Phoenix Rio Salado Habitat

Hiking as airplanes are going over, cars are driving by and there is a cityscape just up the street could deter from the experience.

But there is something about the idea of hiking in the middle of downtown Phoenix that actually brings about the notion of tranquility and pleasure.

The Phoenix Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project is an ongoing plan to restore some of the wetlands and riverbank habitats that were part of the Salt River before the dams were erected in the early 1900s. What has resulted in the City of Phoenix’s project is a series of trails in which to explore the area, along with recently planted native vegetation to draw birds and animals and a cleaned up part of the Valley that everyone can enjoy.

Much of the vegetation comes from cuttings and seeds from the area. Cottonwood trees, willows and mesquites are in abundance, as are native grasses, and other wetland plants. While the area is not what it will be, it still offers a feeling of respite and beauty.

We spent a sunny Sunday morning exploring the area. While there is traffic noise from planes and automobiles, the area is peaceful. There were quite a few people there, some walking or jogging, while others were riding bikes.

The Phoenix part of the project runs from the Salt River at 16th Street and west to 19th Avenue. Paths are improved so everyone can enjoy the area. There are asphalt trails, as well as dirt paths.

There are small running streams, as well as ponds located throughout the project. The area is great for birding. The City of Phoenix website lists some 49 families of birds that can be found within the project.

Our birding wasn’t especially successful, but we were busy admiring the ways in which recycled materials were used. Recycling and reclamation are mainstays in the project. Pieces of concrete that were in the river bottom before construction have been used as benches. Other pieces of the concrete line some of the trails, while still more are used in the paths.

Gates that are used to close the park area at night are huge iron beams mounted on a “lazy-susan-“ like structure. They are functional art, and the rusty beams blend with the landscape, reflecting the skyline of Phoenix to the north and the industrialized sections to the south.

Walking along the river in Phoenix makes you wish the Salt River still flowed through the Valley. The upstream lakes are what provide us with our precious water, but a flowing river through the desert certainly is appealing.

Tempe and Avondale have developed part of Rio Salado, too, so little by little there is a feel what the early Hohokams knew when they were here.

The walk is pretty and it gives you a sense of our history. Take advantage of the weather now, though. For awhile, it is going to be too hot in the summertime to enjoy very much then.

This hike was first featured December 2005 and revised February 2007.