Jacob's Well natural spring, Austin Texas

When I visited Austin to meet my relatives, I learnt about a few things about what lies under the ground in Texas country and its natural wonders. In particular, I was taken to a place known as Jacob's well, some 1 hour drive from Austin.

Jacob's well is a small opening- about 3-4 meters in diameters and about 10 meters deep, through which natural water gushes out from the earth's core. It is technically called an Artesian Aquifier or Artesian well. Aquifier is a permeable rock through which underground water can seep through. The well provides an opening for natural underground water reservoir. Most of Texas sits on such aquifier rocks and there're several springs that find an opening and surface.

Swimming in the well was restricted during our visit. These restrictions are place time to time to let the nature and water borne life recover fully. Also our visit was in summer so water level in the stream was lesser than normal.


Entry fee: 
Internet suggests an entry fee but there was no ticket counter or machine or instructions to pay when we visited the Jacob's well. My guess is because it was off season when we visited with not much water and many restrictions in place for swimming etc, the visitor count was too less hence no entry fee was being enforced.

Jacob's well now falls under Jacob's well natural area, managed by Hays Country Parks department. Enroute to Jacob's well we also saw large farms or what are known as ranches- massive field areas used for farming, cattle breeding or horse riding. Some of the biggest ranches in Texas are in the size of lakhs of acres.

Related: Fun experience driving rented speedboat in Austin