Yes, you can bring your own tube to float the Salt River. You will just need to have a vehicle at both the top and bottom launch sites. Is Salt River Tubing OK for kids?
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To go tubing on the Salt River, rent your tube online — this rental will include a tube and transportation to and from the river! The Salt River is one of the most popular spots for tubing in Arizona, so you'll be floating alongside other groups of tubers.
Salt River Tubing pricing is $21. This price includes parking at the origin point, a tube to float the river on and a shuttle to the launch area and back.
Arizona's Salt River Tubing & RecreationRentals are available daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (The rental services is open until 6 p.m. to return tubers on the shuttle.)
Fun - Wet - and Mildly Dangerous. On a hot summer day - nothing beats drifting down the salt - BUT there are safety concerns. Drownings are all too common here - dure mainly to the exposed root structure along the shore. People often lash the innertubes together, and can't manuver out of the dangerous areas.
It takes about 2 hours to float the Salt River from the launch point top of the river down to the bridge. It takes about 3 hours to float from the bridge down to the bottom exit point. If you want to float the Salt River from the top launch point down to the last exit, plan for about 5 hours.
Lower Salt River: A surprisingly short drive from downtown Phoenix reaches the Salt River, where runoff from the distant mountains waters the desert. Here you can swim, float, and paddle among huge cacti, towering cliffs, and a herd of wild horses.
One of my favorite annual trips to lead is a moonlight paddle down the Lower Salt River east of Phoenix. The Salt River is a great little trip either early in the morning, or long after the tubers have gone home—it's serene, has some nice scenery, is convenient to the metro Phoenix area, and offers easy logistics.
WHAT TYPE OF SHOES SHOULD I WEAR? ?TENNIS SHOES, AQUA-SHOES, RIVER SANDALS with Straps or other ?secure footwear? are needed to protect your feet against sharp objects, cuts, scrapes, bruises and the rocky and often slippery river bottom while walking to and from the entry/exit points for tubing on the Guadalupe River.
Also bring some rope to tie the chest to the tube. Also, bring some kind of lunch. Sandwiches and snacks work the best. If you bring beer or soda (you MUST bring one or the other or water!) be sure to bring CANS ONLY glass is not allowed on the river.
You can swim in the Salt River, but be aware that the water is not as clean as your typical swimming pool because of all the folks and animals who use the river daily.
Explore the Salt River Wilderness From a RaftWe offer trips up to five days long. Many Phoenix and Tucson residents join us each spring on our most popular trip—a full-day rafting adventure starting near the Highway 60 bridge between Globe and Show Low, Arizona.
The morning is the best time to go Salt River Tubing. The last tube rental is at 2pm so at the very least, you need to go before then. Our group arrived at 10:15 am and waited in a short line to rent our tubes. I do not recommend going much later than that because the parking lot and rental area will get very crowded.
As leaves fall off and the wind blows, salt is dispersed around the surrounding land. Since the salt river is lined by Tamarisk, much of that salt falls into the water, making it salty.
Those who don't know how to swim must wear a life vest and should avoid leaving their tube. Music- Feel free to bring speakers or portable stereos, but out of respect for others, make sure they can't be heard more than 50 feet away.
The river was used for irrigation by the pre-Columbian Hohokam culture, by later Native Americans, and by early Euro-American settlers in the 19th century. It currently provides a major source of irrigation and drinking water for Phoenix and surrounding communities through the Salt River Project.