Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Small statues of Buddha line the path to the top of the mountain.
Mitaki-dera
A view of the Sandiaoling bike tunnel.
Sandiaoling Bike Tunnel
The old ticket house at League Park now houses the Baseball Heritage Museum.
League Park
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.
Passersby stop to admire the punny offerings of Brooklyn’s only dinosaur bodega.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope
Native Americans have a longstanding, rich, and vibrant culture in Wyoming.
Wyoming’s Sacred Landscapes: A Journey Through Native American History

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Arizona Tucson Agua Caliente Park
AO Edited

Agua Caliente Park

Previously a hot spring, this park remains a site of unique history, wildlife, and geology.

Tucson, Arizona

Added By
Vick12
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Mesquite Canopy   Vick12 / Atlas Obscura User
Historic Ranch House   Vick12 / Atlas Obscura User
Palm Trees and Lake   Vick12 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Agua Caliente park brings visitors a unique combination of history, wildlife, and geology. Sitting on the site of what was at different times a Native American village, cattle ranch, orchard, and health spa, this quiet park transports visitors into an oasis featuring three restored historic buildings, ample birding opportunities, and an abundance of wildlife.

“Agua Caliente” literally means “hot water,” referring to the hot spring that once existed here. However, you won’t find any “Agua Caliente” here anymore. In the 1930s, the spring was blasted in a failed attempt to increase the water flow. Rather than increase the flow, the hot spring merged with a nearby cold spring, collapsing the two into one spring with a year-round temperature of 72 degrees.

Evidence exists for the area in the park being inhabited by humans more than 5,000 years ago, with archaeological evidence showing that the site was likely used by hunter-gatherers, and then was the site of a Hohokam village. In the late 1800s, a ranch and orchard were established in the area, selling agricultural products in Tucson and operating as a resort, advertising the “health benefits” of the hot springs, fresh fruit, and recreational and spa activities.

Today, you might spot a coyote or javelina coming for a quick drink, hear the “chi-ca-go” of quail from the canopies of mesquite trees, or watch a brilliantly white heron hunting for his next meal. Some nights you may be able to look through a telescope (friends of Agua Caliente volunteers run occasional astronomy nights, along with bird and wildlife walks, which you can find the dates for on their website), or you might learn about the history of the ranch and resort from volunteers in the restored 1930s ranch house. Make sure to stop by the “great mesquite” on your stroll through the park—the impressive tree is 200 years old!

As you stroll past the spring, it’s not hard to imagine what drew vacationers to this spot. Tall palm trees, the singing of birds, and beautifully restored buildings really do create the feel of an “oasis in the desert.”

Related Tags

Deserts Native Americans Birds Trails Hot Springs Parks

Know Before You Go

Agua Caliente volunteers run occasional astronomy nights, along with bird and wildlife walks, which you can find the dates for on their website.

The ranch house is normally open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Community Contributors

Added By

Vick12

Published

July 28, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Agua Caliente Park
12325 E Roger Rd
Tucson, Arizona, 85749
United States
32.930318, -110.709229
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Biosphere 2

Oracle, Arizona

miles away

Peppersauce Cave

Oracle, Arizona

miles away

Tom Mix Monument

Florence, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tucson

Tucson

Arizona

Places 40
Stories 4

Nearby Places

Biosphere 2

Oracle, Arizona

miles away

Peppersauce Cave

Oracle, Arizona

miles away

Tom Mix Monument

Florence, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tucson

Tucson

Arizona

Places 40
Stories 4

Related Places

  • Accessed via a 90-minute drive that takes you through the small towns of Santiago and San Jorge, the Santa Rita Hot Springs are one of Los Cabos hidden gems.

    Santiago, Mexico

    Santa Rita Hot Springs

    Tucked away in a secluded canyon, this hidden hot spring’s thermal waters have been soothing soakers for generations.

  • A wall of sandstone with a small opening

    Covington, Indiana

    Portland Arch

    One of Indiana's only natural sandstone arches is nestled between resort ruins and an old Boy Scouts camp.

  • Indian Canyons

    Palm Springs, California

    Indian Canyons

    Traversing these canyons, visitors can take in stunning views and glimpses of the region's history.

  • The salt marsh south of the nature center.

    Brooklyn, New York

    Marine Park Salt Marsh

    This preserved wilderness hides the remains of a colonial grain mill used to feed George Washington's troops.

  • Spirit path: “Over Mountain.”

    Menlo Park, California

    The Great Spirit Path

    A trail weaves through the verses of a poem illustrated by stone sculptures inspired by Native American pictographs.

  • Dana Village.

    Bsaira District, Jordan

    Dana Village

    A ghost village sits atop a mountain within Jordan’s largest biosphere reserve.

  • The park.

    São Paulo, Brazil

    Parque Trianon

    This park feels like a lush little jungle full of wildlife nestled within São Paulo.

  • View of the valley from the homestead.

    Tucson, Arizona

    Bowen Stone House Ruins

    The remains of this rugged homestead ranch offer a brief glimpse into a bygone era.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.