RIO SALADO HABITAT RESTORATION AREA

RIO SALADO HABITAT RESTORATION AREA

Phoenix

Dragonflies live in the riparian corridor

Just two miles south of downtown Phoenix, where the Salt River once flowed freely, a former dumping ground has been transformed into a thriving oasis in the desert.

Hiking in The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area is like taking a step back in time to an era before dams placed along the Verde and Salt Rivers in the early 20^th century dried up the channel leaving behind a parched corridor of debris.  Landfills and quarries moved in and the area became blighted. 

The site attracts myriad birds and waterfowl

In 1993, the City of Phoenix began efforts to restore a portion of the river to improve the urban landscape, help in flood management and provide recreation and educational opportunities.  The $100 million project was completed in 2005.

With the cooperation of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Flood Control District of Maricopa County and droves of volunteers, tons of waste were cleared out of the Salt River channel and replaced with ponds, waterfalls and tens of thousands of indigenous plant species.

Watch for herons, egrets and ducks in the secluded coves

Although the 5-mile-long riparian corridor looks as if it sprouted on its own, it’s a “demonstration wetland” that was created by tapping into the groundwater beneath the river channel and pumping more than three million gallons of water per day to sustain the habitat. Stretching from 19th Avenue to 28^th Street, the linear greenway can be accessed via numerous parking areas and trailheads.

Desert Senna

Trail segments are organized to feature specific desert habitats such as Cottonwood-Willow, Lower Sonoran, Mesquite Bosque and Palo Verde Forest.

Desert Willow

Over 76,000 native the plants were harvested from seeds or cuttings within a half-mile of the Salt River are flourishing and attracting wildlife. Snowy egrets, raptors, toads and dozens of other species have settled in. The site has over 14 miles of paved and dirt trails and an Audubon Nature Center.

Audubon Center

When hiking here, remember that this is a sensitive area. Please stay on trails, do not enter the water, leave everything as you found it and keep wildlife wild by observing at a distance and never feed them. Leashed dogs are allowed on the paved trails and handlers must pack out pet waste.

Seventh Avenue Bridge

LENGTH: 14.7 miles total

North Overbank Trail: 3.7 miles one way, paved

South Overbank Trail: 3.9 miles one way, Paved

North Terrace Trail: 3.9 miles one way, dirt

South Terrace Trail: 3.2 miles one way, dirt

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 1010' - 1070'

TRAILHEADS:

2439 S. Central Ave. (Northeast corner)

3212 S. 7th Ave. (Southwest corner)

2801 S. 7th Ave. (Equestrian Staging)

2875 S. 7th St. (Southeast corner)

3203 S. 16th St. (Southeast corner)

HOURS: open daily sunrise to sunset or 7 p.m. whichever comes first

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/rio-salado-habitat-restoration-area

PINE LAKES TRAIL #316

PINE LAKES TRAIL #316

Thumb Butte North Trails

Pine Lakes Trail flanks Willow Creek 

Pick a day following a good monsoon soaking to hike Pine Lakes Trail #316.  That way, you’ll have the best chance to see the tiny waterfalls that tumble over logs and rocks in Willow Creek.

Canyon grapes grow along the creek

Arguably the most ecologically diverse route in the north segment of Prescott’s Thumb Butte Recreation Area, trail #316 packs a lot of interesting elements into its short length. The first half-mile of the trek moves through an exposed landscape of juniper and oak under the imposing pinnacle of Thumb Butte.

The trail climbs easily to a point where the Bradshaw Mountains peek out from behind the butte before beginning its descent into the riparian corridor of Willow Creek. 

A post-monsoon mini waterfall

As the trail switchbacks down into the gorge, the vegetation makes an abrupt shift from sparse scrub and cacti to rich greenery shaded by arching oaks and soaring Ponderosa pines. The creek trickles in lazy bends with multiple drainages emptying into its course. Over the next mile, the trail stays close to the water crossing it several times. A pleasant mist laced with the earthy aromas of pine needles, wildflowers and mushrooms drifts through the air. The creek itself is a mix of rapid flows, mini waterfalls, standing pools and rivulet-carved sandbars decorated with critter footprints.

Mushrooms thrive in the moist creek corridor

This is an excellent place to take in the wonders of nature's ecosystems and micro climates. 

A crossing of Willow Creek

Plants found within this moist passage couldn't survive well just a couple hundred feet above on the dry chaparral. And although the distance from ridgeline to creek is minimal, temperatures along the waterway are noticeably cooler. The trail makes one last creek crossing before heading back up to the lip of the gorge where the bare rock mound of Granite Mountain can be seen in the distance. From this point, you can retrace your steps for an out-and-back trip or use the map available at the trailhead to create your own circuit.

Thumb Butte

LENGTH:  1.5 miles one-way

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 5800’ – 5600’

Granite Mountain in distance

GETTING THERE:

From the courthouse in downtown Prescott (Gurley St. and Montezuma), travel 3.4 miles west on Gurley Street (turns into Thumb Butte Road) to the Thumb Butte Recreation Area. To find the trailhead, hike or dive another 0.1 mile up the paved access road and look for the sign across from the restrooms. 

HOURS: Summer hours (May- Sept) 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

FEE: There’s a $5 day use fee per vehicle. Bring exact change for the self-serve pay station.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=75173&actid=50