2 min
Overview
Hiking in the desert is hard. There are no trails. The terrain is rugged. The bushes are angry. The sun is relentless. The whole experience often leaves hikers a little battered, a little bruised, a little punctured, and often thoroughly exhausted. What better way then to relieve all of the accumulated aches, pains, and exhaustion than with a blissful dip in a hot tub. Agua Caliente (Spanish for “hot water”) delivers exactly what its name implies. The primary attractions of the park are the hot springs, which are piped into a large, swimming pool-like room that’s kept well-maintained. Also present and piped in from the nearby springs are a warm pool, and a regular swimming pool. Beyond the springs and pools, the park also contains a campground and a pair of hiking trails described below. The first of the two loops, dubbed the Marsh Trail, departs from the northern side of the park just before the entrance kiosk. This trail was formerly known as the Pond Trail after a pond constructed by a ranger years ago. A set of springs fueled the pond while also nurturing a lush riparian corridor that hosts a wide array of wildlife. However, the park deconstructed the pond in order to restore the habitat. Although the pond is gone, the riparian corridor remains vibrant. To start the short cherry-stem loop head nearly due west toward an overlook as you pick your way over the rugged white granite of the Tierra Blancas Mountains. After 0.1 mile, you reach a junction with a steep trail gaining a sharp 200′ in 0.2 mile to reach an overlook that peers east toward the Vallecito Mountains and southeast toward the Carrizo Badlands. This is a fine place to enjoy the sunrise if you don’t mind the early wake up while camping. Drop back down to the junction and turn left. After a quick climb over a small ridge, the trail descends to the sandy bottom of Squaw Canyon (0.5 mile). Turn left here and follow the wash on a gradual incline toward a dense tangle of willow, mesquite, and a handful of palms. The spring-fed marsh (0.8 mile) itse
Trail Stats
5.1 km
152 m
499 m
390 m
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Photos
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