Cool Springs, on the eastern slope of the Black Mountains, was an important life-saving water source for the desert native tribes of the Mohave and Haulapai Indians. In the 1850's, Lieutenant Ned Beale and his camel brigade used the site to water U.S. Army horses and camels. In the 1920's, the automobile and Route 66 helped establish the need for a gas and water station there. Its rebirth as a stopoff for travelers from around the globe recalls a heritage and motoring past and present, and the site has remained revered by Native Americans and appreciated by present-day adventurers.