Loading...

🎉 Find content tailored to you in the For You tab! Learn More.

Lower Salt River Nature Trail

The Lower Salt River Nature Trail at Tonto National Forest in Fort McDowell, Arizona is an easy 0.9 mile loop trail that runs along the Salt River and is a great place to look for wild horses.

The trailhead can be found at the northwest corner of the first main parking lot at the Phon D Sutton Recreation Area. The trail heads west along the river and loops back after about a half mile.

There are a few trails that connect both sides of the loop, so you can shorten the hike by heading back on one of these bisecting trails or complete the entire loop for just under a 1 mile hike.

Wild horses: This trail can also be used to search for wild horses as the horses use this trail to drink from the river; however, it's not guaranteed you'll see a wild horse. The best time of day to see them is within the first couple of hours after sunrise or the first couple of hours before sunset.
Explore 12 trails near Fort McDowell, AZ

Know Before You Go

  • The Lower Salt River Nature Trail is an easy, 0.9-mile loop near Fort McDowell, Arizona, offering scenic views along the Salt River.
  • The trailhead is at the Phon D Sutton Recreation Area's main parking lot's northwest corner, with the trail looping back after roughly half a mile.
  • The trail provides opportunities to spot wild horses, especially during early morning or late afternoon hours, although sightings aren't guaranteed.
Interactive topographic map for Lower Salt River Nature Trail located in Fort McDowell, AZ. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
0.9 mi
Difficulty
Easy
Type
Loop
Est. Time
27 min
Elev. Gain
55'
Rating
0.0
Added
January 08, 2019
Updated
January 08, 2019

Weather Forecast

Tonight
Low 49°F
Clear
Sunday
High 83°F
Sunny
Sunday Night
Low 52°F
Partly Cloudy
Monday
High 80°F
Mostly Sunny
Monday Night
Low 51°F
Partly Cloudy
Tuesday
High 82°F
Sunny
Tuesday Night
Low 51°F
Mostly Clear
Wednesday
High 84°F
Sunny
Wednesday Night
Low 54°F
Mostly Clear
Thursday
High 79°F
Sunny
Thursday Night
Low 53°F
Partly Cloudy
Friday
High 80°F
Mostly Sunny
Friday Night
Low 51°F
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High 80°F
Sunny
Loading...
Total Change
23'
Ascent
55'
Descent
52'
Loading...

Download the GPX Data for Offline Use

Supporters get exclusive access to download trail routes to the MyHikes app for offline use. Stay prepared on your adventure, even without an internet connection! Become a Supporter today to unlock this feature and hike with confidence.

Download Lower Salt River Nature Trail GPX Data to the MyHikes Mobile App

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    33.545209, -111.660791
  2. Main Trailhead

    33.545353, -111.661223

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Snakes (Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, others)

Availability

All seasons

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Your opinion matters! Be the first to rate this trail.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

March 25, 2024
Hiking
0.9 miles / 1.4 km
January 06, 2019
Hiking
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
Vista trails
Scenic gorge of cascades representing waterfall trails
Waterfall hikes
Rugged mountain terrain representing summit trails
Summit trails
Scenic mountain view representing dog-friendly trails
Dog-friendly
Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
Camping trails
Appalachian Trail logo representing A.T. hikes
A.T. hikes

You May Also Like

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway - Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.
Explore

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway

Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.

Read
Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road - Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.
Explore

Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.

Read
🍪 We use cookies to learn about site usage and to serve map tiles. You may block cookies manually in the browser. By continuing you agree. Learn more