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Salt, AZ

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2 - US 60 to Hwy 288 above Roosevelt Reservoir

Class II-IV
60 Miles

Rafting Quartzite Falls


Rafting Quartzite Falls
Photo of William "Hawk" Reeves by Will Reeves @ 3000 cfs

Gauge Information

Salt
2 - US 60 to Hwy 288 above Roosevelt Reservoir II-IV
low
209
7/19 21:30
[detail]

Min Sug. Level:  800 cfs Max Sug. Level:  10000 cfs

River Description

A wonderful multiday run can be run on the Upper Salt, from the Salt River Canyon Bridge on Highway 60 to Lake Roosevelt. See the Route 60 to Roosevelt Reservoir description. There is 60 miles of bouncing whitewater in a spectacular Sonoran Desert canyon. For gear-hauling rafts, a minimum flow is 1,200. The infamous rapid Quartzite is a solid class IV at most levels, but without the class V consequences that existed at high flows before it was illegally blasted.

A Wilderness permit is required from March 1st to May 15th. Normally a 3 or 4 day trip, the controlled wilderness section begins 20 miles downstream from Highway 60. Apply for your wilderness permit accordingly one or two days later than you would like to launch. Check the permit link to the right for additional information
If you don't have several days to spend and a permit, see the daily run description.
StreamTeam Status: verified
Last Updated: 2005-04-28 18:20:53

Search Results

Photos/Videos 1- of 15

Salt River Arizona


Salt River Arizona  Salt River AZ
(47.02KB .jpeg)

Salt Canyon


Salt Canyon  Salt AZ
(82.83KB .jpeg)

Brad running the left of Black Rock


Brad running the left of Black Rock  Salt AZ
(70.39KB .jpeg)

Corksrew


Corksrew  Salt AZ
(61.94KB .jpeg)

Quartzite from below


Quartzite from below  Salt AZ
(61.41KB .jpeg)

Maytag Rapid


Maytag Rapid  Salt AZ
(53.38KB .jpeg)

Salt River put in


Salt River put in  Salt AZ
(43.92KB .jpeg)

Whiterock Rapid


Whiterock Rapid  Salt AZ
(57.09KB .jpeg)

Ledges rapid


Ledges rapid  Salt AZ
(61.45KB .jpeg)

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Gauge

Gauge Description:

Also check out the Roosevelt gage for conditions near the takeout.

Flows: The “Salt Season” occurs when the snow melts in the White Mountains of southeastern Arizona, usually beginning in March and ending in May. Sometimes good flows occur in February or last until June, but this only happens every 10 years or so. Adequate flows may also occur during Monsoon Season in July and August. For kayakers who just want to go downstream, 300 CFS is a minimum. For surfathon fun, 800 is a bare minimum, and 2,000-3,000 is optimal. For gear-hauling rafts, a minimum flow is 1,200. The river has been run up to 28,000 cfs in 2 days but most sane boaters make 10K a cut off.

Salt River near Chrysotile [ AZ ]

Current Conditions

Stage Flow Updated
1.77 209 7/19 21:30

Station Graphs

Linked Reaches

Search Results

Level Legend: Running Below Minimum Recommended Flow Above Maximum Recommended Flow Unknown
Descriptions of reaches with River Name in bold have been verified by a regional StreamTeam member.

State River Name/Section Class Level Rel. Level Updated
AZ Salt— 1 - Fort Apache to US 60 III-IV+(V+) 209 cfs   low 7/19 21:30
AZ Salt— 1.5 - US 60 to Mescal Rapid III-IV 209 cfs   low 7/19 21:30
AZ Salt— 2 - US 60 to Hwy 288 above Roosevelt Reservoir II-IV 209 cfs   low 7/19 21:30
AZ Salt— 2.5 - Gleason Flats 19 mi. to Horseshoe Bend III-IV 209 cfs   low 7/19 21:30

Station Description

AW Gauge ID:4378
USGS Station:09497500
HUC:15060103
Latitude:33.7981
Longitude:-110.4992
Class:2

WXPort

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icon of message No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run.

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Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
-0.1Apache Falls5.1Hazard Waterfall Photo
0.0Put in at the fallsPutin
0.3Island RapidII+Playspot
0.5Mule Hoof Campground access pointAccess Photo
2.0MaytagIIIPlayspot Photo
2.5ReformaIIIPlayspot
3.0OverboardIII
5.8River AccessAccess
5.8ExhibitionIIIPlayspot
6.8Cibeque CreekAccess
8.4Lower Salt River Draw (Mescal Falls)IIIPlayspot Photo
10.2Salt BanksWaterfall
10.9Ledges RapidIIIPlayspot Photo
13.8Rat trapIII
13.9WhiterockIIIPhoto
16.1Canyon Creek
16.4GraniteIII
18.0Gleason FlatAccess
21.6Eye of the NeedleIVHazard
22.1Black RockIVHazard Photo
26.5PendejoIII
28.9Lower CorralIIIPlayspot
29.0PinballIIIHazard
29.1MazeIVHazard
31.5Quartzite FallsIVPortage Hazard Photo
31.7CorkscrewIVPortage Hazard Playspot Photo
34.1CliffhangerII+Hazard
35.6Cherry Creek
37.5Horseshoe BendAccess
51.7TakeoutTakeout
52.0Diversion Dam5.1Portage Hazard Waterfall

Rapid Descriptions

Apache Falls (Class 5.1, Mile -0.1)

Apache Falls

Apache Falls
Photo by Kevin miller

Apache Falls is a large nearly unrunnable waterfall ledge above the put in for the Salt Canyon run. Running the ledge is illegal.

