Tomorrow: Grand Opening of Jacob's Well Natural Area, Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – Jacob’s Well Natural Area, the first Hays County-owned nature preserve, will celebrate its grand opening Tomorrow Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 221 Woodacre Drive, Wimberley. The public is invited to special events, tours and family fun.

Jacob’s Well is a perpetual artesian spring and is the main source for Cypress Creek, which forms the Blue Hole swimming area downstream and then flows through Wimberley into the Blanco River. The County purchased the property in 2010 with voter-approved park bond funds to preserve the natural area and protect it from future development. Now, the public is invited to experience this natural wonder and learn more about the importance of preserving it for future generations.

“This preserve is a good investment by the taxpayers of Hays County,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley. “It’s a wonderful recreational area for families to enjoy some of our natural assets. It serves as an educational facility for current and future generations to learn about the Wimberley Valley ecosystem and the importance of our natural resources. And, it helps our business climate by encouraging tourism which is our area’s largest economic asset.”

The County has completed several restoration projects on the 81.5-acre preserve. In May 2013 the former Woodcreek North Property Owners Association building and eight condo units were demolished and removed from the floodplain, a new cedar post fence installed at the main entrance and remnants – asphalt streets, utilities and concrete pads – of a mobile home park were removed.

A new interpretive garden at the Nature Center has been planted with the help of Hays County Master Naturalists, who volunteer their time to educate the public through free tours offered each Saturday at 10 a.m. The Nature Center building is being updated to provide a more enjoyable meeting space. Trails have been added to allow the public access to 40-plus acres in the upland areas for additional recreational activities such as hiking, birding and geocaching.

The Natural Area is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, free of charge. Come out, learn more and enjoy the preserve!

For information about grand opening events or the Natural Area, please contact the Hays County Parks Department at 512-847-2140 or look for updates on www.co.hays.tx.us.