Today we’re sharing everything you need to know for taking kids to the Salt River.
The Salt River is about 20 minutes from most of the East Valley (especially east Mesa families). This river is more than 200 miles long, but the lower salt river is a recreation gem offering kayaking, tubing, beach play, stand up paddle boarding, hiking and picnic options.
Most families also try to spot the wild horses that live at the Salt River. (Remember to never approach the wild horses, but appreciate them from afar!)
In our experience, the Salt River is very kid friendly on week days through the summer, especially the spots we’re sharing below. The weekends, like any recreation site, do get busier with more adults and drinking, but weekdays are when we have always gone with children.
Always remember to leave trails better than you found them and to pack trash back out, and always bring more water (and snacks) than you think you’ll need.
For all these spots, a Tonto Pass is required. It’s $8 and can be purchased at pay kiosks throughout the Salt River, or a blue pass can be purchased at most local gas stations on Power Road heading to the Salt River.
If you have an America the Beautiful pass (more about this annual parks pass here), you don’t need a day pass. The pass is $80, or FREE for 4th graders.
XO,
East Valley Moms
Salt River Nature Walk/Hike for Kids: Salt River Trail
Our favorite river hike with kids along the river, you’re going to want to bookmark this for early summer and late spring!
Trail name: Salt River Trail
Free parking (park at the Maricopa Trail to Hawes Trails Parking)
Hike distance: 0.6 miles each way, flat trail
This shaded river trail takes families through a flat path that goes through dirt, sand patches and a big payoff at the end to enjoy views of the Salt River.
The shaded viewpoint is perfect for packing a little picnic lunch (or snack) and to sit and play at for a good 45 minutes.
If you’re lucky, you’ll spy the wild horses (remember to never approach them, but appreciate them from afar!), lots of ladybugs, wildflowers and geese on the river. 
Salt River Kayaking with Kids: Granite Reef Park
Our favorite kid-friendly boat launch area for paddle boards and kayaks or a scenic picnic lunch spot near the water.
Granite Reef Park
Where to park: First access spot next to the river coming west from Bush highway
Vault toilets on site
Paddleboarding tips with kids:
•Don’t forget your life jackets
•This is a great spot to get your kids familiar with being on a kayak or paddleboard before going down the river
Salt River Beach with Kids: Sheep’s Crossing
Our favorite kid-friendly beach at the Salt River, bookmark this for all summer long!
Day use site: Sheep’s Crossing
How to get there: Look for signage right off the main highway for this section of the river (If you type in Sheep’s Crossing into GPS maps, it’ll take you directly here)
Vault toilets on site
What to pack and expect for a day at Sheep’s Crossing
Pack what you would for a day at the beach: sand toys, a cooler of food and drinks (no glass!), chairs for the adults, goggles if your kids are going to put their faces in the water, and even a bluetooth speaker. We typically stay for half a day or so.
You’ll probably see fishermen here, and you’ll be able to watch paddle boarders and kayakers passing by; lots of them wave and are fun for kids to see from afar.
The sandy beach has gotten a bit smaller as nature is ever changing, so it’s not as large as it used to be when we were kids coming here, but it’s still just as magical for a beach in the desert.
The current here isn’t strong at all, we have felt very safe with our toddlers playing here since they were 2.
Butcher Jones Beach with kids
This is a traditional beach style recreation site where kids can walk in for shallow swimming, but it does get deeper for more swimming for big kids and adults.
Bring inner tubes, floats, etc. to hang out in the water—or sand toys to play in the beach area; you can also look for crawdads, tadpoles and other little creatures. We recommend water shoes for everyone as well. And of course, always bring life jackets.
To avoid crowds, we recommend going Monday-Thursday and arriving before 9 a.m.; it’s pretty much families only during these days/times and you avoid the louder scene that it becomes on the weekends.
There are two over flow parking lots, vault toilets and a Tonto Recreation Pass is required here.
What to pack for a day at the Salt River with kids
Water toys, sand toys, easy to blow up inflatables and squirt guns (toys get shared amongst groups, similar to what you would encounter at a splash pad, so if there’s special toys your kids don’t want to share, it may be best to leave those at home)
Picnic lunch: No matter where you’re going along the salt river, you’ll want snacks and a light lunch. We usually pack a kids lunch box like you would for school, etc. the less ice packs needed the better
Always pack more water than you think you’ll need, and sunblock
Trash bags: Remember to always pack out what you brought into the river, and if you see trash, consider picking it up and leaving the area better than you found it
Wagons: Some moms like to use a wagon to carry everything to their river spots, others find it annoying with all the rocks and bumps. Up to you, but most of the parking spots are a 2-5 minute walk to the water
Optional, but things we like to haul in if we’re making a full day at the river:
Beach chairs for adults
Pop up shade or umbrella
Towels: leave them in the car, everyone dries off so quickly in the sun, don’t bother bringing them down to the river (in our opinion)
Water shoes: Any sandal will work, but it’s nice to have water shoes that won’t fall off (like flip flops or crocs) so it’s one less thing to worry about
