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Hays County will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Karst Canyon Preserve on March 27 at 10 a.m. The event celebrates the culmination of a multi-year conservation effort that transformed a tract once slated for dense residential development into protected public land.
The ceremony will be held at the 175-acre preserve, which is adjacent to Jacob’s Well Natural Area in Wimberley. Participants will park at Parking Lot A at Jacob’s Well Natural Area, located at 1699 Mt. Sharp Road in Wimberley. 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.
Formerly known as Coleman’s Canyon, the property had previously been approved for a high-density development of more than 1,000 residential lots. In 2019, the Watershed Association purchased the land, halting those plans. The following year, Hays County voters approved a Parks and Open Spaces Bond, and the county’s advisory committee flagged the property as a top acquisition priority. Hays County finalized its purchase using bond funds in 2025, with The Nature Conservancy securing a conservation easement to guarantee the land’s permanent protection.
In the months leading up to the opening, county parks staff have worked alongside the Watershed Association and Hays County Master Naturalist volunteers to prepare the land for visitors. That work included trail construction, installation of signage and wayfinding markers, and completion of biological and karst surveys.
Phase 1 of the preserve offers approximately 2 miles of trail, which connects directly to Jacob’s Well Natural Area’s North 40 Trail via a short easement. A second phase, adding more than 2 additional miles, is in the works, though no completion date has been announced.
The preserve takes its name from the karst landscape it protects - terrain shaped by soluble limestone that gives rise to sinkholes, caves, and springs. The property contains numerous such features, a stretch of Dry Cypress Creek, and the well-known Wimberley Bat Cave. It also provides habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.
Beyond recreation, the preserve plays a meaningful role in the region’s water supply. Karst features like those found on the property are critical recharge zones for the Trinity Aquifer, which feeds iconic springs including Jacob’s Well itself. By shielding these areas from development, the county aims to protect both the quality and quantity of water flowing into the aquifer.
”We are thrilled to welcome the community to explore this new trail system, made possible through funding from the 2020 Parks Bond,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Morgan Hammer. “Preserving this remarkable landscape - rich with features essential to recharging Jacob’s Well and the aquifer - is an honor and a responsibility we’re proud to uphold.”
Updates on Karst Canyon Preserve and other Hays County parks can be found on the county’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
