Salome Jug is a great beginner canyoneering adventure! It is a loop trail that winds you through a small portion of a large slot canyon. The Jug is located roughly 100 miles east of the center of Phoenix. It has been coined “nature’s waterpark” and for good reason! Throughout the canyon, you will experience natural waterslides, rock hopping, full body swimming, rock jumping, slipping, sliding and so much fun! Arizona has so much to offer for adventure lovers, and Salome Jug is definitely one of those hidden gems that we were so stoked to stumble upon.
There isn’t a lot of information out there about Salome Jug, so I wanted to create a good comprehensive guide to help you prepare and explore the jug safely.
Contents
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How to get to Salome Jug?
The Jug is located on the Northeast side of Roosevelt Lake. Both google and apple maps will take you straight to the trailhead by typing in either/or-
Google maps– “Salome Wilderness Trailhead, The Jug”
Apple maps– “Jug Trail Salome Wilderness”
Read Before Visiting Salome Jug!
About 18 miles from the trailhead, you will reach a town called “punkin center”. When you turn off of the main road (just past punkin center) you will come upon a river crossing. For the crossing, it is highly advised to have a high clearance vehicle and/or 4wd in order to cross safely.
Our vehicle is a 2wd mid-clearance van (sits about like an suv) and we were concerned at first. We actually got out of the van and walked the water before proceeding, as there was no way to tell the depth by just looking at it. We ended up crossing without issues, but do not go off of our information for your hike, as the water level will rise and fall due to season/rainfall ect. Be cautious and only proceed if you know it is safe to do so!
The rest of the drive is dirt roads and gravel, nothing that the van couldn’t handle.
When to Go to Salome Jug?
There is a lot of debate on the best time to visit Salome Jug. I will tell you everything I learned while researching, as well as the time of year we went and hopefully you will be able to make an informed decision on when you think is best!
The overall vote is springtime (think May/June). In spring there is plenty of runoff and the water is clear and flowing at a moderate pace. You want to AVOID going during monsoon season (July/Aug), because the water levels are high, the flow is fast and the risk of flash flooding in the canyon is incredibly dangerous! The big debate comes around fall time (Sep/Oct). Most people and forums will tell you to avoid this time of year, as water levels are generally low and there can sometimes be a layer of algae in the still water. BUT every year is different, and with enough research and arriving prepared, you can visit safely in these months.
We went in late September. The high was 85 degrees and there had just been a big rain the week before. We decided we would make the hike down to the water and see how the smaller pools looked and how fast the water was flowing. Using our best judgement, we decided to proceed, as the water was clear and flowing pretty steady.
If you find yourself out of season for this adventure, check out the nearby beautiful Sedona area!
Gear to Bring to the Jug
You HAVE to bring a rappel system in case the water level is low and you cannot make the final jump. There is a fixed anchor and rope already installed so you will only need to bring your own hardware such as a harness, ATC, and a Prusik (for backup) ++ some locking carabiners and slings of course.
Bring one dry bag per person to keep all of your belongings in. We used some heavy duty dry-bags so we could take our phones and our camera!
Wear or bring water shoes. The rocks are very slippery, so you’ll need something that has a good grip. I wore Teva’s and Sentry wore trail runners. We were both very satisfied with our decision.
A filter bottle is a necessity for this trail. This Grayl GeoPress water filter and purifier bottle removes Protozoa, Bacteria And Viruses. You can scoop water straight from the Jug and use the Grayl to filter and drink it!
The GoPro is our go-to travel camera. It is so versatile and captures super clean footage! We recommend the Hero12 or the Go-Pro Max!
A packable + quick dry towel is essential for when you get out of the water.
BRING A SATELLITE SOS DEVICE!! There is no service in the canyon so if you get injured and need an emergency rescue you’ll need an SOS device to contact emergency services.
The Trail Leading to Salome Jug
The trail is 6 mi loop with about 900 ft elevation gain.
The trailhead is marked, and super easy to find. After about 2 miles, the trail will take a sharp left. Take the left, and then you will come up on a closed gate. This means you are in the right place! Go through the gate, while carefully closing it behind you. After the gate you will hike about 0.3-0.5 mi when you will veer right to head down to the water. There’s no “obvious trail” to enter the canyon, you will need to just pick a point where it looks like it will be easy to scramble down and go for it.
Salome Jug Canyon
Once you enter the canyon, you are in for a sweeeet surprise! The canyon portion is 1 mile long and full of natural water slides, little pools, deep swimming water, and at the end- a big rock jump! It is super important that you know what to expect in this portion though, because once you enter the canyon there is no turning back. The only way out is to finish the loop.
The Beginning of Salome Jug
The beginning portion starts with smaller pools, little slides and relatively short canyon walls. As you proceed through the canyon, the slides get steeper (never very steep), the water gets deeper, and the walls get higher! You will find yourself wading through some portions, but full body swimming in others! The canyon will twist and turn as you follow the water to make your way through the best natural playground there is!
The Famous Salome Jug Jump
After about 0.8 miles through the canyon, you will come upon “the famous/infamous” jump! This is where the water level conditions play a very important safety role!! Depending on the water level, the jump can be anywhere from 20-40 ft. DO NOT JUMP IF THE WATER LEVEL IS LOW. This is why spring time is the best time to go, because it is almost always safe to assume that the water level is good (but also, never assume).
The alternative to the cliff jump, is to rappel down the face of the rock. There is already a fixed anchor and rope in place, so you would just have to bring a harness and gear (atc/prusik) for your rappel system. If you do not have the skills to make the rappel, then I would suggest going in the springtime and asking the locals about the water levels and of course using your best judgement to make a decision.
I do not mean to scare you or deter you from making the trip, but I do want everyone to enjoy the canyon safely! There have been many rescues over the years from people who were ill prepared! Don’t be those people!
The Finish
After the jump, you enter into the final stretch of your Salome Jug journey. The remaining portion of the canyon is deep water swimming. The walls are high, which makes the water shaded, and the shade combined with the deep water makes the swim absolutely frigid! For me, it was seriously “take your breath away” cold. But just know that it doesn’t last long, and soon enough you will be walking out of the canyon and back in the sunshine!
The Hike Out of Salome Jug
After exiting the canyon look to the RIGHT where you will see a sign pointing to the exit trail. You will hike about 0.4 miles and then the exit trail will connect back onto the same trail you came down on. The hike out is mostly up hill, so be sure to save a little energy and water to get back to your car!
Helpful Tips for Visiting Salome Jug
- Watch out for snakes on trail and spiders in the canyon
- SUNSCREEN! I learned this the hard way
- Hiking poles could be helpful for more stability in the water
- If you get cold easily, you may want to consider a wetsuit
- You may need a lifejacket/floatation system if you’re not a strong swimmer (the deep-water swimming is short but the icy cold water makes it a lot harder)
- Remember, once you enter the canyon you will not be able to hike back out of it. Come prepared to do the entire loop
Celebratory Beer of choice: Desert Vibes Mexican Lager
Happy Canyoneering!
1 thought on “Exploring Arizona’s Secret Canyon Salome Jug”
So awesome thanks for this!!