Agua Caliente County Park in NE Tucson

Water is everything when you live in the desert.    At Agua Caliente County Park you can spend a day in a true desert oasis.    The park has hot springs that create wonderful pools surrounded by multiple species of palms.   The palms are not native but they were planted in the 1880s and have reseeded so there are hundreds and they are huge.    The park was originally a ranch and at times a resort.   The ranch house, cowboy bunk house, and the rose cottage are still there.    The ranch house is open for visitors with lots of pictures of the ranch at various times in its history.   I especially enjoyed the ones from the 50s.   A room is dedicated as an art gallery with new shows every 4-6 weeks.   The history is fascinating.   We enjoyed an hour long historical tour with a docent that lived nearby and told great stories of the area, the ranch, and the plants.   They even have a 200+ year old mesquite tree.   Definitely worth a visit if you are in Tucson.