The Lower Salt River Recreation Area, located just outside of Mesa, Arizona, is a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts. Flowing through the Tonto National Forest, this stretch of river offers breathtaking desert scenery, abundant wildlife, and plenty of opportunities for adventure. Whether you're looking to relax on the water, do stand up paddle boarding on the river, picnic in a scenic spot, explore the surrounding landscapes, or see the famous Salt River wild horses, there’s something for everyone.

Below are a few outdoorsy things to do that I have found as a frequent visitor to this part of the Tonto National forest to be some of the most popular public activities or fun things to do. This is not an all inclusive list as I am mainly focusing on activities that revolve around the river and the recreation sites on it. Nearby Saguaro lake is a very popular and busy recreational destination in its own right that I will cover in another post.

Kayaking, Tubing, & Stand Up Paddle Boarding or SUP

By far one of the most popular activities on this part of the Salt River is journeying downstream on a personal flotation device on this slow moving part of the river- there are no technical rapids that I know of. I think its appropriate to say that floating down this scenic desert river in late Spring and Summer is a right of passage for most people growing up and living in the Phoenix metro area. Its an extremely popular activity with younger people and can be a quite a mobile party scene with hundreds of people kicking back, drinking cold beer, and floating down to one of the major pullout points. Whether you prefer a kayak, paddle board or SUP, or a leisurely tube ride the cool water released from the Saguaro lake dam provides a fun, visually stimulating adventure, and welcome escape from the legendary Arizona summer heat. There are several local outfitters like Salt River Tubing that offer rentals and shuttle services to make your trip easy and enjoyable. See images and video clip below…

Wildlife Viewing

The lower Salt River ecosystem is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including bald eagles, great blue herons, great horned owls, otters, javelina, big horn sheep, mustangs, and more. Early mornings and late afternoon are generally the best times to spot wildlife along the river. Popular recreation sites that can be accessed right of the Bush highway areas like Blue Point, Coon Bluff, and Goldfield are good choices to see wildlife near the river.

Viewing & Photographing The Famous The Wild Horses

As a photographer , finding and capturing images and video footage of the iconic Salt River wild horses is my personal favorite thing to do when visiting the lower Salt River recreation area. These protected animals are always on the move in there 20,000 acre range, but in general early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see them along the river. If you are lucky, you may even see these majestic animals in or crossing the river as you float down river in a personal flotation device like a kayak. You can view more info here about some of the best places to see them on the river in my experience.

Experiencing Desert Wildflowers

If there is a robust rainy season in the winter months, there is always a good chance to see an explosion of Spring wildflowers (Mexican Poppies, Lupine, etc) along the Bush highway starting in early March as it enters the recreation area from Northbound highway 87 and nears the entrance of Saguaro lake. 2023 was in fact considered a “super bloom” and this area was one of the most popular hot spots in the greater Phoenix area to see and experience the wildflowers. Unfortunately, this popularity also led to a lot of traffic and congestion issues on the 2 lane Bush highway. As far as wildflower season 2025, unfortunately its not looking very promising right now because of the lack of any significant rain in the last 6 months. You can view current updates here.

Fishing

Most anglers will love the fishing opportunities here, with bass, catfish, suckers, and some very big carp commonly found in the river. Starting in late October and throughout the winter months rainbow trout are also stocked in the river here. Check in with Arizona Fish and Game for regulations and local fly-fishing shops for the most current info and fishing reports. Many anglers just pull in and park at designated recreation sites like Blue Point or Pebble beach which provide very quick and easy access to the river.

Hiking & Exploring

The surrounding Tonto National Forest offers great hiking trails with stunning views of the desert landscape. Popular nearby hikes include the Goldfield Ovens Trail and the Phon D. Sutton Loop, which provide scenic vistas and a chance to see ancient rock formations. Its not for everyone, but as a landscape and wildlife photographer I prefer just parking at a recreation site like Blue Point or Goldfield and then just hike along the river bank where there is generally always an obvious trail or path to follow.

Picnicking Along The River

Several recreation sites along the river, like Coon Bluff, Blue Point, Sheep’s Crossing, and Pebble Beach, offer picnic areas with tables and restrooms that are very close to the river. Its no longer uncommon to see visitors setting up there own portable sun shade shelters right along the river bank or even in the water! Be forewarned, that weekends during the summer months can be extremely busy with people and families looking to recreate right along the river.

General Photography

The Lower Salt River is a dream for landscape photographers, with its dramatic desert backdrop, reflective waters, and golden-hour lighting. Sunsets and sunrises here are particularly stunning, casting vibrant hues across the sky and the surrounding cliffs that are often studded with the iconic Saguaro cactus.

See images below!

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Paddle boarders on the Salt River in Arizona — A group of Paddle boarders heading down the Salt River on an early summer morning in 2024. Floating down this scenic river in the summer time is a very popular and exciting thing to do.

Three SUP users heading down the river summer time 2024. Contact me about video footage from the Salt river recreation area. This is very visually stimulating experience as the scenery keeps changing and you never know what type of wildlife you will see around the next bend. Including wild horses…

If the conditions are right, the Lower Salt River recreation can be an excellent location to view Spring wildflowers like these Mexican Poppies and Lavender lupine.

This short video contains scenes from the 2023 Wildflower Super bloom. All these scenes were captured in the lower Salt River Recreation area along the Bush highway.

A group of Anglers fly-fishing at the Blue Point Recreation site on the lower Salt River. The parking lot, which has picnic tables and restrooms, is about 50 yards away from the bank.

Anglers fishing at the popular Pebble Beach recreation site on the lower Salt River. Keep in mind you will be required to buy a day pass at these recreation sites which I think currently is $8.00