February 1, 2024 | www.Camp-California.com | Job Board

Explore California

Free Campground Guide

American River

Running from the Sierra Nevada Mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in Sacramento is the jewel of the Gold Country region. The American River is a 30-mile-long river that is fed by the melting snowpack of the surrounding mountains and its many tributaries including the North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork American River.

Known for the discovery of gold in 1848 at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, the American River was a major contributor of the initial large-scale settlement of California. Today the river is extensively dammed for irrigation, flood control, hydroelectric power and serves as the main source of drinking water for Sacramento.

Buy It Where You Burn It!

Buy It Where You Burn It is extremely important here in California, invasive insects and diseases threaten California's forests. Moving firewood can introduce these insects and diseases to new areas which can result in a large number of trees dying. Make sure to always practice proper fire safety as well.

• Use a designated fire ring or pit
• Clear 10-foot all debris, dry leaves, and flammable materials from
• Keep water and a shovel nearby
• Never leave the fire unattended
• Only use designated firewood, buy it where you burn it
• Keep the fire small and controlled
• Extinguish the fire completely with water while stirring the ashes
• If wildfire risk is high do NOT make a fire, if permitted you can use a propane or charcoal fire pit

Featured RV Park

Camp Lotus

Camp Lotus fronts the South Fork of the American River three miles downstream from Coloma. It is nestled in a broad river valley that was inhabited by Maidu Indians for thousands of years before James Marshall’s historic gold discovery in 1848. Camp Lotus is in the middle of the Mother Lode Country at 700′ elevation, surrounded by grasslands, pines and oaks which are typical of the Sierra Foothills. The immediate campground environment ranges from riparian willows and cottonwoods up through tall pines, oaks, ceanothus, toyon and blackberries. Camp Lotus has 43 campsites and 4 cabin units on 23 acres, allowing ample room for privacy and roaming, wildflowers and river watching.