Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) is a resort hot spring listed near Palm Springs, California. Reported soak temperature: 105°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
The historic Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring now flows inside The Spa at Séc-he (Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, downtown Palm Springs, tribal-owned, opened Apr 2023): adults 18+ buy a 'Taking of the Waters' day pass ($135 Mon-Thu / $165 Fri-Sun & holidays) or a $200+ treatment for a 15-minute private mineral bath (~105F) plus full spa amenity access; spa open ~8am-7pm daily.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 7 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Palm Springs offers city rooms around the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via The Spa at Séc-he — Taking of the Waters page (day pass $135/$165, 22 private baths, 105F, clothing-optional private rooms).
- Cost: Reported $135 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 105°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — day pass or treatment booking via thespaatseche.com / spa desk.
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Monday-Thursday — cheaper day pass and quieter than weekends/holidays.
- Clothing reality: Official: clothing optional inside your private mineral-bath room; swimsuits or robes REQUIRED in all public spa areas. Customary: most guests robe/towel in shared areas. Legal: private facility policy.
- Kids: Minimum age 18.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Modern 73,000 sq ft facility opened 2023 — built to current code; confirm specific needs with the spa.
- Adults only — must be 18+ with ID requested at arrival (minors only allowed for salon hair/nail with guardian)
- Day pass price jumped post-renovation: $135 Mon-Thu / $165 Fri-Sun & holidays (older articles cite $125-145)
- Spa amenity access is complimentary with any spa/salon treatment of $200+
- The mineral bath itself is a 15-minute private ritual — the rest is pool deck, steam, sauna, salt caves, lounges
- Spring water is sacred to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians — expect reverent, wellness-focused atmosphere
- Book ahead, especially weekends; on-site cafe open ~7am-6pm
- Hazard: 105F mineral water; 15-minute guided immersion limit
- Hazard: Premium pricing — budget $135-165+ per person before treatments
About this spring
THE spring that named Palm Springs and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians — 'Séc-he' is an ancient ~105°F mineral spring sacred for 12,000+ years. The Spa at Séc-he (opened 2023 at the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza) offers 22 private mineral baths fed by the spring. Fee: Spa day pass $135-165 incl. private mineral bath. The spring vent is inside the protected plaza — soaking only via the spa.
Séc-he — 'the sound of boiling water' in the Cahuilla language — is the spring that named both the Agua Caliente Band and Palm Springs itself. Geologic surveys describe it as unlike any other Coachella Valley source: rainwater and snowmelt collect in a chamber about 8,000 feet deep, heat to nearly 180°F, then rise roughly 1.5 miles through a natural pipeline, absorbing calcium, magnesium and sodium and emerging at about 105°F and 26 gallons per minute after some 12,000 years underground. The Agua Caliente used it for drinking, irrigation, bathing and ceremony, and regarded it as a link between the physical and spiritual worlds.
Dr. Welwood Murray built the first bathhouse over the spring in 1886 — arguably Palm Springs' first tourist attraction — and three bathhouses plus a spa hotel occupied the site over the next 150 years. A collection tank installed during a 1953 road widening was fully retrofitted in 2014-15, and in April 2023 the Tribe opened the 45,000-square-foot Spa at Séc-he in the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, where 22 private mineral baths are filled straight from the spring for each guest.
Directions & trailhead access
200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs — Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.
California geothermal context
California spans several geothermal provinces: the volcanic Cascades and Modoc Plateau in the northeast, Sierra Nevada granite seeps along the eastern front, Mojave and Colorado Desert springs in the south, and the famously mineral-rich Big Sur coast. Fire season (roughly June–November) closes access to many backcountry springs without warning — always check for current fire restrictions.
What a resort site means here
A resort spring is a commercial operation: developed pools or tubs with controlled temperatures, changing facilities, and usually day-use fees or lodging packages. Expect posted rules (swimsuits, quiet hours, age limits), staff on site, and in many cases required reservations — especially on weekends and holidays.
Best time to visit
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across California. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 105°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 105°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $135 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | The Spa at Séc-he — Taking of the Waters page (day pass $135/$165, 22 private baths, 105F, clothing-optional private rooms) |
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) FAQ
Is Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) open right now?
The historic Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring now flows inside The Spa at Séc-he (Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, downtown Palm Springs, tribal-owned, opened Apr 2023): adults 18+ buy a 'Taking of the Waters' day pass ($135 Mon-Thu / $165 Fri-Sun & holidays) or a $200+ treatment for a 15-minute private mineral bath (~105F) plus full spa amenity access; spa open ~8am-7pm daily. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) free?
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) is listed with reported fees near Palm Springs. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he)?
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) has a reported soak temperature of 105°F and a historical source temperature of 105°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) clothing optional?
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he)?
Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring (Spa at Séc-he) is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Where to stay in Palm Springs
Palm Springs offers city rooms around the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza. The Spa at Séc-he admission and treatments require a separate reservation.
Check overnight options with the operator
Check the road and access notes above before you book.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- The Spa at Séc-he — Taking of the Waters page (day pass $135/$165, 22 private baths, 105F, clothing-optional private rooms) — operator · 2026
- The Spa at Séc-he — Things to Know (18+ age requirement, ID requested) — operator · 2026
- The Spa at Séc-he — home (Top 3 Spas in North America; Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza) — operator · 2026
- Press-Enterprise — 'The Spa at Séc-he in Palm Springs is now open' (Apr 2023 opening, 22 baths, 18+, $145 pass then) — news · 2023-04
- US News Travel — Spa at Séc-he day pass guide (hours 8am-7pm; spring ~180F at depth, 105F at tubs) — news · 2024
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- thespaatseche.com/the-spa-experience/the-agua-caliente-hot-mineral-spring-story
- www.palmspringslife.com/wellness/agua-caliente-tribes-ancient-hot-mineral-spring-is-centerpiece-of-the-spa-at-sec-he
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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