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McKinney Falls State Park celebrates 'Old Baldy'
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Park stewards plan to hold a party for McKinney Falls State Park’s oldest resident.
This weekend officials plan to celebrate "Old Baldy," the ancient cypress that towers above the McKinney Falls State Park's hiking trail. The tree is more than 18 feet wide at the base, more than 100 feet tall and estimated to be at least 500 years old.
"That would be around when Columbus was coming around, this tree was a little sprout in the middle of what would become Texas," McKinney Falls State Park spokesperson Amber Conrad said.
McKinney Falls State Park is one of the hidden jewels of Austin, just a few miles southeast of Downtown. Most visitors go to swim at the twin waterfalls that give the park its name.
Park officials will be holding a birthday party for Old Baldy Saturday. They'll celebrate with guided tours, cake and games.
The park entrance fee is $6 per person. Children 12 and under can get in for free.