Kayaking the Salt River Foxtail Trip
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Phoenix, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
Overview
The Tonto National Forest is the largest in Arizona and the Lower Salt River runs right through its heart. On this tour, admire the natural scenery from the water on a thrilling kayaking excursion. Set out from Saguaro Lake Ranch, paddle along the Salt River, and look out for native wildlife, including the park’s herd of wild horses.
- Spectacular views of Tonto National Forest from the water
- Incredible wildlife sightings including the Salt River wild horses
- Unguided kayaking experience. While this is primarily a scenic float there are sections of swift water and kayakers often tip out – so be prepared to get wet.
- Choice of tour departure times
What's Included
- Single sit on top Kayak or Paddleboard, Life Jacket, Paddle (No Double Kayaks Available)
- No Guide Provided
- Hotel pick-up and drop off not included
- Gratuities Not Included
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch13020 N Bush Hwy, Mesa, AZ 85215, USA
Your launch time is the time we leave. Please plan to ARRIVE FIFTEEN MINUTES or more BEFORE YOUR TIME to complete the check-in process. Waivers are required to be signed prior to and verified on arrival before parking passes and wristbands are given for your trip departure.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Salt River
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Minimum age is 12 years & 4'6" tall
- Maximum weight is kayak/275 lbs & paddleboard/260 lbs.
- NO double kayaks/only singles
- Not recommended for participants who do not know how to swim.
- Participant must be comfortable with an UNGUIDED river excursion. While this is primarily a scenic float, there are sections of swift water and kayakers often tip out - so be prepared to get wet.
- Must sign a waiver prior to arrival. Waiver link email will be sent to you after booking, please call if you do not receive the email.
- Dress to be in the heat and to get wet!
- Service animals or pets are not allowed on kayaks for the safety of the animal
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kim_C
This was an amazing experience. The self guided kayaking tour was perfect. The scenery was beautiful. We saw 3 groups of wild horses, an otter herrons and fish. The staff was so nice and very informative. Definitely recommend! Can’t wait to go back.
Reviews
4.9
based on 2,709 reviews
Autum_J, Apr 2026
Really fun experience! The staff is amazing and friendly. Navigating the river without a guide was easy. Seeing wild horses was an added bonus
Shawnna_P, Apr 2026
Beautiful kayak ride & so worth going! We even saw the wild horses towards the end! We had some slight rapids throughout at various places & calm water through other areas of the river. It was enough to be fun but not overly challenging. Highly recommend this!
Jasmin_S, Apr 2026
Great experience for the whole family. Wild horse amazing. View beautiful. 2 hours felt like 5 min. Would def do this trip again.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear your whole family had such a great experience out on the river. Those wild horses really are something special, and it sounds like you got to enjoy a perfect day on the water. We truly appreciate you joining us and would be so happy to have you back out for another trip anytime!
sheila_s, Apr 2026
Beautiful river and amazing scenery. Easy ride even for a novice. Highly recommend. Easy access to river and easy pick up when done.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the kind review! We’re really glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and found the trip easy and beginner-friendly. It’s great to hear the whole experience from river access to pick-up went smoothly for you. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to have you back out on the Salt River again soon!
Barbara_C, Apr 2026
Keep paddling through the rapids!!! And watch the instructional video
The staff are wonderful- so helpful either way the lifejackets
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for the great review! We’re so glad you had a fun time out on the river and found our team helpful and supportive throughout your trip. Those rapids do keep things interesting! We appreciate you mentioning the instructional video and safety gear as well. Our crew works hard to make sure everyone feels prepared and comfortable before heading out. We’d love to have you back for another paddle anytime!
John_O, Apr 2026
Everything went very smooth. Friendly and informative at all points. Good communication prior to the activity.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the kind review! We’re really glad to hear everything went smoothly and that our team kept things friendly, informative, and easy to follow from start to finish. We also appreciate you mentioning the communication beforehand, that’s something we work hard on. We’d love to have you join us again for another trip on the river!
Susie_B, Apr 2026
Fun & FAB adventure kayaking and drifting down the river! Wild Horses, beautiful terrain. Traveled solo, but all members of the group were social and fun. Warm but cool water.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the great review! We’re thrilled you had such a fun adventure on the river, even better that you felt welcomed by the group while traveling solo. Seeing the wild horses and enjoying that beautiful stretch of river is always a highlight, and we’re glad the experience hit the mark for you. We’d love to have you back out for another adventure out on the water!
Troy_L, Apr 2026
Very well organized.
