If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a day off from house hunting for your new home with The Matheson Team, we recommend tubing on the Salt River in Tonto National Forest. It’s an experience that every Scottsdale area resident and visitor must experience to appreciate.
Start your day off with a 30 minutes drive to East Mesa, the home of Salt River Tubing and Recreation. Bring along a picnic lunch and a cooler of your favorite beverages and you’ll be all set for a day of floating down the Salt River.
Along the tubing route, take in the splendor of the forests, mountains and wildlife. Both wild horses and blue heron are native to the area.
Tubing trips with Salt River Tubing can last between 2-6 hours depending on the route you chose.
2 hour trips: There are two, 2-hour tube rides. One starts from south of Saguaro Lake and ending at the Blue Point Bridge. The other one starts at Goldfield and carries you down the Salt River south and west past Coon Bluff and ends just south of the Salt River Indian Reservation. Tubers are picked up by shuttle, and returned to their cars at the Salt River Tubing company’s headquarters.
3-hour trip: The 3-hour route starts at Salt River Tubing’s main building and ends in Goldfield taking you slowly yet swiftly north and west on a Salt River extension to Goldfield. The shuttle will take you back to your vehicle from Goldfield. The views are spectacular and the water flow provides a safe yet adventurous trip for you and your friends or family.
5-hour trip: The 5-hour tube trip starts off south of Saguaro Lake and floats you past the Goldfield Mountains, Blue Point Bridge and ends at Goldfield. The incredible vistas of Tonto National Forest will keep you in awe, while the cool water and rush of the river inspires a sense of thrill for every tuber.
6-hour trip: There is a 6-hour tube trip that runs only on Saturdays. It starts just south of Saguaro Lake and tubers float through all points well past the Salt River Indian Reservation ending at a small tributary of the Salt River.
If you’re planning on the most adventurous 6-hour Saturday trip, be sure to let the Salt River Tubing Team Members know in advance whether you’ll need a ride back to get your car. Limited shuttle service is available from this remote location.
Salt River Tubing and Adventures is open 7 days a week starting at 9:00 am from May thru September. The last two hour trip starts at 3:00 pm. The last shuttle pick up is at 6:30 pm.
It’s best to call the company before you make the trip because weather and water flow sometimes will delay or prevent tubing on a certain day.
You must be at least 8 years old and 4 feet tall to tube and/or ride the shuttle bus.
The cost per person per day is $17 and includes your tube. Shuttle bus service is an additional $14. Extra tubes may be rented for coolers.
The company accepts cash only, so plan accordingly. They require one person in every group of 5 to provide their driver’s license as a deposit.
Tips for Tubers
- Life vests are recommended. Bring your own if you have one. If not, Salt River Tubing has them available for rent.
- Be sure to bring along plenty of water in plastic bottles and drink it. The company recommends 1-2 bottles of water per person per hour. Glass containers are not permitted.
- Wear water shoes or tennis shoes while you’re on the bus and on the river. Rocks and the river bed can have sharp objects.
- Of course, as with any outdoor activity, wear sunblock and a visor or hat to protect yourself from sun rays.
- Styrofoam coolers are not permitted.
Enjoy your Salt River tubing adventure. When you return, we’ll look forward to finalizing the offer on your new Scottsdale home.
