Agua Caliente Park
Experience thousands of years of history at one of Pima County's most beloved parks
Welcome to Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park , a 101-acre aquatic/riparian habitat surrounded by the Sonoran Desert. Agua Caliente Park has an exceptionally rich mix of native and non-native vegetation, wildlife, archaeological, historical, and hydrological features and is located northeast of the Tucson city limits and south of the Coronado National Forest.
The park provides a dramatic setting that is rare in our desert environment; Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park is truly an oasis in the desert. The acquisition of the park property for the park visitor would not have taken place without the generous support of Mr. Roy P. Drachman.
Agua Caliente Park Timeline
5,500 Years Ago
Archaic projectile points found within the park boundaries suggest that the site was used by hunters and gatherers.
Circa AD 1150
Hohokam people established a village, referred to as the Whiptail Site, that extended into a portion of Agua Caliente in the early Classical Period, about AD 1150 – 1250.
1854 – 1870
Periodic Army encampments at what is now Agua Caliente Park.
1873 – 1875
An adobe building is noted in the mapping survey of the 160-acre preemption claim filed by Peter P. Bain July 25, 1873. At that time, Bain's house at the spring is the only sign of human activity in the entire township.
1875 – August 1885
James P. Fuller purchased “Agua Caliente Rancho” from Bain on March 1, 1875. Bain and Fuller are known to have erected one or more adobe buildings on the site. Fuller established the fruit tree orchard with a reported 3,000 trees. James Fuller, and later his sister Eliza Jane Fuller Watson, operated a carriage service to bring people out to the ranch for Sunday dinner or to stay over in the guest cottages. In January 1882, poor health prompted James Fuller to convey his property, including Agua Caliente Ranch, to his sister Eliza Jane Fuller Watson. Mrs. Watson continued to operate the ranch as a destination resort for people from town and continued to supply fruits and vegetables for sale in Tucson.
1898 - August 1899
Philip Chambers purchased the land from the Federal Government. He had been living there for at least a year and had hoped to develop the resort but lacked the capital. In August 1899, Philip Chambers sold the Agua Caliente Ranch to William M. Griffith and Edwin P. Drew for $3,500.
1919 – 1930
James White purchased the ranch, but was an absentee owner of the property. James White’s son, Willard White, and daughter, Edna Bull, were part owners who lived and worked at the ranch. In 1922, Willard purchased his sister’s interest in the ranch. In 1925, Willard White is said to have added a bedroom wing, a living room, a library, and remodeled the kitchen.
1930 – 1935
Joseph Blake and his wife purchased the property from Willard White on April 5, 1930. The Blakes left the ranch in 1934, having made no additions to the house during their ownership.
1935 – 1947
Gibson DeKalb Hazard purchased the ranch from Joseph Blake on April 10, 1935. The Hazards made several additions to the Ranch House. Alice Hazard designed the sunroom and vestibule, which were constructed in 1938. The vestibule was later enclosed to become an entry hallway.
1947 – 1951
May 10, 1947 the Hazards sold the 440-acre ranch for approximately $100,000 to the Chesrow Brothers. The Chesrow brothers Eugene, Albert, and David created the Agua Caliente Ranch Company and planned to continue cattle ranching and establish a resort on the site. The resort did not come to fruition.
1951 – 1959
Art and Clare Filiatrault purchased the property from David and Albert Chesrow on June 12, 1951 and moved to the ranch from Wisconsin with their four children: Arthur, Nancy, Frances, and Peter. The buildings that existed on the ranch at this time were the Ranch House, Rose Cottage, the Green Cottage and Machine Shop, the Caretaker’s Cottage, and the Bunkhouse. In October 1951, the Caretaker’s Cottage burned. One wall of the Ranch House suffered only minor damage. The Caretaker’s Cottage was believed to be one of the original buildings dating back to the late 1800s. The Filiatraults added two bedrooms and two bathrooms to the Ranch House.
1959 – 1984
The Filiatraults sold the ranch to Dr. and Mrs. Otis Miller, who in turn sold it to the Lloyd Golder family. In 1960, the Golders transferred ownership to their Rail N Ranch Corporation and in 1962, the Myriad Research and Development Co. owned the ranch. Dale and Lois Corey lived on the ranch from 1963 to 1979 as part owners and caretakers. During 1968 to the 1970s, the ranch became a popular location for filming movies and commercials. There were no substantial improvements or additions to the Ranch House from the time the Filiatraults sold the property to Pima County’s acquisition in 1984.
January 19, 1985
Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Regional Park opened to the public. Pima County acquired the 101-acre ranch property in 1984 for $1,461,335, with a donation of over $200,000 from Roy P. Drachman.
October 1993
The Friends of Agua Caliente, Inc. (FOAC) was formed with a mission to ensure the preservation of the historic, natural site and buildings at the Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park through education, advocacy, and community involvement.
