A really nice place to walk enjoy the views and see amazing wildlife ! Bring a sandwich and have a picnic but remember to clean up after yourself too :) read more

Tres Rios Wetlands - Tres Rios - Parks Near Me

A quick disclaimer for the following review -- This review pertains to the fishing quality of the area. I worked in Laveen for many years and drove past this location on 91st Ave hundreds of times but did not know about the Tres Rios Wetlands until a friend suggested it for a fishing outage. The first recommendation I will make is to bring/leave nothing of value in your vehicle. This is a high-crime area of Phoenix and the "parking lot" for Tres Rios is essentially just the shoulder of the main road. There have been several police reports filed at this location for vehicles being burglarized and catalytic converters being stolen. Secondly, a permit is required to park/use Tres Rios. The permits are free and available through the Tres Rios Wetlands page on the Phoenix.gov site. Each permit is good for a 6-month block. I have no idea if there is any enforcement action taken against non-permit holders but the consequence is a class 5 felony for trespassing on government land per multiple signs posted all over the park. Finally, if you went through the trouble of obtaining a permit and driving here just to fish, you may have set yourself up for disappointment. The actual wetlands sanctuary area that is advertised on the website is completely off limits to the public (including permit holders) and is surrounded by a 7 ft barbwire fence. The only area where fishing is actually permitted is a small strip of water outside of the sanctuary. The area is not maintained and it is completely surrounded by thick 6ft tall reeds and grass with only 3-4 gaps over about a half mile about the width of a single person. Maybe I went during wrong season, but the ground was covered in swarms of millions of ants crossing the pathway. Be careful what you put down on the ground or where you stand as you're likely to be covered in ants. If you're here to walk, hike, or birdwatch, I'm sure this location is beautiful gem in the desert thats full of wildlife. If you're here to fish it's unfortunately a big disappointment. read more

Tres Rios Wetlands - Water inaccessible through dense weeds. Fishing is nearly impossible. - Parks Near Me

Permit is required (easy to apply online) and received within an hour. Good for 6 months from approval. Save email as that is the proof of permit. Directions and signage are not the best. We think we found the right parking area, but not 100%, prepare for a long walk to get to any real viewing area. We did go later in the morning, so on us as it was hot, hot, and hot. No facilities so plan accordingly - hit restroom on way, plenty of water (plenty) as we had no cell service. Prepare for a little hump in wide open, bring sunscreen, wide brim hat, maybe a snack, etc. Common sense stuff for locals, but us northerners need constant reminding as the walk back was starting to get brutal as we should have brought more H2O, better head cover. Definitely will be back (earlier) as there is a lot of potential during the right time of day, year. We saw blue herons nesting, egrets, cormorants, and verdin, red-wing blackbirds. Growth of vegetation blocked a lot of viewing. read more

See all

A hidden gem in Southwest Phoenix. I live pretty close to here and was amazed that a place so beautiful is so close. I took visitors from out of town here because they love birding. They were very happy with all they saw. The trail is flat and even. The views of the mountains are gorgeous. The parking lot is a little small and was pretty full on a Saturday morning. There are some signs along the trail to explain about some of the terrain and wildlife. I can't wait to come back and explore more! read more

See all

Visited the wetlands during a nature festival. A number of local organizations had booths at the festival. A lot of the booths had great information for both adults and children. Lots of information about water conservation, waste management, animal habitats and recycling. If I hear about the expo next year, I would attend again. Because of the festival, we did not get to explore the wetlands very much. What we did see was interesting. The landscape definitely made us feel like we were no longer in Phoenix. There are some nice places there to fish. They had a canoeing station. I am not sure if people are allowed to bring their own small boats there. It would be a long walk from the parking lot to the water if doing so. Parking is free. The lot is not paved. read more

See all

This place is a hidden oasis in Southwest Phoenix. The Estrella Mountains to the South look large and majestic from this spot. It is easy to miss if you are not looking for it. Sitting next to and part of a large City of Phoenix water treatment facility, this riparian spot is a great day trip. There is fishing(license required), and the best thing is that it is free. You sign up to get a permit to visit the site, and keep a copy on your phone or paper copy while there. It is also open(for now) to those who may not live in Phoenix. You can walk, run , or bike on the 315 mi long Maricopa Trail that takes you through fertile farmlands where the Hohokam Indians once lived and thrived. Aside from the plane noise from being in the flight path of Sky Harbor, the place is pretty serene. The smell of the water is like the ocean, except not as salty or fishy in my opinion. There is plenty of shade, but be vigilant because there are animals in the shade too. I've only seen birds, lizards, and 1 desert cottontail, but bobcats, coyotes and snakes are around as well. I have only been here 3 times, but it has only gotten better since I first went around 10 years ago. Bring plenty of water, and use the restroom. I can't really stress that enough. Bring water. read more

See all

Such a beautiful and unique area! I love to go here for bird watching- it's a great location to bring your dogs along! Very easy to access the permit on your phone. I felt very safe the whole time so was here and saw some great birds! read more

See all

The City of Phoenix has to be commended for restoring what used to be natural wetlands in southwestern Phoenix, at the confluence of the Salt, Agua Fria, and Gila Rivers - hence, Tres Rios. The area is now used as a final biological step in treating municipal wastewater; the cleaned and stabilized water then returns to the river bottom. It is also an excellent place for viewing wildlife such as wetland vegetation as well as an abundance of local and migratory birds. Some areas used to be open to the public for hiking and birdwatching, but now access is available only by permit, which can be obtained from the city government. read more

See all

Great place for thieves that break into parked vehicles and cut out catalytic converters while you unwittingly enjoy this beautiful jewel in the desert. Police spend hours in the river bottom while thieves rip off the parking area. HMMM. read more

BEWARE!!! PARK HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!! Went fishing with my bf and after for about 4hrs later, come back to my car broken into ! Everything was taken out of my glove compartment and center console, glass everywhere!!! Once the police was called and showed up, he said they patrol the area regularly, apparently not ! This is a public place but you need a "permit" to park here! You would think they would actually go in and make sure everything is ok but they just drive by! So many people here parked not just us and no one seen nothing! Have parked at sketchier areas here and nothing has happened, come to park where it's an open area and regular traffic passes and this happens ! So as I said, park at your own risk !!! read more