Why is it called Salt River?

The Salt's headwaters tributaries, the Black River and East Fork, increase the river's total length to about 300 miles (480 km). The name Salt River comes from the fact that the river flows over large salt deposits shortly after the merging of the White and Black Rivers.



People Also Ask

Well, believe it or not, the Salt River does contain salt, or its elemental form sodium. All rivers do. But native Arizonans knew generations ago of large salt deposits located on what is today the Fort Apache Reservation, northeast of Roosevelt Lake, which the river flows over in some sections.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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?

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

As with all bodies of fresh water there is a risk of bacteria or protozoa infections because the water is not chlorinated.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

And it's stunningly beautiful. –The Smith River is the wildest and cleanest river in the country outside of Alaska — indeed, it is one of the cleanest rivers in the world. — The Smith is the only major undammed river in California.

MORE DETAILS