Famous Yet Dangerous Texas Swimming Hole Closed AGAIN This Year
Gorgeous? Absolutely. Terrifying? Probably a little bit.
Jacob's Well, located about 10 miles outside Wimberley, TX, is a karstic spring that reaches an incredible depth of 20th feet vertically, then continues downward at an angle to 120 feet deep.
In the past, Jacob's Well was available (with a reservation) for people to swim and dive in. The clean, clear water, and the illusion that the the well is bottomless made it a magical and unforgettable experience.
Despite its extreme beauty, Jacob's Well has proven deadly as well. Between 1964 and 1984, nine people died while scuba diving through its cavernous depths. The underwater caves get extremely narrow at points, to an inexperienced diver's peril.
However, that is not the reason that swimming is "suspended indefinitely" again this year. Like the summer of 2023, Jacob's Well will not be open due to drought conditions which resulted in below-average water levels for the spring. As for scuba diving, only a highly specialized team of divers is permitted in Jacob's Well.
Once, Jacob's Well gushed massive amounts of water from the depths of the Trinity Aquifer. Now, due to excessive pumping of the aquifer, the future of Jacob's Well is uncertain. However, efforts are being made in an attempt to save the spring, and the animals, like sunfish and sightless catfish, that live in the waters.
While you cannot swim in Jacob's Well, the area is still available for hiking, geocaching, bird watching, and other great outdoor activities. You can find out more about this remarkable area on the Hays County website.
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