Karst Canyon Preserve: Protecting the Source
Hays County will celebrate the official opening of Karst Canyon Preserve with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on March 27. Participants will park at Parking Lot A at Jacob’s Well Natural Area, located at 1699 Mt. Sharp Road, Wimberley, Texas 78676. From there, attendees may choose to take a short 0.8-mile round-trip hike to the ceremony site or ride with park staff by golf cart.
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.
Current Stewardship of Karst Canyon
Long before the ribbon cutting, collaborative efforts have fuelled the ongoing stewardship of the land, including karst feature mapping, flora and fauna surveys, wildlife habitat restoration, and recharge enhancement. To deepen our scientific understanding, the Watershed is collaborating with the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, the Edwards Aquifer Authority, and Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District on aquifer research, geophysical logs, water level measurements, and data analysis to build a clearer picture of aquifer dynamics within the Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone that will inform conservation work for years to come.
A Collaborative Effort
A project of this scale and duration doesn’t happen without an extraordinary web of people dedicated to a shared outcome. We are deeply grateful to the Harry L. Willett Foundation whose program-related investment loan gave us the financial footing to make the conservation of the land possible. Former Hays County Commissioner Lon Shell helped set this project in motion with early vision and support, and Precinct 3 Commissioner Morgan Hammer carried that torch forward, championing the county’s investment in conservation and open space. Long time president of the Watershed Association board, Malcolm Harris put in countless hours of pro bono legal work along with Jerry Webberman who gave all of his time pro bono to negotiate the numeros purchases, conservation easements and due diligence over the past decade of this monumental project. This land could not have been protected without the years of work by former County Attorney Mark Kennedy and Deputy County Administrator Tucker Furlow who provided the steady legal guidance that helped us navigate the long road of conserving this special place with care and integrity.
We are also grateful to Jeff Francel, Texas State Director of The Nature Conservancy, for securing the conservation easement that ensures this land will remain undeveloped. The Hays County Master Naturalists and Restoration Rangers brought their skill and hard work to restore habitat and build trails from the inception of the project. Deep gratitude for the steadfast dedication of the Watershed Association board and staff who stayed the course through more than ten years to make this incredible acquisition possible.
“This project shows the power of collaborative impact and what can be achieved when a community comes together to protect what matters most,” said Board President Parc Smith. “Karst Canyon Preserve is not just open space; it is the source of our water, a home for endangered wildlife the foundation of our economy, and a living legacy for future generations.”
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.”
For more media coverage on Karst Canyon Preserve, please visit:
https://www.hayscountytx.gov/hays-county-announces-ribbon-cutting-for-karst-canyon-preserve