Salt River Canyon Wilderness

Salt River • AZ

Length

52.0 mi

Difficulty

Class III-IV

Current flow

36 cfs (low water)

Salt River near Chrysotile · about 1 hour ago

Shuttle

95 mi / 150 min

🟢 Put-in: US-60 Bridge Put-in (First Campground) 🔴 Take-out: SR-288 Bridge Take-out

🪪 Permit required — Tonto National Forest — Apply ↗

Arizona's classic desert multi-day. From the US-60 bridge the Salt
enters a roadless canyon for ~52 miles of Class III-IV pool-drop
whitewater — Maytag, Three-Way, Eye of the Needle, the historic
Quartzite Falls, and Corkscrew below it — with hot springs, side
hikes, and big saguaro-studded camps. Typically run in 4-5 days,
March-May on snowmelt. A Tonto National Forest boater permit (lottery,
~Mar 1-May 15) is required in season.

✓ Real river route loaded

🏕 Campsites (3)

Second Campground Mile 1.0

Salt Bank Campground Mile 4.8

Raftzer Take-Out Dispersed Mile 52.0

🌊 Rapids (12)

Bump and Grind Class III • Mile 1.0 Exhibition Class III+ • Mile 2.0 Maytag Class III+ • Mile 6.0 Mescal Falls Class III • Mile 9.0 Reforma Class III • Mile 12.0 Three-Way Class IV • Mile 14.0 Eye of the Needle Class IV • Mile 16.0 Black Rock Class III+ • Mile 18.0 Quartzite Falls Class IV • Mile 24.0 Corkscrew Class IV • Mile 24.4 Walnut Canyon Class III • Mile 32.0 Pinball Class III+ • Mile 42.0