Service was top notch
Lots of wildlife to see…wild horses, fish, otters, and the birds flying above
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for the great review! We’re so happy to hear your family had a fun adventure on the river and that everything felt well organized from start to finish. It’s always a treat when the wildlife shows up, and it sounds like you got quite the lineup! We really appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back for another float!
Jennifer_R, Apr 2026
I did this with my 23 year old daughter and 16 year old son. The river is pretty calm and we saw a bunch of wild horses. We also saw a river otter and a ton of varieties of birds. This was my favorite thing we did while visiting Arizona!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the kind words! We love hearing that your time on the river was a highlight of your Arizona trip, and what a special experience to share with your kids! Spotting wild horses and a river otter is pretty amazing! We’re glad you enjoyed your float and all the wildlife along the way. We’d love to have you back out with us anytime for another adventure!
Lisa_H, Apr 2026
Really fun! Highly recommend! We went with 2 moms, a 12 yr old and a 17 yr old. All of us enjoyed it.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for leaving a review! It’s awesome to hear everyone enjoyed the trip. Thanks for the recommendation, and we’d love to have you all back again soon!
Maria_R, Apr 2026
We had a wonderful time on our kayak trip.
All of the crew and staff were very friendly and very helpful. Mostly calm river with a few rapids to make it exciting. We saw wild horses, otters, turtles and lots of fish. We went early morning and it was perfect!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful review! We’re really happy to hear you had such a great time on your kayak trip and that our crew made you feel welcome and well taken care of. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to have you back out for another beautiful early morning paddle soon!
Kim_C, Apr 2026
This was an amazing experience. The self guided kayaking tour was perfect. The scenery was beautiful. We saw 3 groups of wild horses, an otter herrons and fish. The staff was so nice and very informative. Definitely recommend! Can’t wait to go back.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an amazing experience and enjoyed the self-guided trip. It sounds like you had an incredible day on the river with all those wildlife sightings. We really appreciate your kind words about our team as well, we’ll be sure to pass them along! We hope to see you back on the water soon!
Rachel_R, Apr 2026
This was a beautiful river to be on! Everyone was kind, happy, and efficient to work with. Would recommend to anyone
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re really happy to hear you enjoyed your time on the river and that our team helped make the experience smooth and enjoyable. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you back out for another paddle soon!
Amanda_H, Apr 2026
Don’t try this if it is your very first time kayaking, the rapids maybe stressful. If it isn’t your first time - this is a must if you like water, rocks, horses and kayaking.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for the awesome review! We’re really glad you had such a great time out on the river and that it earned a 12/10! We appreciate you pointing out the mix of excitement and scenery, too. The river definitely has a little bit of everything depending on conditions, so your advice is really helpful for future guests. Thanks again for the recommendation, and we’d love to have you back out for another adventure anytime!
Candice_B, Apr 2026
Fantastic experience for family with two teen boys. No one in our party tipped over, just wet behinds, so yes you will get wet. Saw a river otter and wild horses! Other kayakers and paddle boarders quickly joined the fun so no guide needed and no need of fear getting lost. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for sharing this! We’re really glad your family had such a great time out on the river. Seeing a river otter and wild horses is always a special treat, so that’s amazing you got to experience both! We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you and your family back for another paddle soon!
Jonathan_E, Apr 2026
We had an awesome time (my wife, our two teen daughters, and myself)…everything and everyone was extremely easy and helpful and friendly. Our time on the river was amazing, we saw coyotes, lots of water fowl, and a river otter playing. We will definitely be back for more!!!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re so glad you and your family had such a great time on the Salt River! We truly appreciate your kind words about our team as well. We’re happy to know you felt well taken care of from start to finish. We’d love to have you all back out on the river anytime, there’s always something new to see!
Deanna_Y, Apr 2026
Perfect day! Staff was excellent. The views were gorgeous, and the river was very relaxing. We were able to see the wild horses, ducks, turtles, fish, and the illusive river otter!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks so much for the kind words! We’re so happy you had such a perfect day out on the river and got to see all that amazing wildlife. Hope we get to welcome you back on the water soon!
Erin_E, Apr 2026
Incredible adventure on the Salt River. Fun for the whole family, as you can take this adventure at your own pace.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for sharing this! We’re so happy to hear you had such an incredible time on the river. Seeing the wild horses is always something special, and we love that you were able to enjoy the experience at your own pace with your family. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review, and we’d love to welcome you all back for another adventure anytime!
