The South Fork American River
Map and Directions

Rivers Bend Resort, located at 6400 Hwy 49, Lotus CA 95613. At the entrance to Rivers Bend Resort, there is a sign for Tributary, OARS and ARR. Make an immediate right down the first driveway and park in the large gravel parking area. Space is limited, so please be considerate in parking your vehicle. Our staff will normally meet you in the parking area, but for 1/2 day Gorge trips, or when arriving for camping, proceed upstream on the trail to our camp site which is the first on the right.

From South Lake Tahoe: Take Highway 50 west towards Sacramento to Placerville (approx. 65 miles from So Lake Tahoe/Stateline) and take Highway 49 exit north towards Coloma/Auburn. Follow directions below from Placerville.

From Hwy 49, heading north (from Yosemite): Take Highway 49 north through Placerville and continue on Hwy 49 towards Coloma and Auburn. Follow directions below from Placerville.

From Placerville: Follow Hwy. 49 past the Marshall Gold Historic State Park in Coloma and across the bridge over the river. Continue on Hwy 49 north towards Auburn, and after 2+ miles turn left into Rivers Bend Resort.

From Roseville/Rocklin: Take I80 east towards Reno to Auburn and take Hwy. 49 exit south. Then follow directions below from Auburn.

From North Lake Tahoe/Reno: Take I80 west towards Sacramento/San Francisco to Auburn and take Hwy. 49 exit south towards Placerville. Then follow directions below from Auburn.

From Auburn: Take Hwy. 49 heading south towards Placerville. Carefully follow signs for Hwy 49 south through the town of Auburn. The road drops sharply down the American River Canyon, and after a few miles reaches the bottom of the canyon, and Hwy. 49 turns sharp right across a bridge over the river. Hwy 49 winds back up the canyon, and continues through the small village of Cool. Exactly 8.2 miles from the four-way stoplight in Cool, turn right into Rivers Bend Resort.

From Sacramento/Bay Area: Take Highway 50 East from Sacramento towards S. Lake Tahoe and take the Ponderosa Rd/Shingle Springs exit #37. Turn left at stop sign onto Ponderosa Road and cross over Highway 50. Make an immediate right on North Shingle Road (sign to Coloma). After approx. 4.5 miles, there is a slight left and you are now on Lotus Road. Follow Lotus Road for 7 miles, through village of Lotus to Highway 49. Turn left on Hwy. 49, across the bridge over the river. Follow Hwy 49 north from bridge towards Auburn, and after 2+ miles turn left into Rivers Bend Resort (watch out for power lines crossing highway). If you see Motherlode Camp you have gone too far.

California White Water Rafting - The South Fork American River
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