Put in at the falls
The upstream most put in is at the base of Apache Falls upstream of the US Highway 60 bridge.

Island Rapid (Class II+, Mile 0.3)
Island rapid is a wave train with holes. Unless the river is above 1200 cfs it is best to avoid this rapid by using the normal access point at Mule Hoof Campground.

Mule Hoof Campground access point

Salt River put in

Salt River put in
Photo by Kevin Miller

Most boaters use this access point for the put in. The access road is across the street from the WMA permit office and gas station. A small Class II rapid is immediatly downstream.

Maytag (Class III, Mile 2.0)

Maytag Rapid

Maytag Rapid

An island divides the flow. The deepest channel is on river right.

Reforma (Class III, Mile 2.5)
A wave train with a big hole on river left.

Overboard (Class III, Mile 3.0)
A shallow shoal on river left that is best run down a chute to the far right bank.

River Access
Rafters and boaters often camp here.

Exhibition (Class III, Mile 5.8)
A big wave train with some great play waves .

Cibeque Creek
This river access point sometimes washes out when Cibeque Creek floods.

Lower Salt River Draw (Mescal Falls) (Class III, Mile 8.4)

Salt River Arizona

Salt River Arizona
Photo of Will Reeves by William Reeves taken 1969-12-31

A rock strewn wave train with occasional play holes.

Salt Banks
A very small extreamly saline stream flows over a waterfall on river right into the Salt Canyon.

Ledges Rapid (Class III, Mile 10.9)

Ledges rapid

Ledges rapid
Photo of Will Reeves by Kevin Miller @ 2500 cfs

Ledges rapid is formed when the river flows over low angle quartzite ledges. This rapid has some of the best play waves and holes on almost any river.

Rat trap (Class III, Mile 13.8)
A long rapid with big exploding waves and large holes. Rat Trap marks the start of a micro canyon of polished granite. The next 5 miles are reminiscent of California whitewater.

Whiterock (Class III, Mile 13.9)

Whiterock Rapid

Whiterock Rapid

Polished boulers, boiling eddies, irreglar waves and holes are common for the next few miles.

Canyon Creek
Canyon Creek flows into the Salt on river left. This creek can be boated.

Granite (Class III, Mile 16.4)
Granite is probably the largest rapid in the microgorge and marks the final drop before Gleason Flat.

Gleason Flat
Gleason Flat is the middle access point for the Salt river and the point at which permits are required.

Eye of the Needle (Class IV, Mile 21.6)
The Salt enters another granite microgorge and is pinched down as it flows over a ledge with a powerful hole. Scout and protauge on river left.

Black Rock (Class IV, Mile 22.1)

Brad running the left of Black Rock

Brad running the left of Black Rock
Photo of Brad Roberts by Will Reeves @ 2500 cfs

Black Rock is the final rapid in a small micro gorge. The Salt is choaked with sharp boulders and drops over some ledges. Alternate lines exist but most rafts will run river right near a 6' pourover. Scout from river left.

Pendejo (Class III, Mile 26.5)
The Salt is split by a huge boulder. Most rafts must run right but hard boats can run slots down the left.

Lower Corral (Class III, Mile 28.9)
A wave train with a huge hole in the center at higher flows.

Pinball (Class III, Mile 29.0)
Pinball has everything from large waves and holes to boiling eddies. Don't swim here or you could wash into Maze, a dangerous rapid.

Maze (Class IV, Mile 29.1)
Maze is a complex rapid that starts with a pair of big holes on river left and then snakes around a corner toward the right to feed a narrow canyon with boiling eddies. This is not a fun rapid to swim or flip a raft.

Quartzite Falls (Class IV, Mile 31.5)

Open Canoe in Quartzite

Open Canoe in Quartzite
Photo of Will Reeves by Kevin Miller @ 2500 cfs

Quartzite Falls was once the bane of Salt raft trips. At almost all flows it involved a half day portauge and difficult rope work. Those days are gone, becuase the rapid was destroyed with dyanamite. Quartzite Falls is now an easy class IV or III rapid with a small but shallow hole at the base on river right. This once infamous rapid is now one of the smaller "big drops" on the Salt. Scout on river right and portauge on river left.

Corkscrew (Class IV, Mile 31.7)

Corksrew

Corksrew
Photo of Kevin Miller by Will Reeves @ 2500 cfs

Corkscrew is still one of the biggest rapids on the Salt. This complicated wave train has huge hole and exploding waves. A swim here can be long and rafts can flip here at higher water. Often boaters forget about Corkscrew in the excitiment of Quartzite Falls. Portauge from river left.

Cliffhanger (Class II+, Mile 34.1)
Cliffhanger is an easy shoal with a huge rock in the main flow. The eddie on river left near the big boulder is very difficult to escape in a raft.

Cherry Creek
A nice side hike with clean clear water.

Horseshoe Bend
An alternate access point and the launching spot for tubers during the summer.

Takeout
Take out on river left.

Diversion Dam (Class 5.1, Mile 52.0)
Don't go here this 3 foot dam creates a lethal hole. Take out at the bridge before this drop.


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