive root system. You can even take a spur trail to the creek bed near the tree if water is low to admire the tree base up close. The way back will take you up more steps to the Prehistoric Rock Shelter, which is well worth the hike.
Also Read: 9 Best Hiking Trails at McKinney Falls Park