Guided Kayak Tours on Lower Salt River
Explore the serene beauty of Arizona’s rivers on a guided kayak or flatwater tour. The Lower Salt River offers a scenic desert oasis perfect for all. Guests float in self-bailing tandem kayaks, with two people per boat, while a guide accompanies alongside guests to offer instruction and insights about the Sonoran Desert. The river’s gentle current makes for an easy float. Along the way, there’s plenty of time to swim, play, and enjoy the view, with close encounters with wildlife like wild horses and great blue herons adding to the magic. All equipment is provided, including paddles, dry bags, and life jackets, so you can simply relax and enjoy an unforgettable day on the water.
Tours take about four hours including the drive to/from the river and the duration of the tour. Bottled water and snacks, raft/paddles, a life jacket, dry bags, round-trip transportation and National Forest entry fees are included in this trip.
Options
Fall/Spring
9am, 1pm Departures: Tour meets at selected tour time at: Canal/Hawes PNR - 3055 N Power Rd, Mesa 85212
What's included in Guided Kayak Tours on Lower Salt River
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Salt RiverPass-by Only
Kayak down a beginner‐friendly river with Cliff Creek Outfitters' guided raft tours on the Lower Salt River just outside Phoenix and Scottsdale. This class I river (the easiest rating on the international river difficulty scale) provides some of the best opportunities for viewing wildlife and bird watching in the Southwest. We often see wild horses and bald eagles during our tour! Your guides are available to teach you the natural history of the area and give you expert paddling instruction. We select our launch locations based on the current water flow to provide you with the best experience so our start and end points vary throughout the year. Water temperatures may range from approx. 60 degrees F in the winter to low 80 degrees in the summer months. Swimming is possible year‐round but it can be a bit bracing in January!
Inclusions
- PFD (life jacket), dry bags
- Bottled water
- Kayak & paddles
- Professional guide
- Snacks
- Fuel surcharge
- Roundtrip Transportation from Meeting Location (Canal/Hawes PNR: 3055 N Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85215)
- Guide gratuities are optional but appreciated.
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum weight of 35 lbs is required
- A minimum of 4 people per booking is required
- We require solo-travelers to pay the minimum of the 4-person price. If you are a solo traveler and would like to be added on to a pre-formed group for this tour, please mention this upon booking.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting / End Points
- * Look for signs for the Canal/Hawes Park & Ride. * Two entrances into lot: one at the light at N Power Rd and E Preston St and one 0.1 miles north on Power Rd. * Look for the CCO van towards the north end of the lot. Please arrive a few minutes early.
Redeem
Ticket Redemption
• Meet us at Canal/Hawes Trailhead Park and Ride (3055 N Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85215) See Map a few minutes before your scheduled tour. You can expect to be with another group on your rafting tour unless you have booked a private tour. • All tours will meet at a the Canal/Hawes Park & Ride and travel 10 minutes to our tour location on the Lower Salt River. • Clothing – Comfortable, weather appropriate athletic clothing – shorts and a t-shirt, bathing suit, on cooler mornings long sleeves are advised. We recommend bringing a dry change of clothes for after your trip. • Water shoes/sandals/old sneakers – These must stay on your feet at all times – sports sandals only, please. Flip flops or bare feet are not allowed. • Sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, lip balm, medications, hat, etc. • Children must be accompanied by an adult • A minimum weight of 35 lbs is required • Not wheelchair accessible