John_C, Apr 2026
This was my second time dealing with this company. Can’t wait for the third, fourth, fifth, etc. Great time
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for coming back to see us and for taking the time to share this! It really means a lot to have you return, and we love hearing you’re already looking forward to trips three, four, and five. We’re so glad you had another great time out on the river, we’ll be here whenever you’re ready for the next one!
David_D, Mar 2026
Pleasant and positive experience. Better on a no wind day. Headwinds can slow progress. We really enjoyed it!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for paddling with us and for sharing your experience! We’re happy to hear you had a great time overall. Wind can definitely add a bit of an extra challenge! We appreciate the tip and hope you’ll join us again on a calm, sunny day for an even more relaxing float!
Lisa_H, Mar 2026
Was great start to finish this is our second time out and enjoyed both experiences. Staff is great and welcoming
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for coming back to paddle with us! We’re so glad to hear you had a great experience from start to finish both times. Our team will be happy to know they made you feel welcome. Looking forward to your next visit!
Jody_H, Mar 2026
Kayaking on the Salt River was an outstanding experience. The views are spectacular, and seeing the wild horses was truly amazing. The only drawbacks were that the woman at the gift shop front desk was quite rude to us and others, and the van driver on the return trip drove very fast over the hills, which caused my wife to feel motion sick.
That said, despite these two issues, this is a beautiful experience that I would still highly recommend.
Mark_W, Mar 2026
Excellent excursion. Saw three packs of wild horses. Easy paddling with a few rapids and mostly calm waters
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you enjoyed the mix of easy paddling and light rapids. Come join us again for another adventure soon!
Ashley_S, Mar 2026
Our tour was moved from the river to the lake which required a bit more paddling but still had amazing views. It was a hot day but the cool lake water drips as we paddled was perfect.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your flexibility and for sharing your experience! While we had to move the trip to the lake due to river conditions, we're happy to hear you still enjoyed the beautiful views and a refreshing paddle. We hope to see you again on the water soon!
Artista_W, Dec 2025
So much fun and easy to find! We booked it an hour before it started. They provided life jackets and everything you need to know! Make sure to pack sun screen and use the bathroom before! Would so do this again
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thanks for kayaking with us and for the awesome review! We’re so happy you had a great time and found the trip easy and fun even with a last minute booking! Great call on the sunscreen and bathroom tips. We’d love to see you back on the river again soon!
Karen_O, Nov 2025
We signed up for the salt river tour and they changed us to Sagauro Lake at 7am, which we did go do and had a good time but really want to paddle downstream on the Salt River. Too little water flow though was the reason
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re glad to hear you still had a good time on the lake, and we truly appreciate your understanding with the change. We hope to welcome you back when water levels allow for safe paddling on the Salt River — it’s a wonderful experience and we’d love for you to enjoy it. Thanks again for joining us!
Karen_B, Nov 2025
It should be better disclosed that river levels fluctuate and it’s quite possible to be switched to the lake experience and that kayaking the lake. Timing of the notification we were 10 from leaving and went not realizing the difference. Not enjoyable as half the time you are fighting the boat wakes, limited views and no wildlife. Had we had better disclosure definitely would have cancelled, not worth the money
Susan_C, Nov 2025
Fabulous experience!! The scenery was breathtaking, easy relaxing kayak ride with fun small rapids. We saw birds, turtles, fish and then at the end, wild horses! Wow, what a day. The people running this were all great.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fabulous day on the Salt River. Between the scenery, the wildlife, the gentle rapids, and those wild horses at the end, it sounds like you got the full experience. We’re also glad to know our team helped make the day even better. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure!
Kathy_D, Nov 2025
Great paddle!
Beautiful scenery.
Good equipment.
Can't wait to do again!
CAUTION! If you have kids with you, our pick up/drop off person had a foul mouth and dropped a lot of F bombs -and none of us were. Ouch!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the paddle, the scenery, and the equipment, and we truly appreciate your kind words. We’re very sorry to hear about the inappropriate language you encountered during pickup. That’s not the standard we hold for our team, and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort it caused you and your group. We will be following up internally to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We’re grateful for your feedback and hope we can welcome you back for a much better experience next time!
Garry_W, Nov 2025
Beautiful kayaking trip. A little rapids to make it fun. Mostly nice and relaxing. Will do it again.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thanks for sharing your experience! We’re so glad you enjoyed the mix of relaxing paddling and fun rapids. It’s wonderful to hear you’re planning to come back. Can’t wait to welcome you for another adventure on the river!
From $57.27
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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