Salt

Location: Central Arizona, through the Sonoran Desert (about 125 miles east of Phoenix).

Length of trips: 8 to 10 miles in one day; 20 miles in one to two days; 52 miles in three to five days.

Season: February to early June, depending on the snowpack and weather. The water flow usually peaks between mid-March and late April. NOTE: Due to drought conditions, there’s no rafting on the Salt River in 1996.

Weather: In March, April, and May temperatures can soar to 105°F during the day but usually average between 75° and 90°; nighttime temperatures range from 45° to 60°. It occasionally snows in February and early March. March and April usually offer the best weather and white-water conditions. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes.

Lodging: Most campsites are on sandbars and wooded beaches.

Boats: Kayaks, oar boats, paddle rafts.

Rapids: Mostly Class II and III, plus at least half a dozen Class IV drops. Cold, clear water (silty during runoff).

Special features:

  • Winds through stark granite gorges and the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation.
  • Short hikes up side canyons to waterfalls.
  • Wildflowers in early spring.
  • High desert wildlife, including bald eagles, rattlesnakes, and Gila monsters.
  • Giant saguaro cactuses, whiplike ocotillos, thorny paloverdes, and woodlands of junipers, oaks, and pi–ons.
  • Good fishing for catfish.
  • Wilderness solitude (except weekends in peak season).
  • Suitable for novices, seniors in good physical condition, and families (check with your outfitter about age limits for children).

Nearby excursions:

  • Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park in Globe.
  • Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, near Superior.
  • Tonto National Monument.
  • Theodore Roosevelt Dam and Lake.

For more information:

  • Tonto National Forest, 2324 East McDowell Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85006; +1 602 225 5200, fax +1 602 225 5295.
  • Arizona Office of Tourism, 2702 North Third Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85004; +1 602 230 7733 or 800 842 8257, fax +1 602 240 5475.

 
 
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