After more than a decade of persistent negotiation and collaboration, the Watershed Association is proud to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of Karst Canyon Preserve, a 176-acre protected landscape at the heart of the Texas Hill Country’s most critical groundwater recharge zone.

Located adjacent to Jacob’s Well Natural Area, the preserve safeguards the limestone caves, sinkholes, and underground conduits that funnel rainfall directly into the Middle Trinity Aquifer, the source of Jacob’s Well, Cypress Creek, and the flows that sustain the entire Wimberley Valley.


From Development to Conservation

Formerly known as Coleman’s Canyon, this land was once slated for a massive residential and commercial development sitting squarely within the critical recharge zone of Jacob’s Well. In 2019, the Watershed Association stepped in to purchase the property and conserve the land, setting in motion an effort that spanned several years, a conservation effort rooted in science and restoration, with the goal to protect the critical recharge zone, wildlife habitat, and the expansion of Jacob’s Well Natural Area. A local family foundation provided a critical program-related investment loan that made the initial acquisition possible.


In 2025, Hays County finalized the purchase from the Watershed Association through its voter-approved Parks and Open Space Bond Program, and The Nature Conservancy secured a permanent conservation easement ensuring the land will remain protected in perpetuity. The expanded preserve more than doubles the effective conservation footprint of Jacob’s Well Natural Area and sits within the park via the recently established Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone.

Why This Land Matters

Karst Canyon’s caves, fractures, and sinkholes make it one of the most efficient groundwater recharge areas in the Hill Country, places where rainfall rapidly enters the aquifer to sustain our landscape and water supplies. Protecting this land directly enhances recharge to the Middle Trinity Aquifer, sustains Jacob’s Well spring flow and Cypress Creek baseflows, and safeguards both the quality and quantity of our water supply for our community.


The preserve also protects over 100 acres of golden-cheeked warbler habitat, some of the most significant mature Ashe juniper and oak woodland in the region, and irreplaceable nesting territory for this endangered songbird found exclusively in our region. Also sheltered within the preserve is the iconic Wimberley Bat Cave, along with the rare cave-dwelling species and fragile underground karst ecosystems that depend on undisturbed limestone terrain. 


Beyond the critical function to the ecosystem, intact karst features function as natural infrastructure. Karst limestone absorbs and slows stormwater, reduces downstream flooding, supports stream flows during drought, and critically stabilizes soils in ways that would otherwise demand costly engineered solutions. Protecting Karst Canyon means investing in the natural systems that have always made life in the Wimberley Valley possible.

Karst Canyon Open for Public Access

Phase one of the preserve now features approximately two miles of public trails connecting directly to Jacob’s Well Natural Area, offering 117 acres of stunning Hill Country canyon vistas. Future phases will expand access and offer expanded environmental education, making the preserve an experiential outdoor learning environment, a destination for low-impact outdoor recreation, and a cornerstone of our region’s dedication to long-term conservation of our land, water, and wildlife habitat.


“Protection of the karstic landscape in Karst Canyon Preserve is critical as rainfall in these areas replenishes the Middle Trinity Aquifer rapidly, at a rate ten times higher than average, to sustain and restore spring flows,” said Founder and Executive Director David Baker. “Conserving this land and over 118 mapped karst features, including the Wimberley Bat Cave, means protecting Jacob’s Well, protecting Cypress Creek, and protecting the future of this entire community. This is the blueprint, and we look forward to continuing our work with Hays County and landowners in the recharge zone to conserve more land to protect our water.”

Thank you from the bottom of Jacobs Well for your continued support and dedication to protecting and preserving the Texas Hill Country for generations to come.

The Watershed Association Board and Staff

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