09/27/25

10th annual National Public Lands Day

lower salt river Land & Hawes Trail System cleanup

On Saturday, September 27th, 2025, we teamed up with the US Forest Service Tonto National Forest & NEEF for our 10th annual National Public Lands Day Lower Salt River Cleanup.

239 volunteers, including 38 youth volunteer, helped us remove 7,520 pounds (3.76 tons) of trash the Lower Salt River, Hawes Trail System, & the main road into Butcher Jones. Thank you to everyone who helped us make a positive impact on the river for the 32nd anniversary of National Public Lands Day!

Volunteers spread out to hike & explored multiple recreation sites along the Lower Salt River while picking up trash. With heavy storms the night before, trash was pushed downriver & trash that had been buried in the vegetation & mud was now visible for volunteers to grab. Volunteers with kayaks & paddle boards floated the river & picked up trash volunteers on foot could not reach. ⁠

Justin Corey from Natural Restorations also took a group of volunteers & our Dedicated Restoration Team to a cleanup site on the Tonto National Forest everyone passes on the way to the Lower Salt River. Volunteers helped remove several abandoned camps from the area.

Justin from Natural Restorations took our Dedicated Restoration Team & volunteers, including S.W.A.T.T, River Rangers, & SRP, to meet up with Hawes Trail Alliance & Hawesaholics to remove several abandoned camps from the Hawes Trail System on the Tonto National Forest. ⁠
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Thank you to the US Forest Service Tonto National Forest for their support of this event & our mission!⁠ Thank you to NEEF for providing free one-day Public Lands passes for volunteers to use another time. ⁠

We would like to thank our Sponsors & Event Sponsors! Without their support, events like this would not be possible. Thank you for helping us put our mission into action every day!

Arizona Wholesale Growers, AZ 4Runner Outsiders, Arizona Plasma, Arizona Toy Pros, Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co., AVNET, Battle Born Offroad, Beer Barn, Desert Monsters Tours, HDR, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, Illuminated Funds Group, Native Resources, Nitro Gear & Axle, No Snow Standup Paddle Board, OdySea Aquarium, Resolution Copper, Riverbound Sports, Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, Salt River Project, Security Title Agency, State 48 Overland, Stellar Adventures, Victory 4x4, Wild West Offroad Recovery, and Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative.