Tom Sawyer Float Trips
(South Fork Easy Section)

2025 Season: June - October

Trip Options: 1-Day

Who Should Go: Little Paddlers 5-7 Years

Difficulty: Class I-II | Kid-Friendly Float & Play

Meet Place: Lotus, CA
(1hr from Sacramento)

Per-Person Rate: $169 - $184

Specialty trip for children 5-7 years old

Their First Taste of the River

This specialty float trip was designed just for families with kids ages 5–7 - too young for the bigger rapids, but ready to dip their toes into the fun.

Gentle Class I–II rapids perfect for young kids

Mellow stretch of the South Fork American River in the Coloma-Lotus Valley

Plenty of splashy fun, swim time, and water play

Riverfront picnic lunch under shady oak trees - no work for parents

Optional inflatable kayaks for those craving extra adventure

The Tom Sawyer Float Trip is a relaxed, kid-friendly outing that lets young adventurers build confidence and make lasting memories on the river.

Tom Sawyer 1-Day Float Trip

Trip Pricing

$169 Monday - Friday
$184 Sunday

Book Now

Sample Itinerary

  • Meet mid-morning in Lotus
  • Sign-in, shuttle, instruction
  • Class I & II rafting and river exploration
  • Lunch
  • Optional kayaking with instruction and Class I & II rafting
  • Take-out, shuttle
  • Trip ends mid-afternoon

Every day on the Easy Section of the South Fork American is a relaxing day. You'll float through calm pools, marvel at the beauty of the canyon, and every so often get your heart pumping a little faster when the current picks up with Class II rapids. If you feel up to it, you might venture out of the raft and swim in the river or just float in your life jacket as the river carries you around the corner and towards the next riffle.

On 1-Day Tom Sawyer trips we spend a lot time exploring and experiencing the river as a kid yearns to do. Like Tom, we’ll take extra time to enjoy our surroundings. When in season, we'll pick blackberries hanging off the banks, watch a momma duck with her ducklings, swim in small rapids, and float along with a mask and snorkel looking for fish below. It all makes for an adventurous and satisfying day for kids and adults. Lunch along the river is a treat and those who want more excitement and adventure in a smaller water craft can enjoy kayaking instruction.

*The itinerary above may be altered due to a range of variables, including river flow levels, water release schedules, time of year, and other factors. Contact us if you have any questions.

More about the Tom Sawyer Float Trip
(South Fork Easy Section)


GETTING THERE

Meet Place for Tom Sawyer Float Trips

The All-Outdoors River Center in Lotus, CA (1026 Lotus Rd) View on map

Note: If you plan to use a GPS navigation system or online mapping service, please use in conjunction with the driving directions we provide.

Meet Time

10:30 am for most trips

This time may change. Please refer to the information sent to you in your Trip Confirmation email, check with your group’s organizer, or contact our office. Plan to be on time; guests that arrive late may miss their trip.

Where to Stay / Points of Interest

Local Information

Driving Directions to the Tom Sawyer Float Trips

Traveling east from the Bay Area and Sacramento on Hwy 50:
Take the North Shingle Rd/Mother Lode Dr Exit # 37 (also called Ponderosa Rd), just after Cameron Park. Turn left over the freeway and take the first right onto North Shingle Rd (after 4.5 miles it becomes Lotus Rd). Travel 10.5 miles until you get to the first stop sign at Bassi Rd.

To get to the All-Outdoors River Center continue straight on Lotus Rd after the stop sign at Bassi Rd (DO NOT turn left on Bassi Rd). The entrance to our River Center is on Lotus Rd, the second driveway on the left after the River Store. The entrance is marked by a wooden sign and a metal sculpture of a school of fish. Park in the parking area and sign in at the All-Outdoors check-in area under the large oak tree.

Traveling west from South Lake Tahoe on Hwy 50:
From Hwy 50 turn right (north) onto Hwy 49/Spring Street in Placerville (this is the second stoplight in Placerville). On Hwy 49, take the bend in the road to the left and follow the signs to Coloma for 7 miles. Once in Coloma, Hwy 49 passes through Marshall Gold Discovery State Park. Continue straight through the park for a 1/2 mile to the stop sign at the intersection of Lotus Rd and Hwy 49.

To get to the All-Outdoors River Center, turn left at the stop sign onto Lotus Rd in Coloma just before the Hwy crosses over the South Fork of the American River. Travel ¾ of a mile past the small town of Lotus (3 old buildings on your right) and turn into the All-Outdoors River Center entrance on your right. If you go past our River Office or get to the stop sign at Bassi Rd, you have gone a block too far.

We encourage you to print and use our driving directions and not rely strictly on GPS navigation. GPS / cellular service is limited to nonexistent in outlying areas.

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