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Hot spring provides desert oasis for Tucsonans, tourists
Story and photos by Juliana Vasquez

Hidden away among the mountains of the far East side of Tucson is a mini oasis that has served as a variety of things for many different people in the Old Pueblo.

Agua Caliente Park, an active hot spring located off of Tanque Verde Road and Soldier Trail, provides a home to many exotic animals in Southern Arizona and serves as a getaway for locals and a popular spot for visitors.

Agua Caliente Park is a live hot springs that offer up a variety of leisure opportunities for Tucsonans and visitors alike. (Juliana Vasquez/UA Journalism)

“I often like to come visit, just me and Lady, but there are times when I will bring my son and my nephew so they can play in a different kind of park environment,” said Luis Carillo, a frequent visitor to the park with his dog, Lady.

Tall shadows from palm trees often provide shade for comfortable picnic areas where families are often found barbecuing, playing Frisbee, or your occasional couples taking in a nice afternoon in the park happily basking in each other’s arms.

Sometimes, it’s just a nice place for friends to get away from the rush of day-to-day life and relax amidst the permeating smell of burgers, hot dogs, chicken or herb.

“When all my friends are in town, we always try to have our group barbecues here because we all grew up coming to Agua Caliente and we want to hold up the tradition,” Victor Ibarra said.

Though the park is a great location for get-togethers, its rich history documented in galleries and exhibits also offers a cornucopia of treasures for history buffs from everywhere.

On any given weekend, park rangers are scattered throughout the park sharing a segment of the park’s history to groups of visitors through exhibits and demonstrations.

“I love what I do. I get to come to a beautiful park for work everyday and talk to many different kinds of people and share my knowledge,” park ranger Alice Smith said. “What more could I ask for?”

The park dates back to 1873, when a ranch and resort was developed to promote use of the warm springs. The ranch bunkhouse is still intact and can be seen on the walking trail. Thanks to the dedication of its own “Friends of Agua Caliente,” the park has been well maintained throughout the years.

In the past several years, the group worked to save three of the five original buildings and helped raise money to renovate the Bunkhouse so it could be open to the public.

“The park is so unique and beautiful that it would be a shame not to help conserve it,” said Jim Knoll, Friends of Agua Caliente president.