The Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area stretches along five miles of the Salt River just south of downtown Phoenix. Once a dump site, the area is now a lush riparian corridor with five miles of paved and dirt trails dotted with unique design and user features. Bird watchers have spotted more than 200 species of birds (and counting…) in Rio Salado’s varied habitats from wetland ponds to mesquite bosque to cottonwood/willow forest. Hike, bike, wheelchair, jog, horseback — anyone can access Rio Salado and experience the Salt River’s rich and varied wildlife as it once was — all in the heart of the nation’s fifth largest city.