Jacob's Well
No scuba diving: Hays County park rules [1]. These categories are the named scheme's own; they describe the training a site calls for.
The artesian spring mouth of the Jacob's Well cave in Wimberley, Texas; scuba diving is prohibited and swimming is suspended because of low flow.
Jacob's Well is the artesian spring at the head of Cypress Creek, inside Jacob's Well Natural Area. For decades it was a local swimming hole, and from the 1950s it drew recreational scuba divers; at least eight died in the cave between 1960 and 1985.
Hays County now prohibits scuba diving, and swimming has been suspended since June 2022 because drought and groundwater demand have reduced the spring's flow. The natural area remains open for hiking, with the trail to the well involving staircases and natural rock surfaces.
The environment
An artesian spring mouth over a submerged cave; flow far below normal since 2022.
Conditions
Swimming cancelled until further notice (announcement updated 2026-10-01) because of abnormally low spring flow.
Typical ranges from published sources, not current conditions.
Facilities
Hiking trails, nature centre with drinking fountain near Parking Lot C, picnic areas, RV and camper parking (day use only).
For orientation, not navigation. Hollow dots are approximate.
Every fact on this page, with its source (9)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jacob's Well Natural Area rules include no scuba diving. | Verified | [1] |
| Swimming has been closed since June 2022 because of low water levels and flow, and an update dated 2026-10-01 says swimming is cancelled until further notice. | Verified | [1] |
| Jacob's Well Natural Area is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with no entry after 5:30pm.Holiday closures listed separately. | Verified | [1] |
| A drinking fountain is next to the Jacob's Well Nature Center near Parking Lot C, and there is designated RV and camper parking; the area is day-use only. | Verified | [1] |
| The trail down to Jacob's Well is not wheelchair accessible because of staircases and natural rock surfaces. | Verified | [1] |
| USGS places Jacobs Well Spring near latitude 30.034; rounded to area precision. | Verified | [2] |
| USGS places Jacobs Well Spring near longitude -98.126; rounded to area precision. | Verified | [2] |
| Scuba equipment in the 1950s renewed interest in exploring Jacob's Well, and at least eight people died diving there between 1960 and 1985. | Verified | [3] |
| Hays County park rules prohibit scuba diving at Jacob's Well Natural Area. | Verified | [1] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction