Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is the hand-built Desert Hot Springs home of homesteader Cabot Yerxa, now interpreted through guided tours, self-guided visits and grounds admission. Despite the word “Pueblo” in its name, it is not an Agua Caliente or other Tribal cultural site. It is Yerxa’s individual desert dwelling and creative project, and the museum should be described on those terms.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum at a glance
- Location: 67-616 East Desert View Avenue, Desert Hot Springs
- Best for: Desert homesteading history, vernacular architecture, folk environments and unusual historic homes
- Tour length: Guided and self-guided interior tours take about 45 minutes
- Visit types: Guided tour, self-guided audio tour or grounds-only ticket
- Season: Broader hours in the cooler months and a reduced Thursday-through-Sunday summer schedule
- Before you go: Reserve the correct tour type and confirm seasonal times
Choose the correct ticket
Guided interior tour
A guided tour enters rooms of the pueblo with interpretation of how Yerxa built the home, the experiences that shaped him and his life in Desert Hot Springs. Tours are scheduled at specific times and subject to availability. Arrive before the check-in time at the Trading Post.
Self-guided audio tour
The self-guided option also enters the pueblo but relies on audio delivered through a mobile device. Charge your phone and make sure it has data service before arrival. Entry times are staggered when multiple groups book the same period.
Grounds-only visit
The lower-cost grounds ticket covers the outdoor property, Coachella Valley views and access to the Water and Exhibition galleries. It does not include the full interior-tour experience. Choose it when time, budget or mobility makes the larger tour impractical, but verify what is currently open.
What changes with the seasons
From fall through spring, the museum generally offers tours Tuesday through Sunday, with different time blocks for guided, self-guided and grounds admission. In summer, the schedule contracts to Thursday through Sunday and shifts toward morning, except for later Sunday hours. Because the timetable is complex, do not rely on one general “museum hours” line to select a tour.
Outdoor portions can be hot and exposed. Reserve an earlier visit in warm weather and bring water and sun protection. Desert wind or special events can also affect the experience.
How long to allow
A 45-minute interior tour plus check-in and a grounds walk can become a 90-minute visit. Architecture and folk-art enthusiasts may want longer. If you are pairing Cabot’s with another Desert Hot Springs stop, leave enough time for the tour rather than treating the reservation as an approximate arrival window.
Accessibility and historic conditions
This is a historic, hand-built structure with rooms, thresholds and outdoor surfaces that differ from a purpose-built modern museum. We did not find sufficient current official detail to characterize every interior route. Contact the museum with the exact mobility or access requirement before selecting guided, self-guided or grounds-only admission.
Before you leave
- Choose guided, self-guided or grounds-only admission.
- Check the seasonal schedule for that exact ticket type.
- Book online and note the required check-in time.
- Charge the phone needed for a self-guided audio tour.
- Prepare for outdoor heat and sun even when the main goal is the house.
Use the official Cabot’s Pueblo Museum visitor page for current tours and tickets. For local orientation, see our Desert Hot Springs guide.
Information checked September 13, 2026. Tour schedules, prices, access and seasonal opening can change.