Rio Salado North Overbank short asphalt return
Arizona · Other separated ride
Walk from designated trailhead parking to the signed North Overbank Trail. Follow the upper asphalt path east/upstream toward 7th Street, keeping the river on your right. Turn at one mile outward or before an at-grade public-road crossing, path end, barrier or uncomfortable section, whichever comes first. Return along the same bank. Stay on the black hard-surface route shown in the city map. The lower brown Terrace trail, wash crossings, nature-center walks and road lanes are excluded. Use an underpass only when open and dry, walking if the ramp or sightline is uncomfortable. Do not switch banks or assume a proposed river bridge exists.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Phoenix · Arizona
- Ride length
- Up to 2 miles
- Ride format
- Out-and-back
- Surface
- Asphalt
- Road crossings
- Walk from designated trailhead parking to the signed North Overbank Trail. Follow the upper asphalt path east/upstream toward 7th Street, keeping the river on your right. Turn at one mile outward or before an at-grade public-road crossing, path end, barrier or uncomfortable section, whichever comes first. Return along the same bank. Stay on the black hard-surface route shown in the city map. The lower brown Terrace trail, wash crossings, nature-center walks and road lanes are excluded. Use an underpass only when open and dry, walking if the ramp or sightline is uncomfortable. Do not switch banks or assume a proposed river bridge exists.
- Elevation
- The manager rates the Overbank trail Easy and describes minimal elevation change. Its zero-foot elevation-change label is a broad inventory description, not proof of a perfectly level path, zero effort or a surveyed maximum slope. Approaches and underpasses may still require walking.
- Starting location
- 2439 S Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ
Chosen maximum two-mile return with parking walking extra. Whole-bank descriptions and older map lengths are not doubled into this outing.
Mapped named trail-access area. Follow the written bank-specific start and designated public parking signs.
Rio Salado North Overbank short asphalt return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-20. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
Phoenix, Arizona · Up to 2 miles out and back · Asphalt
Start: Northeast Central Avenue Trailhead public parking, 2439 S Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. Current owner page names this trailhead; the saved owner map shows parking and the bank-specific hard-surface connection. Walk parking and entrance interfaces; no cross-river arrival or invented stall pin.
Ride: Walk from designated trailhead parking to the signed North Overbank Trail. Follow the upper asphalt path east/upstream toward 7th Street, keeping the river on your right. Turn at one mile outward or before an at-grade public-road crossing, path end, barrier or uncomfortable section, whichever comes first. Return along the same bank. Stay on the black hard-surface route shown in the city map. The lower brown Terrace trail, wash crossings, nature-center walks and road lanes are excluded. Use an underpass only when open and dry, walking if the ramp or sightline is uncomfortable. Do not switch banks or assume a proposed river bridge exists.
Distance: Chosen maximum two-mile return with parking walking extra. Whole-bank descriptions and older map lengths are not doubled into this outing.
Surface, permission and effort: The current city trail page explicitly identifies the asphalt Overbank trail for bicycling. The map separately shows paved and dirt courses; this ride uses the improved upper bank. The manager rates the Overbank trail Easy and describes minimal elevation change. Its zero-foot elevation-change label is a broad inventory description, not proof of a perfectly level path, zero effort or a surveyed maximum slope. Approaches and underpasses may still require walking.
Planning: Sunrise until 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever comes first; posted trailhead terms govern. No separate ordinary trailhead tariff established in reviewed pages; posted terms govern. Remain on designated paths and respect habitat restoration. Keep dogs leashed and on paved trails; do not enter the river, fish, disturb wildlife or collect plants. Ride slowly and yield to walkers. This guide does not establish e-bike class eligibility.
Access: Reviewed October 20, 2026: current owner route descriptions and the saved map support this short bank outing. The 3rd Street bridge project remains in early design and is not a built connector. The bounded notice search did not identify a closure specific to the selected return. Water, sand, work fencing and new signs can still prevent access.
Choose comfortable weather, bring water and check current signs before setting out. No parking-space pin, surveyed route or GPX is supplied.
Sources: City trail and hours · Owner route and parking map · Separate bridge design project · City projects page