American River Resort

Full-inventory riverside resort — tent, RV, cabins & glamping on the South Fork

Location: Coloma, CA — South Fork American River, CA

Price: From $50 per night

Price range: $50–$270 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (227 reviews)

Elevation: 780 feet

Season: Year-round

Spread over nearly 40 acres of riverfront property along the famous Troublemaker Rapid on the South Fork American River. The most complete camping inventory in Coloma — tent sites from $20/person, RV full hookups at $50–60/night, platform glamping cabin tents at $89–129/night, and deluxe river-view cabins at $210–270/night. Pool (Memorial Day–Sep 30), catch-and-release fishing pond, on-site rafting company, free hot showers, fire pits at every site. Walk to Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: In-ground swimming pool (Memorial Day–Sep 30), Catch-and-release fishing pond, On-site rafting company (daily departures), Free hot showers, Fire pits at every site, Picnic tables at every site, Full RV hookups 30-amp, WiFi, Camp store, Volleyball & horseshoes, River access (Troublemaker Rapid), Gold panning nearby, Pet friendly ($10/pet/stay, max 2)

Nearly 40 acres of riverfront on the Troublemaker Rapid stretch of the South Fork American River. The on-site rafting company launches daily. Pool open Memorial Day through September. Walk to Marshall Gold Discovery Park in 10 minutes.

Sites 38–42 are the closest riverside tent sites and almost never get listed as a selling point online. You fall asleep to Class III rapids. Staff will tell you they’re “just river sites” but they book fastest. ⇒ Water: A large eddy pool 0.4 miles downstream from the campground — calm even when the river runs fast above it — is where local families swim. Accessible via a short dirt path from the campground’s south boundary. Ask any staff member and they’ll point you to the path.

What is new at American River Resort: On-site rafting company updated guide certification 2024. Pool re-lined 2023.

Wildlife alert: Rattlesnakes active in rocky areas April–October. Black bears occasionally visit — use provided bear lockers.

Fire rules: Campfires allowed in provided fire pits year-round except during active burn bans. Check CalFire at fire.ca.gov before arrival.

Things to do near American River Resort: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park (10-min walk) — where gold was first found in California in 1848. Half-day rafting trip through Troublemaker Rapid — book at the resort office. Catch-and-release fishing pond — good for kids who want guaranteed action. Gold panning at the Discovery Park — rangers lead sessions on weekends.

Insider tips for American River Resort: Call directly at (530) 622-6700 to check same-week availability — they hold back sites from online booking Bring your own firewood — resort firewood is $12/bundle Request sites away from the main RV loop — much quieter

Skip American River Resort if: You need reliable WiFi — it’s inconsistent throughout the property. You want wilderness solitude — this is a full-amenity resort.

Best time to visit American River Resort: Apr–Jun — River running high from snowmelt. Best whitewater. Gold Country wildflowers.. Sep–Oct — Summer crowds gone. River calmer and good for swimming. Excellent fall weather..

Common issues at American River Resort: WiFi unreliable. Treat this as an offline trip. Download maps and media before arriving.

What campers say about American River Resort: "Woke up to the sound of rapids every morning. Kids loved the pool. On-site raft company made it incredibly easy." — Google reviewer "Walk to Marshall Gold Discovery park in 10 minutes. Incredible history right next to actual camping." — Campspot reviewer "WiFi is unreliable. Treat it as a camp, not a remote office." — Google reviewer

Nearby campgrounds: Coloma Resort (Coloma, CA — Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park), Camp Lotus (Lotus, CA — 4 miles from Coloma), Dru Barner Campground (Georgetown, CA), Ponderosa Cove Campground (Twin Bridges, CA).