The Lower Salt River begins immediately below Stewart Mountain Dam and continues down to Tempe Town Lake. Below Granite Reef Dam the river is usually not navigable, and may in fact be dry. Tempe Town Lake is supplied with water from a diversion channel.

Along the path of the Lower Salt River you will see Saguaro cactus, many birds of prey and occasionally a few small animals. The are is home to nesting bald eagles, ospreys, herons and egrets. There are larger animals that live here, but they are seldom seen. These may include coyotes, foxes and mountain lions, as well as herds of horses from the Fort McDowell Reservation.

The Lower Salt River begins immediately below Stewart Mountain Dam and continues down to Tempe Town Lake. Below Granite Reef Dam the river is usually not navigable, and may in fact be dry. Tempe Town Lake is supplied with water from a diversion channel.

The section from Stewart Mountain Dam on Saguaro Lake down to Granite Reef Dam in Maricopa County is a run of about 12.5 miles through mostly flat Sonoran Desert. The mountains are gone and the presence of anything except sand, dirt, rocks and small, crawling creatures is almost non-existent. The area begins to take on a look of civilization, though it still starts away from settled areas. There is an abundance of water for paddling almost all the time. The current is gentle on this flatwater section of river.

Along the path of the Lower Salt River you will see Saguaro cactus, many birds of prey and occasionally a few small animals. The are is home to nesting bald eagles, ospreys, herons and egrets. There are larger animals that live here, but they are seldom seen. These may include coyotes, foxes and mountain lions, as well as herds of horses from the Fort McDowell Reservation. There are also several species of poisonous snakes, rattlesnakes being the most prevalent, but they are also a rare sight. Camping is minimal, if at all, along this very short section of the Lower Salt River. Most adjoining land is privately owned or part of the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation. Do not camp along this section without first obtaining permission.

SH 82, the road leading from Phoenix to Saguaro Lake, is a hard-surface, four-lane concrete road running through the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation on its way north. The drive from Phoenix takes about 30-40 minutes, depending upon traffic conditions in Phoenix. Saguaro Lake is the closest and easiest of the mountain lakes to access from the Phoenix area.

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Located in Maricopa County, the section from Stewart Mountain dam on Saguaro Lake to Granite Reef Dam is in the Mazatzal Mountains of Tonto National Forest. Nearby cities include Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and the rest of the Phoenix metro area to the southwest. The road to the put-in (from Phoenix) passes through Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat. US Highway 89 runs north-to-south just a few miles to the west, and IH 10 enters Phoenix from the south before turning west, also just a few miles away.

Phoenix 30 miles; Tucson 140 miles; Flagstaff 170 miles; Salt Lake City 690 miles; Albuquerque 480 miles; Denver 830 miles; Dallas 1,050 miles; Austin 1,040 miles; San Antonio 1,060 miles; Houston 1,220 miles; Oklahoma City 1,040 miles (all distances are approximate and depend upon starting point, destination point on the river and route taken.)

The Lower Salt River flows clean and clear from its dam release source waters. There is very little to cause pollution, contamination or litter, so the water quality is usually very high during periods of sustainable flow, though it may have a slightly stagnant odor that is typical of impounded bodies of water whenever flows are low.

Generally, the Lower Salt River is navigable year round, though the current will be slower when no dam releases are occurring. Because of the need for hydroelectric generation there is almost always adequate water for paddling. March 16 through October 14 is limited to day use only, and camping along the river is not allowed. Between October 15 and March 15, camping is allowed in designated areas (fees will apply.)

The only real hazard on this section of the Lower Salt River is seasonally strong headwinds. There are no major rapids and no waterfalls on this Class I to II section from Saguaro Lake to Granite Reef Dam, where the Salt River terminates into the desert floor. NOTE: Due to much higher than normal rainfall in 2005, area lakes are far above normal and dam releases are much greater than usual. Be sure to check gauges and expect higher flows on this reach of the Salt River that is normal.

Put in just below Stewart Mountain Dam near the end of the dam access road off Bush Highway at Water Users Park (USFS) on river right at 0.0 miles; Blue Point Bridge Picnic Area off Bush Highway (access from 3 parking lots) at about 3.0 miles miles; Goldffield recreation Site on river left at about 7.0 miles; Jeep Trail near Coon Bluff Forest Camp on river left at about 8.5 miles; Phon D. Sutton Recreation Area near Verde River confluence on river left at about 9.5 miles; Take out at Granite Reef Dam on river left at about 12.5 miles. This section can be run from the top down. Parking is available at all access points for $4.00 per vehicle per day. Parking fees can be paid in cash or by credit card at the electronic pay stations located at each parking lot.

There are no public or private campgrounds located along this section of the Lower Salt River. The area is not ideally suited for camping, and is better accessed as a day trip.

There are no liveries or outfitters located along the Lower Salt River. Take everything you need, and arrange to run your own shuttles.

The Lower Salt River is a trip that anybody can enjoy regardless of paddling skills or experience. The flow is usually slow and there are no natural hazards except occasionally strong headwinds. The scenery along the Lower Salt River is just awesome. Sometimes, it is hard to realize that you are paddling a boat through the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Be sure to take a camera and plenty of film or digital media, because the topography is simply spectacular. This reach of the Salt River flows through the southern edge of Tonto national Forest and the Salt River Indian Reservation near Fort McDowell. It is just a few miles north of the Greater Phoenix area and is easily accessible as a day trip for paddlers in canoes, kayaks and rafts.