Salt River

AZ • US

The Salt River drains the White Mountains of eastern Arizona and cuts a
spectacular desert canyon — Arizona's premier multi-day wilderness
whitewater. The Salt River Canyon Wilderness run is a ~52-mile,
self-support Class III-IV trip (a few rapids approach Class V at low
water) through a remote Sonoran/high-desert gorge with saguaro, side-
canyon springs, and no road access between the put-in and take-out. It is
snowmelt-driven and runs mainly March-May; a Tonto National Forest permit
(lottery) is required in the primary season.

200.0 mi total 1 sections 3 access points 3 camps 12 rapids

🗺 Explore map

Click any point for details. Sections without stored geometry are drawn as straight put-in → take-out lines — actual courses follow the river. Purple lines = permit-required sections.

Sections (1)

Salt River Canyon Wilderness

● US-60 Bridge Put-in (First Campground) → ● SR-288 Bridge Take-out

52.0 mi 🏕 3 🌊 12 💧 45 cfs · low

Class III-IV

🔒 Permit