If you’re planning a visit to Phoenix, Arizona, you can’t miss visiting the gorgeous rivers and lakes in the area. The Salt River is one of the most popular spots for kayakers, paddle boarders and tubers during the warmer months. Offering refreshing mountain-stream waters, scenic views and wild life, the Salt River is a must see for visitors to Phoenix!
Since my parents moved to Phoenix a few years ago, I’ve completely fallen in love with the desert landscape and try to explore a new area or do a different activity each time I visit. Kayaking the Salt River was high on my list so I decided to try it on my most recent visit… and I was not disappointed. Gliding down the river, taking in the gorgeous scenery and spotting wild horses was an unforgettable experience and I’m already eager to go again.
Here’s everything you need to know about kayaking the Salt River in Phoenix!
How to Plan a Kayak Day Trip
It’s definitely doable to plan a kayaking trip on your own (without a group tour or guide) but you’ll need to plan where to enter and exit the river and ideally have a car at each spot. Of course, you’ll also need to bring your own kayaks and life jacket! There are many options for kayak rental shops in the Phoenix area — a quick search and you’ll find one so you’ll just need to make sure you have a vehicle that can easily transport them to the Salt River.
After doing some research, I decided to go with a group kayaking tour (we went with Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch). It was definitely the easiest option since I didn’t know the river and I didn’t have my own kayak!
Going with an organized group ensured that I didn’t have to worry about where to enter and exit the river, transportation between the two and also that I didn’t get lost or stuck in a rapid. If you’re a first timer to the Salt River or an inexperienced kayaker, I’d highly suggest this route!
When to Kayak the Salt River
The best months to kayak the Salt River are generally April through October, although it depends on the water flow. Water is released from the Stewart Mountain Dam and the ideal flow for kayaking is between about 500-1500 cfs. Before you plan your trip, check the current conditions on the USGS website so you can make sure there is plenty of water flow for your trip.
As for time of day, the early morning is generally the most peaceful time to visit. During the summer months and on weekends, the Salt River is a popular spot for college students to float the river so you might experience more crowds, music and activity mid-day and on weekends.
Going kayaking in the early morning is also a great way to beat the heat during the summer months!
What to Expect Kayaking the Salt River
Since it was my first time and I’m not an advanced kayaker, I was a little nervous and not sure what to expect. All my worries went away though when I got to the river!
This river is great for beginner kayakers and there are only a handful of rapids (all of which are usually rated as Class I rapids, and two of which can be Class II only during certain flow rates).
We met our kayaking group at the start of the trip and a guide gave us directions on which turns to make to avoid any stronger rapids for those that wanted to keep it easy (… me!). Once we set off on the river, we were immediately rewarded with stunning mountain views the and beautiful wilderness of the Tonto National Forest.
As we paddled down the river, we marveled at countless majestic Saguaros and were lucky enough to see some wild horses!
The area is home to a herd of about 300 wild horses. I had heard it was possible to spot them along the Salt River but, since it’s never a guarantee, I was very excited when we saw them drinking from the banks of the river. They didn’t seem to mind the kayakers at all (I guess they are completely used to seeing people now) and they crossed right in front of us!
Our group kayak trip covered 5 miles of the lower Salt River and took about 2 hours to complete. This was the perfect starter kayak trip for me!
What to Bring on a Salt River Kayak Trip
- Kayak + Paddle: you’ll of course need these items if you aren’t planning to go on an organized group tour that provides them!
- Life Jacket or PFD: having a personal floatation device on your kayak is required by law.
- Dry Bag: while not necessary if you don’t plan on bringing any personal items, this is totally handy if you want to bring your phone or camera without it getting wet. Oh, and you will likely get wet on this trip!
- Sunscreen: the Arizona sun can be brutal so you’ll definitely want to take all the proper precautions including sunscreen.
- Hat or visor: this is crucial for keeping the bright sun out of your eyes and protecting your face from harmful UV rays.
- Sunglasses: I brought both a hat and sunglasses to protect my eyes from the sun and was glad I had them!
- Towel: while this wasn’t necessary to bring on the kayak, I packed one for the car so I wouldn’t get my seats wet after I finished kayaking.
- Sneakers, Sandals or Water Shoes: if you don’t have any water shoes, wear a pair of old sneakers or sandals that strap to your feet. You will likely get a little wet and you don’t want to worry about loosing flip flops in the water.
- Swimsuit + Clothes: since I knew I was probably going to get splashed a bit, I wore my swimsuit with some shorts. When the sun is at its strongest (mid-day and during the summer months), you may want to wear a long-sleeved UV protection shirt or pants that can get wet and keep you cool and protected from the sun.
- Kayak gloves: if you’re going on a short kayak trip, these aren’t necessary and most people don’t bring them… however, by the end of the two hours I had a blister on each hand and would probably choose to pack them next time!
- Water bottle: bringing water is essential! You’ll want to make sure you bring enough to stay hydrated throughout your trip.
- Snacks: I packed a snack bar with me in case I got hungry… which I did!
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