Angel Cove is named for an angel-shaped rock formation located at the top of the cove's largest canyon. The formation depicted to the right is best viewed from a distance across the valley. The naming of Angel Cove is attributed to a settler of the cove who believed an angel had saved her very sick child.The Cahuilla people, native to this region since time immortal referred to the general area as "pe on bel", which translates to "coll wind blowing."
Along with evidence of early use og the area by the Cahuilla people near the base of the mountain, there are remains of thee home sites from the 1920's and 1930's.
Angel Cove was preserved for its scenic and wildlife habitat values, and fortunate visitors may catch a glimpse of grazing endangered peninsular bighorn sheep on the slopes above the cove. Angel cove was preserved under the leadership of Friends of Palm Springs Mountain through funding from the Coachella Valley Mountain Conservancy and the city of Palm Springs. The entire area was donated to the city of Palm Springs in 2017.