What animals are in the Salt River?

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.



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Swimming in the Salt River is something to be cautious about. It's not the ideal place to swim in nor the safest.

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River otters are occasionally seen along the riverbank or swimming in the water. Of the various lizards, snakes, and toads found in the area, the gopher snake, coachwhip, western diamond-backed rattlesnake, desert spiny and zebra-tailed lizards, and Woodhouse's toad are most common.

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Where can you see the wild horses? Before sunrise and after sunset, along the waters of the Tonto National Forest and into the adjacent Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation, visitors have a pretty good chance at catching a glimpse of Arizona's wild horse population.

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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.

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How many Salt River wild horses are there? According to the Bureau of Land Management, there are an estimated 500 wild horses dispersed throughout the Tonto Forest. Of course, the herds aren't all together in one specific spot, which means there can be more or less any given day.

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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.

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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.

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Children must be at least eight (8) years old AND four (4) feet tall to go tubing. SRT policy requires children ages 8-12 to wear life jackets. These can be purchased at our Snack Bar for $15.

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Are the Salt River horses wild and native horses, or stray livestock/feral horses? The Salt River wild horses are a historic population of unbranded, unclaimed, wild and free-roaming horses that were born in the wild and are now protected by State Law within the national forest.

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