Driving Directions to the Tom Sawyer Float Trips
(South Fork Easy Section)
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.
Driving Distances and Times to Meeting Place From:
Placerville: 10 mi/ 20 min
Coloma: 1 mi/ 5 min
N Lake Tahoe: 100 mi/ 2 hrs
S Lake Tahoe: 85 mi/ 1.5 hrs
Los Angeles: 425 mi/ 7-8 hrs
San Francisco: 130 mi/ 3 hrs
San Jose: 155 mi/ 3 hrs
Walnut Creek: 115 mi/ 2.5 hrs
Sacramento: 40 mi/ 50 min
Auburn: 18 mi/ 30 min
These are approximate mileages and driving times and do not take into account any delays or stops. Please allow a little extra time to assure correct arrival time to the meeting place.