Phon D Sutton Recreation Area — Attraction in Arizona

Always a favorite spot of mine when I wanna go down to the river! It’s has quite a few more private spots so you won’t be in close quarters with everyone else there and there’s smaller calmer pools around down by the water line that aren’t smack dab on the or in the middle of the river where it’s flowing like crazy! So the pools are semi shallow-ish I’d say from about mid calf up too high thigh on a standing adult. So great safe place for the littles! But then a few feet in front of you and over the rock formation u can jump off into the flowing water and take a ride with the current a few yards down and you can get spit off right to the sand and do it all over again! But don’t forget you need water shoes or old pair of close toed shoes and if ur not a super super awesome swimmer, and aren’t over 6ft tall, I highly suggest you wear a life jacket….just in case bcuz there is under currents that can suck u down into them. Trust me I know! Better to be safe than sorry yall. I’ve seen too many really bad outcomes down there bcuz ppl dont know what they’re doing and think that the salt river is a breeze and it’s not dangerous. But it’s just the opposite, it’s super dangerous and not anything that should be taken lightly. A lot of ppl die on that river every year and the majority of their deaths were due to accidental stupid choices and could have been prevented, like getting wasted and jumping off the cliffs and getting disoriented and just like that they drown and everybody is searching for them in that murky water where there’s no visibility and in some spots it’s over 20+ feet deep…. Not a good recipe ya know! So please be smart yall and know what ur doing down there and don’t play stupid games with nature and you won’t win stupid prizes!! Just lookin out...

I would say go here when it's not summer time and you should be fine. Colder weather means less people. I went here on the weekend late afternoon and there was plenty of parking- parking lot was about half full so not bad, and everyone was there to just kayak or paddleboard. There are some picnic areas that are shaded by the river, although you can't really see the river from the picnic tables that I was at. They also have trails that take you down to the river, so it's easy to carry your watercraft down. Also, I did see restrooms and water fountains which is nice and these are actual buildings for restrooms so they are cleaner than say port-a-potties.

Lastly, at the far end, there is the main trail you can walk on. Either open the fence on the left to take a trail that winds through the cacti and desert landscape--- that trail goes farther away from the river...OR continue along the fence-- you can't get lost- just follow the fence. In certain sections you can see the river peeking through the trees and you can even walk down to the bank in some parts of the trail. After I walked for what felt like 20 minutes, I could not see the river... Don't know if I kept walking.. if I could still see the river. Trail is flat and easy- may be sandy and rocky in some areas... Nice views of Red Mountain and other mountains around you; quiet and very few people...

If you want to take a nature hike near the flow of a lazy river; this is the best place to start.

Parking is good.

Don't forget that parking pass! And a trash bag. And some gloves.

Head north until dry passage stops, at about 3/4 of a mile. It's interesting to see the types of garbage; both abandoned improvements and carelessly tossed by tubers. You will see wildlife as you travel.

Head south and see even more floating garbage! There is a divergence that causes the trash to accumulate. A long reach grabber will be worthwhile. Walking in the water is pretty safe here, but shoes are strongly suggested.

This area is a frequently used spot for beer fueled picnics and is the last stop for private tubers and kayakers. Expect to hear many languages and types of music. Daisydukes and bikinis are the fashion here. Tops and bottoms are ending up here among the garbage with flip-flops and hats.

I have not found any lifeless bodies or noticed any date rape situations.

There are large trash receptacles, waterless bathrooms and picnic tables here.

Enjoy the area. Avoid confrontation. Let them enjoy themselves.

We'll clean...