It seemed to be the perfect escape. The online photos of Agua Caliente Regional Park showed towering, old palm trees surrounding a lake/hot springs — in truth looking more like a Los Angeles Park than one in the Arizona desert. Because the park is located at the far eastern edge of Tucson–far away, I thought, from Covid19 Omicron–it seemed like the perfect place to go mask-less and enjoy breathing in fresh, clean air on this 75F January day.
Well, other people clearly had the same idea. While it wasn’t packed with visitors there were enough people in the park that I had to take care to stay 10 feet away from them. And surprisingly, about a third of the visitors were wearing masks. (Note: when I was at Sweetwater Wetlands a week ago I was the only masked person.)
Picnic Tables but No Ramadas
A few were actually having picnics in the winter sunshine. And there were many picnic tables empty, which is to be expected in January. But once I looked at the photos at home, I realized there were no ramadas — just metal picnic tables that are probably hotter than a pistol come June. (PIMA COUNTY PARKS: It’s time to add ramadas!)
A Health Spa in the 1800s
A man named Peter Bain started this version of what had clearly been a water source of humans and animals for centuries. He homesteaded 160 acres around the hot springs in 1873 and 2 years later sold the property to James Fuller who planted date palms, orange trees, figs, apricots and then proceeded to open the “Fuller Springs Health Spa”. This spa survived for ten years. Many of the trees including the date palms and orange trees are surviving to this day. The property passed through many other hands with many uses for the land until 1984 when Pima County purchased it.
In this historic photo you can see the palms and other trees Fuller planted. I wish it were in color so the fact that it is a green island in a sea of brown desert would be clearer.
Rather than simply sit in one place to admire the scenery, I decided to explore the 100 acre park starting by circumnavigating the lake/hot springs. First there were a pair of mallards, then, walking along further, a pair of mounted binoculars that were free for anyone to use. Apparently, the park is a hot zone for birdwatchers. I overheard some comparing notes as I walked along the pathways.
My walk along the historic path surrounding the hot springs was abruptly blocked by this fence and sign, below. It turns out that many — if not all — of the traditional paths through and around the property are closed off. I’m not sure why — another Tucson mystery.
Rambling back around the hot springs to the other side I came to an allee of Mesquite trees arching over the blacktop walkway to the edge of the park.
The sign on the right is a warning and perhaps why the park administration doesn’t want people walking on the traditional stone covered paths. They would be the perfect place for rattlers and other snakes to warn their bodies as they begin their days and they might even blend in visually. Snakes warming themselves on the blacktop walkways would be clearly visible.
One more photo of the lake hot springs
Okay. I can’t resist. As I made my way back to the relatively small parking lot, I took a few more photos of the island. Here is one. A version of this image is the most commonly used photo for the park.
And standing in the parking lot I looked north to the Catalina Mountains, and turning east, viewed the Rincon Mountains at the edge of the Saguaro National Park. It was a lovely outing.
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