Agua Caliente Spring

Pima County, Arizona · Near Arivaca Junction
31.6950°N, 110.9630°W · 3,882 ft
90°F 65°F air · Good soaking weather 3,882 ft Roadside Camping nearby (5.5 mi)

Agua Caliente Spring, the one near Arivaca Junction in Pima County, Arizona, has a recorded temperature right at ninety, the bottom edge of soaking warm. It sits at close to four thousand feet. Access is not on record, nor is a land owner, and that gap matters with a road this close. The USGS keeps a site record and there is a photograph in the file.

Location
10 miles from Green Valley, AZ

Eighty feet from the road, roadside by any measure. High desert, dry, with snow a rarity. For camping the record points to Kent Springs Cabin, around five and a half miles away. no land owner is on record.

Winter months are the listed best season. The temperature makes it a candidate for a sit, but nothing in the record says the public is allowed there, so find out who owns it first. No fee is listed and there is no water chemistry on record, so the single temperature reading is the whole picture.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Agua Caliente Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Agua Caliente Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Agua Caliente Spring
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the southeast.
Highest ground nearby
92 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
114 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 65% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
50°
Jan
52°
Feb
60°
Mar
66°
Apr
72°
May
83°
Jun
82°
Jul
81°
Aug
76°
Sep
69°
Oct
58°
Nov
49°
Dec
Annual Precip: 12.8 in Annual Snow: 1.4 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 50°F · Water 90°F · +41° contrast
December Air 49°F · Water 90°F · +41° contrast
February Air 52°F · Water 90°F · +38° contrast
January offers 34°F more contrast than June
Current Conditions
65°F
SSE 3.6 mph Good soaking weather
Tuesday 86° Low 70° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 58% precip
Spring is +4° warmer
Wednesday 84° Low 69° Showers And Thunderstorms 76% precip
Spring is +6° warmer
Thursday 87° Low 67° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 18% precip
Spring is +3° warmer
Friday 90° Low 69° Sunny 4% precip
Saturday 91° Low 69° Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 10% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Kent Springs Cabin 5.5 mi away

Overview Kent Springs Cabin is located in the Madera Canyon Recreation Area, 15 miles southeast of Green Valley, Arizona in the Coronado National Forest. Located in an area boasting unique natural features and historical sites, the secluded and private cabin is an ideal location for guests seeking relaxation and recreation although less than an hour from Tucson.Recreation Madera Canyon hiking trails are well-known throughout the Southwest, and vary from paved, accessible trails and gentle wa...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
90°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 90°F (32°C)
Avg Air Temp 66°F
Above Ambient +24°F
Warm air, warm water September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 80 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Agua Caliente Spring?
Agua Caliente Spring has a water temperature of 90°F (32°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Agua Caliente Spring located?
Agua Caliente Spring is located in Pima County, Arizona at 3,882 feet elevation, near Arivaca Junction. Coordinates: 31.6950°N, 110.9630°W.
How do I get to Agua Caliente Spring?
Agua Caliente Spring has Roadside road access (80 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Agua Caliente Spring?
Yes, Kent Springs Cabin is located nearby (5.5 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS