Take the Plunge into Jacob’s Well in Wimberley, Texas

As a new Texas resident, I’ve made it my declared mission to begin thoroughly exploring this gorgeous state that I now call home. Growing up, I had never visited or even imagined visiting any part of Texas, and I was pretty okay with that. What was there to see or do in Texas, anyways?

Boy, did I eat those words when my family moved to Austin my junior year of college. One summer in Austin and I was hooked–Texas was THE BOMB.

Since then, I’ve spent a weekend in San Antonio (loved it) and several months living in Houston (still loving it) and I also got a window-seat view of the entire width of the state when my family and I road-tripped all the way to Arizona from Houston. However, there are still SO many areas that I’m dying to explore–specifically southwestern Texas and the hill country, between Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos.

Well, this past weekend I had the opportunity to make one of those dreams a reality with a quick trip to Wimberley, TX to see Jacob’s Well.

Jacob’s Well is the largest continually flowing artesian spring in the Texas Hill Country, and is located just outside Wimberely, a cute Texas town with a population of less than 3000 people.

The Well is a hot spot for locals who take to the refreshingly cold spring waters to cool off during the sticky Texas summers. I had read about it and seen images online, and I knew it was one of those Texas gems that I just had to check out.

So, Saturday morning Derek and I set off to explore Jacob’s Well, which was a scenic 3 hour drive from Houston.

We had booked our reservation in advance from 12pm to 2pm, and arrived about ten minutes before noon. We parked and received our wristbands from the parking lot attendant, who pointed us in the direction of the Well and told us that we’d be there after an easy 10 minute walk.

After a short and easy walk past Texas wildflowers and gorgeous oak trees, we were there. The Well area was quite empty when we first arrived, but the number of visitors tripled within an hour or so.

Luckily, even with the crowds everyone was very respectful and cautious, making sure that no one was diving in the Well below before they jumped in.

I grew up in Florida, where wells and springs are abundant, so I was very prepared for the freezing cold waters. However, if you don’t have much experience with wells, know this: spring water is COLD, and the best way to get used to it is to just dive in!

Even if jumping into the Well isn’t for you, it’s still fun to watch other people jump in, and it’s super cool  to peek over the edge of the Well to try to see down into the depths. Plus, there’s a whole river that leads out from the Well that you can swim in.

You’re not supposed to swim too far down the river, so the actual area where you are allowed to swim is fairly small. You’re limited to a 2 hour visit, but I honestly think that’s plenty.

Make sure to leave some time for exploring the town of Wimberley either before or after your visit. It’s a super cute lost-in-time kind of place, with lots of fun little shops and all the burgers, sandwiches, and BBQ you can eat.

We had a late lunch at Ino’z, a casual dining spot by the river with good food and a great vibe. It’s a seat yourself kind of place, so make sure to grab one of the open tables on the popular outdoor deck for relaxing river views.

Also, seeing as Texas is known for its rich, smooth, decadent ice cream, it would be a shame not to indulge in a scoop or two during your visit. If you want to try some seriously sweet, fresh, and creamy ice cream, the Hill Country is just the place to do that. It’s the Texas way, y’all!!

 

Practical Information

• Address: 1699 Mount Sharp Road, Wimberley, Texas 78676
• Fees: $9 per adult, $5 per child aged 5 to 12 (and senior citizens 60+), and free for children under 4
• Reservations are REQUIRED. You must book a 2 hour time slot here in order to enter (Note: 2 hours was definitely sufficient for me!)
• Parking is free with your reservation
• Restrooms are available
• There is no lifeguard on duty, so jumping and swimming comes at your own risk

Have you ever heard of Jacob’s Well? Would you like to visit? What are some other Texas must-sees?

Note: The day after my visit to Jacob’s Well, the town of Wimberley experienced catastrophic flooding after a severe storm. Many people in Wimberley and the surrounding areas were impacted, and the town is currently focused on rebuilding and healing after this tragedy during which homes and lives were destroyed. Please realize that my experience in Wimberley took place before the flooding and does not reflect the current state of the area. Learn more about the flooding in Wimberley and other regions of Texas and Oklahoma here.