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Are there any camping areas around or near the Salt River? I'm looking for some place to set up camp near the water, and then go on a hike. I'm having a tough time finding anything. Is most of that area federal land? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

You'll have to be a bit more specific as the Salt River is more than a couple of miles long.

Lower Salt? Along/between any of the 4 lakes? Upstream of Lake Roosevelt?

Oh sorry about that. Lower Salt River area. Maybe a bit farther up if that isn't accessible for camping. But if you know of anything, that could help as well.

The area you're talking about falls entirely within the Mesa Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest.

I haven't ever set up camp that close to town, but there are numerous recreation sites and campgrounds near the river. Virtually all of them require the purchase of the Tonto Pass.

A map of the forest (click #3), and links to all the campgrounds and recreation sites can be found on their website.

Because it is so close to metro-Phoenix, most areas along the lower-Salt do not allow camping outside a developed campground to help protect the fragile environment from too many drunken yahoos.

You can get more information and buy much more detailed maps of the area from the Mesa Ranger District.

The south side is all tonto. There are day -use limits at most of the sites along the river, you can look at the forest service website. The entire north stretch is reservation and you do not want to get caught camping there. If you want to camp near a river and don't mind driving a little you should check out the gila somewhere between florence and kelvin. Either way, both places get really crowded anywhere there is easy access. You can expect more than a little trash (of both the refuse and human variety). I'd say the gila is a little better since it is a little further out.

The area along the north side of the Salt River east from Coons Bluff is Tonto National Forest. I have parked along AZ 87 and hiked down the wash drainages to the Salt River. Camping along the lower Salt is allowed November thru March in designated areas (day use areas) only. Carefull where you park along AZ 87, find a nice pull off or the law enforcement folks will red tag it and a tow truck will haul it off. Access to the Gila River is difficult, both banks are lined with thick dense growth and the area is the home to numerous large buzztails.