1996 - 1997
The FOAC were instrumental in securing a State Parks Historic Preservation Heritage Fund grant for the rehabilitation of the historic Bunkhouse, which was completed in August 1997. The Maintenance shop was built, the park entrance drive and parking lot were developed, and the paths and trails throughout the park were improved.
April 17, 2004
The restored Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Visitor Center and Art Gallery and the Rose Cottage Education Center were opened to the public. Soon after, the Tucson Audubon Society entered into a lease agreement with Pima County, establishing a Nature Shop in the sunroom of the Ranch House Visitor Center.
July 9, 2009
Agua Caliente Ranch Rural Historic Landscape was listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
April 7, 2017
The newly renovated Pond 2 was dedicated. The purpose of this project was to provide a holding facility for when the main pond rehabilitation would take place in 2019.
July 2020
The renovation of the main pond was completed, it consisted of grading and deepening the pond and installing a polymer liner to reduce pond seepage to conserve water. A bridge to the island was reconstructed after many years of inaccessibility. The ponds support diverse wildlife habitat and the lush environment that visitors have come to expect when visiting the park. The main pond was dedicated in March 26, 2022.
Agua Caliente, 1893
The Agua Caliente spring can be seen below on the first official map of Pima County. Published in 1893, the map was authorized by the Pima County Board of Supervisors and drawn by former County Surveyor George J. Roskruge.
Author: Roskruge, George J. Publisher: Pima County Board of Supervisors, 1893 Collection: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, Stanford University Library
Key Park Features
The interactive map below shows important locations throughout the park. Select one, then scroll through the list and the map will zoom to each feature.
Paths & Trails
A network of paths and trails allows visitors to explore the different parts of Agua Caliente Park. Select a trail in the map below for more information. Solid lines represent trails with a hard surface, and dotted lines show soft-surfaced trails.
Use the button in the top-right corner to open the map in a new tab.
Wildlife at Agua Caliente
When you visit Agua Caliente Park, look for the variety of wildlife drawn to the Park's lush vegetation and persistent water.
Birds
Agua Caliente is a permanent home to some bird species as well as a haven along migratory routes. Use our bird checklist (PDF) and see how many you can find!
Turtles
The turtles that you see in Agua Caliente ponds one and two are non-native turtles who have been introduced by visitors through the years. Non-native species can carry diseases, outcompete native species, or even consume native species. Occasionally the population of non-native turtles has to be reduced if they are causing issues with native species. Be a responsible pet owner and please do not release your pets (PDF) into the park.
Fish
Gila topminnow were once swimming freely at Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Regional Park throughout the main pond thanks to the release of the endangered species on May 13, 2020 into the park’s newly restored pond. Staff from the Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) released 500 topminnow into the newly restored main pond at the park. However, recent release of non-native mosquito fish have resulted in the restriction of Gila topminnow to the spring area.
At pond two there are reintroduced Desert pupfish . The bright blue males can be observed guarding their little territories along pond edges. Once non-native fish have been introduced it can be difficult to remove them from the aquatic system. Non-native mosquito fish have also been found at pond two. Do not introduce non-native species of fish (PDF) or move existing fish between ponds.
Other Desert Wildlife
Lizards, snakes, raccoons, coatimundis, skunks, deer, and occasional bobcats and javelina make their home at the park. Several bat species can be seen in early evening foraging for insects or drinking water from the ponds. Remember, please don't feed wildlife (PDF) !
Fire & Restoration
On September 28, 2022, lightning struck palm trees near the Agua Caliente Spring. Strong winds spread the fire along the stream to the edge of the Main Pond. Rural Metro firefighters quickly responded and had the fire under control within a few hours.
Before and after the fire
Slide the swipe bar below to see the burned area before and after the fire.
Left: Aerial imagery collected March 17 - 22, 2022 Right: Two weeks after the fire, showing burned grass and fallen trees (Imagery from October 10, 2022)
One year later
The swipe map below shows the burned area's recovery one year after the fire. The palm trees are green once again, and erosion control devices have been installed to protect the spring, stream, and ponds.
Left: Two weeks after the fire (Imagery from October 10, 2022) Right: One year later, showing restoration efforts and tree regrowth (Imagery from October 13, 2023)
Plans for restoration
After lightning struck the palms along the stream, the area was monitored for many months to determine which trees did not survive; these trees were removed and used in an erosion control project at one of the County's ranches. Fire also scorched the grassy area to the south and melted the irrigation system in this area.
As heartbreaking as it was to lose this grassy area, it was also an opportunity to reimagine the space as a lush desert garden that would be a great place to gather, celebrate, and meditate. Native plants will invite pollinators and the drip irrigation along with storm water basins will reduce water use, adding to the Park's sustainability. Meandering paths will be dotted with benches for visitors to relax and enjoy. There will also be an event space for small gatherings.
The swipe map below shows the County's progress on the Desert Garden Restoration Project.
Left: Two weeks after the fire (Imagery from October 10, 2022) Right: Desert garden restoration progress, showing paths and native plants (Imagery from May 1, 2024)
