Kayaking Saguaro Lake: Scenic Wildlife Adventure

Embark on a scenic wildlife adventure with a guided kayaking tour of Saguaro Lake. Explore stunning desert cliffs, spot bald eagles and bighorn sheep, and enjoy the unique beauty of the Arizona desert.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Lake Saguaro - We will meet at Butcher Jones Recreation Site to go over the equipment and safety.

From there, we will launch and paddle along the shoreline and cross the lake to Willow Springs Canyon for a snack or lunch.

Returning back to Butcher Jones Recreation Site to finish up the tour.

What's Included
  • Bottled water included for your hydration needs
  • Essential kayaking gear provided: kayak, paddle, life jacket, and dry bag
  • Complimentary snacks to keep you energized
  • Free parking fees, no extra cost for your vehicle
What's Not Included
  • Private transportation
Additional Information

Whether seeking a refreshing day on the water to cool off during the summer or planning an adventure on one of Arizona’s warm winter days, kayaking at Saguaro Lake provides breathtaking desert views with cliff-lined shores, towering canyons, and a variety of wildlife.
We specialize in small-group tours, ensuring every guest experiences a safe, relaxing,…

Location
Butcher Jones Recreation Site
East Butcher Jones Beach Road
Guides will be located near the picnic tables wearing orange Riverbound Sports apparel. You must check in with your guide to receive your Tonto National Parks Day Pass for parking.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(13 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Angela
May 23, 2025
Great excursion - Tammy is a wonderful guide, knowledgeable and friendly. She made us feel right at home. The excursion was relaxing and enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K4190dzrandym
Apr 4, 2025
Great trip - Teri and Paul were awesome! Very helpful geting equipment setup and with kayaking techniques. Very freindly with lots of of info during the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimwing
Mar 29, 2025
Great tour guides & scenic views along Salt River - The Tour Guide - Terri & Paul - are great partners. 1guide, 1 ensuring of the group’s safety. The tour was fun & they pointed out the wildlife which we couldn’t spot. They are friendly & i love to join their next tour activities.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelmc5050pt
Mar 28, 2025
Riverbound Saguaro Lake Guided Tour-One of best tours in AZ. - If you want to go on a relaxing tour of Saguaro Lake, this is the one for you. Scenery, wildlife, exercise, and excellent comradery with other people. The Staff Teri & Paul were excellent guides, but most important tremendous people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S4406dmmariannes
Mar 24, 2025
Saguaro Lake Kayak Tour - We had a really great time on the Saguaro Lake kayak tour! The scenery was beautiful and our guides were amazing! They made everything stress free and fun for the whole family. Would definitely book with them again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caitlindz5749rx
Mar 24, 2025
Time well spent - This was great! It was well organized and as someone who probably only kayaks once or twice a year it was fun without feeling too intense. It was shorter than 3 hours for our group but still enjoyable and I appreciated that we had a stop for snacks!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q2142iystephanien
Mar 22, 2025
Fantastic Family Adventure! - What a perfect activity for a family vacation in Phoenix (ages 7 to 42)! Our guides, Teri and Joe, were super knowledgeable and friendly! Would absolutely recommend! 🚣‍♀️💙
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nancy_g
Mar 3, 2025
Happy Kayakers on Saguro Lake - Our guide recommended arriving at the Butcher Jones Recreation site early because the parking lot fills up especially on weekends. At 9:30am (10am kayaking) on Sunday, we were already in the overflow lot. We met our guide, Teri, on the shoreline with the kayaks prepped and ready to push off. She provided us with water bottles (souvenir), loaner straps for our sunglasses, flotation vests which are mandatory, dry bags which have a fairly small opening so I was unable to fit my bag in it. (However the front of the sit -upon kayaks have a secure area that rarely gets wet.) Teri briefed us on our adventure and as we paddled along she shared information about Saguro Lake and how it was formed, the flora and fauna on the surrounding cliffs and hills, etc. There was five of us including Teri and we paddled into a cove - our endpoint at around 2.1 miles out - and disembarked and shared a snack and more stories. We headed back from there for a total distance of 4.5 miles. My friend and I were very happy with our overall experience and were thankful for being guided as first timers in this lake. And we can highly recommend Riverbound Sports.
Review provided by Viator
Christybressette
Jan 6, 2025
Great Kayak Tour - We had a great time paddling the waters of Lake Saguaro with our guide Teri. The scenery was beautiful and we were taken to a secluded beach at the end of a canyon. All the gear was supplied and Teri made it easy to get in and out of the water. She was very knowledgeable of the area and answered our questions. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone.
Review provided by Viator
Linda_k
Nov 18, 2024
Great choice - Our guide was great and friendly. The sights on saguaro lake are beautiful. Have your water proof 📷 ready. We went at a pace good for us. We did not feel rushed. We all had an awesome time.
Review provided by Viator
From $120
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).