I like to put in at Granite Reef and see how far up river I can paddle on my kayak. The nice thing is I can do it solo. If I have a couple people with me I'd rather park a ride at Granite Reef and put in further up. Parking at Granite Reef can be a problem though. There are maybe twenty parking spots including handicap so it fills up quickly and is frequently plugged up with traffic.
Check the output from Verde River. If they're only letting ~500cfs out of Bartlett it's an easy workout to paddle upstream!
Yes, best to start up river with someone waiting at Granite
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