Twelve thousand years ago, Columbian mammoth roamed here.  About 1,200 A.D. irrigation dams were placed in the creek by Hohokam Indians.

In the 1870's, pony soldiers from Ft. Lowell enjoyed horseback excursions to the "ol' swimmin' hole" still in use today.  In the 1930's, 180 C.C.C. workers built bridges and 3.8 miles of road up into the Santa Catalina Mountains.