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.
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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.
Arizona's Pebble Beach, 20 miles northeast of Mesa, is a popular spot to start or finish a leisurely tubing trip down the Salt River. Because no motorized boats are allowed, it's also an ideal place to swim.
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.
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.)
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.
The surging rapids of the Salt River AZ guarantee excitement for all ability levels! Anywhere from Class II splashing rapids, to Class III wet and fun rapids, to Class IV big drop rapids, the Salt River AZ will leave you wanting more. Why stop at a day trip?
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.
The lake's turquoise waters attract sailors, its white sand beaches are popular with swimmers and sunbathers, and craggy outcroppings on Antelope Island and some shoreline areas draw hikers and mountain bikers.
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.
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.
Wildlife can best be viewed by leisurely walking or riding along the river, or floating downstream in a kayak or inner tube. Bald eagle, osprey, peregrine falcon, Harris's hawk, heron, egret, waterfowl, and other riparian and upland birds are frequently seen.
Marshmallows get very sticky when wet, making them the perfect ammunition to lob at other tubers for some lighthearted fun. They also float, so you can pick up discarded ammo and reuse it as you travel down the river.
Salt River Rafting rapids are rated class III and IV. The Salt River drops an average of 25 feet per mile for over 50 miles through rocky, secluded canyons.
The Upper Salt River is a solid Class III-IV river and requires whitewater boating skills. As the water level drops the river becomes more technically difficult, and at low water a few of the rapids approach Class V.
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.
Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish and Catfish can all be found in the waters of the Salt River below Saguaro Lake. Take advantage of this year-round trout fishery in the summer when the air temperatures are 100°F and the water is 65°F.