Previously known as Hajarain, Hatta became a dependency of Dubai during the reign of Hasher Bin Maktoum after the Omani Sultan Turki bin Said transferred the territory, finding himself unable to defend it against the Na'im of Buraimi, who had settled neighbouring Masfout (today a part of the emirate of Ajman).[1][2] The village was still called Hajarain as recently as 1906.[3]

The old village of Hatta includes two prominent military towers from the 1880s,[4][5] a fort from 1896[4][5] and the Juma mosque, which was built in 1780 and is the oldest building in Hatta. Some ancestral burial chambers from the Hafit period (3200-2500BC) can be found in the east part of the village. Some of them have been completely rebuilt.[6] The traditional water supply was through the falaj system, which also has been restored.[4][7] Since it is located in the mountains, traditionally it was the summer habitation of Dubai-based families escaping the heat and humidity of the coast and trying new outdoor activities.[8]

Since the early 1980s, Hatta has been a popular vacation destination for western expatriates and local families alike for 'wadi bashing' through the tracks between Hatta, Mahdah and Al Ain.[9]