WIMBERLEY, Texas -- It's been nearly a year since Jacob's Well instituted a reservation policy to take a dip in the spring. Staff and visitors alike say the policy is going swimmingly.
The natural spring once used by Native Americans for its fresh water now serves as a swimming hole. This means those who jump from the surrounding bluffs into Jacob's Well make a leap into history.
"Yes the history goes way back. To the early settlers and before," Hays County Master Naturalist Melinda Seib said. "This has been a secret and has just been opened up to the public. 2010 I believe the county actually attained the property."
But Jacob's Well is a secret no more.
"Social media has made it really kind of explode in popularity. It was once kind of a town secret and now we have people from all over the world showing up," Jacob's Well Park Specialist Alison Tudor said.
This meant the county had to bring some order the aquatic free-for-all, instituting a reservation system for swimming last year.
"Making it so that we don't have too many people here at one time for safety reasons and for the human impact on the beautiful natural area that we have here," Tudor said.
Admission to Jacob's Well is limited to 300 swimmers per day, but those taking a dip didn't seem to mind.
"Yeah I think we should limit it, because there's not that much space," said Christopher Garcia, who was visiting from San Antonio. "If it got overcrowded like some other places I don't think people would enjoy it as much."
And with reservations in place, officials at Jacob's Well hope this spring with all its history will be around far into the future.