Is it safe to swim in Jacobs well?

Swimming at Jacob's Well is currently not permitted. Please note that the park is still open for hiking and viewing the spring during our regular hours. Plus we have geocaching, bird watching and a Nature Center to explore and enjoy! We also have picnic areas, a labyrinth, a sundial, and a Loose Parts Play Area!



People Also Ask

As of June 29, 2022, swimming will not be allowed at Jacob's Well Natural Area (JWNA) for the foreseeable future. The threat of high bacteria levels, other pollutants and poor visibility conditions are unsafe for swimming.

MORE DETAILS

Temperature of the water in Jacob's Well remains a near-constant 68°F and visibility is typically excellent. The spring provides habitat to numerous species of fish (principally sunfish and perch); turtles; aquatic insects; crustaceans; and, most notably, the cave-adapted Fern Bank salamander (Eurycea pterophilia).

MORE DETAILS

There are no bats, of course, but there are catfish, perch, turtles – at the beginning of the cave – and then deep in, there are blind Texas salamanders to keep you company. You can't scuba dive there without a special permit from Hays County, and the only entity that has one is the Jacob's Well Exploration Project.

MORE DETAILS

After about a dozen divers drowned trying to explore the bottom of Jacob's Well, the fourth chamber was finally sealed up for good.

MORE DETAILS

For the second year in a row, the iconic spring-fed swimming hole has stopped flowing, the consequence of drought and overpumping. It was a scorching day in July 2022 when I last peered into Jacob's Well.

MORE DETAILS

Jacob's Well is open to the public from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily. Hikers and other non-swimmers do not have to pay an entrance fee or make a reservation. However, they should arrive early as the park can reach capacity. Swimmers must pay a fee of $5 for children ages 5-12, $9 for adults, and $5 for seniors.

MORE DETAILS

Jacob's Well is the headwaters of Cypress Creek, which flows through Blue Hole Regional Park and feeds into the Blanco River.

MORE DETAILS