Lower Salt River Nature Trail - Camp and Hike near Fort McDowell, Arizona
Phon D. Sutton Rd, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264, USA,Fort McDowell,Arizona
33.54544269, -111.66099062
6.4 miles S of Fort McDowell, Arizona
Address: Phon D. Sutton Rd, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264, USA
GPS: 33°32'43.6"N 111°39'39.6"W
Maps | Directions
State: Arizona
Trails/Routes: 2.1 mi

Picnic Tables Rivers Streams Trails Pet Friendly Fishing

Camp and Hike

The Lower Salt River Nature Trail is a scenic walk to take at the Tonto National Forest. This trail provides stunning views as you walk alongside the Salt River. This rustic trail is older and less maintained.

Those with children and pets can feel confident bringing them along. This Lower Salt River Nature Trail loop is a little over 2 miles and is great for beginners. The trailhead can be found at Phon D. Sutton Recreation Site, where there is a spacious parking lot and a picnic area.

The markers in some places are worn and make it a little more difficult to stay on the main trail. However if you end up on one of the smaller trails it will quickly loop back to the main trail.

Keep your eyes peeled for the unique wildlife that lives near the Salt River. Hikers often witness the beauty of the wild horses that frequently roam and lounge near these trails. If you visit the trail between March and May you are also likely to catch the cacti in bloom. 

A day pass is required to enter the Tonto National Forest and is required to hike this path. The pass is $8 per carload and can be purchased at a variety of local vendors ahead of time (Vendor List). Once you've got the pass you can use the rest of the day to explore the many other exciting activities and sights offered in the Tonto National Forest. 

 

4.2K Edited by tasiawhicker

Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.

Read More
  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel & camp on durable surfaces
  3. Dispose of waste properly
  4. Leave what you find
  5. Minimize campfire impacts
  6. Respect wildlife
  7. Be considerate of other visitors

Directions

From Fort McDowell, Arizona

  1. Head west on Ba Hon Nah Rd toward N Fort McDowell Rd (72 ft)
  2. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto N Fort McDowell Rd (4.2 mi)
  3. Turn left onto AZ-87 N (7.9 mi)
  4. Take exit 199 for Bush Highway (0.4 mi)
  5. Turn right onto N Bush Hwy (11.8 mi)
  6. Turn right onto Phon D. Sutton Rd (1.2 mi)
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Guest Review/Comments

/5
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jabaier91

10/30/17 8:23 pm
There's signs posted everywhere saying no camping, but I did it once and nobody seemed to mind...
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Lower Salt River Nature Trail added by tasiawhicker Lower Salt River Nature Trail added by tasiawhicker
??USA?? Hiking Trails - Lower Salt River Nature Tr by Places WeGo Exploring Wild Horses at the Lower Salt River Arizona Tonto  by PaulFolkPhotography

Trails

Distance ?

2.1 miles

Real Ascent ?

38 feet

Real Descent ?

47 feet

Grade (-3° to 1°)

-6% to 2%

Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.

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