The rocks also make walking barefoot through the river incredibly difficult, so if you come, WEAR WATER SHOES. The sturdier and grippier, the better. Make sure you pack water and reapply sunscreen while you're out. Sunglasses and hats recommended.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Neoprene wetsuit bottoms and athletic shirts will also help insulate. Water socks and Aqua shoes are specially made for use in lakes or rivers. They protect your feet from rocky riverbeds, and some people just find them more comfortable than bare feet.