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Since time immemorial, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has called the Palm Springs area home. Long ago, they built complex communities in the Palm, Murray, Andreas, Tahquitz and Chino canyons. With an abundant water supply, the plants, animals and Agua Caliente Indians thrived. They grew crops of melons, squash, beans and corn. They gathered plants and seeds for food, medicines and basket weaving.
Today, remnants of the early Agua Caliente society such as rock art, house pits, foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons. The Agua Caliente Indians have always been industrious and creative with a reputation for independence, integrity and peace.
In 1876 and 1877, the U.S. Federal Government deed in trust to the Agua Caliente people 31,500 acres for their homelan
d.
The Federal Government previously gave the Southern California Railroad 10 miles of odd-numbered sections of land to induce the company to build the railroad. Of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation’s 31,500 acres, about 6,700 acres are within the Palm Springs city limits. The remaining sections span across the desert and mountains in a checkerboard pattern. As early as the 1900s,
Palm Springs and the surrounding area have been described as a recreational oasis. Tahquitz Canyon and the Indian Canyons are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Palm Canyon in the Indian Canyons is the world’s largest Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm) oasis.
Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza | aguacalienteculturalplaza.com
The Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza comprises outdoor spaces, including the Gathering Plaza adjacent to the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring, originally known as Séc-he (the Cahuilla term for “the sound of boiling water”). The Oasis Trail provides an interactive, cultural learning environment. This trail mimics, on a smaller scale, the distinctive character, geology, flora, and beauty of the nearby Tahquitz Canyon and Indian Canyons, ancestral homes of the Agua Caliente people.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum | accmuseum.org
The new Museum is approximately 48,000 square feet and features permanent exhibition space dedicated to the history and culture of the Agua Caliente people, a dedicated changing gallery, educational classroom, adjacent teaching garden, and meeting-event space. The Museum Store showcases art, jewelry, and other products sourced directly from Native American artists and Native American-owned businesses from across the nation. The Museum’s Creation Migration Theater welcomes guests with a 12-minute, 360-degree animation of the Tribe’s creation story.
The Spa at Séc-he | thespaatseche.com
The Spa at Séc-he, which opened earlier this year, includes more than 72,000 square feet to celebrate the ancient healing waters of the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring with treatment rooms, men’s and women's bathhouses, a tranquility garden, a salon, fitness center, outdoor pools, and health-forward dining. The water from the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring is estimated to be upwards of 12,000 years old and is unique as it contains a mineral make-up that has not been found anywhere else in the world. The Tribe has shared the healing water with visitors for more than 130 years. This new Spa is the fifth bathhouse or spa at the site, with the first one operating in the late 1880s.
Indian Canyons | indian-canyons.com
The Indian Canyons are the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. These canyons are especially sacred to the Cahuilla people today and are historically important to scientists and nature lovers. The Cahuilla people have thrived here for thousands of years. Rock art, house pits, foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons.
Tahquitz Canyon | tahquitzcanyon.com
Tahquitz Canyon is one of the most beautiful and culturally sensitive areas of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation. Tahquitz Canyon is home to a spectacular seasonal 60-foot waterfall, rock art, ancient irrigation systems, native wildlife, and plants. Located at the entrance to the canyon, the Tahquitz Canyon Visitor Center offers educational and cultural exhibits. The Center offers a display of artifacts, an observation deck, and a theater room for viewing The Legend of Tahquitz video.
Indian Canyons Golf Resort | indiancanyonsgolf.com
Indian Canyons Golf Resort has been the jewel of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley since 1961. Once a private club named Canyon Country Club, this 36-hole facility was a favorite haunt of Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and Jackie Gleason. Former U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and Ronald Reagan also walked these fairways. The course is set on 550 acres on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation.
Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs | aguacalientecasinos.com/properties/palm-springs
Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs embraces the authentic Palm Springs vibe, where luxury meets laid-back in the heart of downtown.
Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Rancho Mirage | aguacalientecasinos.com/properties/rancho-mirage
Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage sets the standard for luxury with its winning casino floor, incredible outdoor pools, a five-star spa and acclaimed hotel.
Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City | aguacalientecasinos.com/properties/cathedral-city
As the newest property in the Agua Caliente Casino collection, there’s so much to explore and discover at Agua Caliente Cathedral City.
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