Paddling near Glendale, AZ

Of the West Valley cities in Maricopa County, Glendale sits closest to Lake Pleasant, a 10,000-acre Central Arizona Project reservoir roughly 30 minutes north with slot canyons on its northeast arm and 116 miles of shoreline. East of town, the Salt River chain — Saguaro, Canyon, Apache — and the Lower Salt River float corridor through Tonto National Forest open up canyon-wall coves and easy moving water, while the Verde River and Bartlett Reservoir round out the options.