Overview
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2 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
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.
Additional Info
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.
What To Expect
Salt River
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!
Options
Summer
7:30am Departure : Tour meets at 7:30am at: Canal/Hawes PNR - 3055 N Power Rd, Mesa 85212
Fall/Spring
9am, 1pm Departures: Tour meets at selected tour time at: Canal/Hawes PNR - 3055 N Power Rd, Mesa 85212
What‘s Included
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
8 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly recommend!! We had so much fun!
Michaela B,Apr 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had such a fun time on the river, our guides Missy and Owen were great! We went for a bachelorette trip and it was perfect. The water was great, not too rough. We will absolutely be back!
Great tour company!!
Guide12055693371,Apr 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience, helpful And knowledgeable tour guides and staff. Fun time and saw wild horses which was fun!
Very good
matthewrU5543SV,Mar 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very easy trip with nice guide (Steve). No complaints whatsoever. The trip is pretty chill (more like a float than a kayak trip), but the guide and guide company did a very good job.
Family float down the Salt River
TravelBob-2,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a great excursion for the family. We took the rafting trip down the lower Salt River. Guide was very knowledgeable about the water and the area.
Delightful Day on the lower Salt River
loriv310,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fantastic day on the guided kayak tour of the lower salt river. Missy was our guide … she was informative and personable!! We would highly recommend!!
A must for any level of kayaker
benjaminsG5902ZX,Mar 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing experience and the crew we had was fantastic. Great views, calm waters; a wonderful way to see the area. A great value for the family to make memories. Steve and Owen were the best! Felt completely safe and well prepared by our guides. Able to relax and take in the sights.
Great day trip.
Victoria L,Mar 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The day we went the river was calm so we were able to float down smoothly without much work. The kayaks are very stable and easy to use even for those with little experience. Our guide Owen was great, he had a lot of knowledge of the area and was a very experienced guide.
Peaceful guided river float
Jessica H,Feb 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Such a relaxing experience. We had exceptional guides and overall, a peaceful way to float through AZ! We were a group of 4. Our guides were helpful, knowledgeable and just lovely to be around and enjoy a kayaking adventure with. Absolutely loved it.
Related Experiences
Operated by Cliff Creek Outfitters