Upper Salt Daily
Arizona – US
- Class
- III to IV
- Length
- 8 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 35 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 3,354 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 3,180 Feet
- Typical season
- January to April
- Author
- Chris Ramias
Current Flow
40 CFS
Gauge height: 1.26 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:30 PM
▼ -0.78/hr (12h) ▼ -0.39/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- SALT RIVER NEAR CHRYSOTILE, AZ. Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 200 |
| Average | 700 |
| Maximum | 3,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
The most popular stretch of whitewater in Arizona, and the only commercial run in the state outside of the Grand Canyon. The one-day stretch of the Upper Salt, from Highway 60 to the Hoodoo takeout, combines excellent rapids with beautiful desert scenery in a spectacular canyon setting. The river is located on Apache land, and a $25 permit is required from the White Mountain Apache tribe (and they do send out enforcement agents from time to time). There may be a kiosk on site, or you can purchase from the website at http://wmatoutdoors.org/
Most people put at the large pool above Kiss and Tell Rapid. If you want to start your trip off with a bang, you can turn left to drive under the bridge, and put in at Baptism Rapid. This will give you two extra rapids to run through on your way to the traditional start point. From Kiss and Tell Rapid, the river does a big horseshoe around Mule Hoof Bend. The greatest concentration of rapids are found in this stretch, with one nice Class III rapid after another. Most of the rapids in this stretch are straightforward, but look out for lateral waves coming in from the left at Maytag, and stick to the right at Grumman rapid to avoid a large hole near the top of the rapid. At Overboard rapid, there are some big rocks on the right that have some pin potential, but nothing too tricky.
The pace of the rapids become a little less frequent after Overboard, and soon you will find yourself passing 2nd campground. This is a good spot to pull off for lunch. After lunch, you'll have a blast in the big waves of Exhibition Rapid, before coming to Cibeque. If you want to do a shortened trip (or if the road hasn't fully opened yet) there are good spots at Cibeque to stash a car.
Below Cibeque, its more of the same straightforward Class II and II rapids, with long stretches of relatively calm river between. The main highlight of this section is Mescal Falls, a Class IV drop with some big waves and holes. You can sneak this rapid on the right at certain levels. Just below Mescal is the pull out for Hoodoo. Unless you plan to continue on the multi-day run, this is your exit spot.
Note that the minimum flow listed here is for packrafts and inflatable kayaks. Bigger boats will probably want to treat 500 CFS as the minimum. River season generally runs from January to April, but its also worth monitoring the gauge during monsoons in the summer.
Rapids
No rapids added yet.
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | First Campground | 3,354 Feet | Yes | No | No | All Vehicles | This is the primary put-in for the Upper Salt Daily run, and the Wilderness run. Drive out of Globe on highway 60/77. After dropping into the Salt River Canyon and crossing the bridge, turn left, drive down the hill and turn right. You'll pass a kiosk where you can buy a permit, then shortly afterwards you will arrive at the put-in. |
| Put-In | Baptism Rapid | 3,361 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | This is an alternate starting point for the Upper Salt Daily run, and the Wilderness run, that lets you experience a couple extra rapids compared to starting at the traditional put-in. Drive out of Globe on highway 60/77. Drive down the Salt River Canyon, cross the bridge, and turn left on a dirt road. Drive down the hill and turn left. Drive along this road - in season, this road will go through the commercial guides operations, but just let them know you're a private boater and carry on. You'll drive under the bridge, and pull up next to Baptism rapid. Note that you can't actually leave a car at Baptism Rapid, so you'll need to unload your gear, then take your car back up the road a bit to park it under the bridge. |
| Take-Out | Cibeque | 3,180 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | This is an alternate take-out for the Upper Salt River daily run, in case you have an emergency or just want to do a shorter day. This put-in is also useful when Cibeque Creek is running too high to cross safely in your vehicle. Drive out of Globe on Highway 60/77, drop into the Salt River Canyon, cross the bridge, and turn left on a dirt road. Drive down a short hill and turn right. Drive approximately four miles to the turn off. You can also park right at Cibeque Creek where the hikers park, but the spot that is GPS marked is a more accessible takeout for boaters, allowing you to pull your boat over right next to your car. |
| Take-Out | Hoodoo | 3,098 Feet | No | No | No | High Clearance | This is the traditional takeout for river runners doing the daily section of the Salt. Drive out of Globe on Highway 60/77, drop into Salt River Canyon, cross the bridge, and turn left on a dirt road. Drive to the bottom of a short hill and turn right. Drive about 8 miles to the end of the road at Hoodoo. This drive will require crossing Cibeque Creek, which depending on flows can be tricky. A high clearance vehicle is recommended. |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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