We had our wedding at EarthTrek this past weekend and I couldn't wait to write a glowing review. We feel so fortunate to have been able to host our wedding here - it was everything we'd dreamed of and more. From the moment we stepped onsite for our initial tour, EarthTrek was the immediate and obvious top choice for us. The grounds and facilities are very well kept and it's obvious that the family takes a lot of pride in the way they care for the site. There are so many areas for guests to explore and enjoy - many of our guests raved to us about the beautiful, serene venue. The river provides such a soothing backdrop and the whole site feels very private and secluded. We really loved that our guests could book overnight camping, and we also opted for the breakfast burrito option on Sunday morning, which was a big hit and a really delicious, bountiful spread. Laura, who was our primary point of contact, is a dream to work with - just genuinely one of the nicest people I've ever come across, and so accommodating and responsive (which is exactly what you hope for when you're planning a wedding). Our wedding was very DIY and decor-forward, and Laura was so great about scheduling site visits with us so we could plan and take measurements. I could go on and on, but basically: EarthTrek is incredible and I highly recommend working with them at their beautiful venue. read more

I go on an annual rafting trip with friends and ALWAYS go to Earthtrek. The campgrounds are more "glamping" than "camping", but you are still outdoors, by the water enjoying an opportunity to bond with nature. Jerry and his family run this operation with love and kindness. His meals are always amazing, including vegetarian stuff! I miss that he doesn't schedule rafting directly but he has a great agreement with Oars and always steps in the ensure our trip is dreamy. So grateful for this little part of paradise that he allows us to visit and enjoy. read more

A great place for everything from rafting to interactive experiences with gold searching and bead necklace making with people who know the history! A great place for sure! :) read more

Amazing location right on the American River. This family owned and run camp is a great spot for a group of people. Each family had their own permanent tent cabin each with beds and a mattress on top where you put your sleeping bag. We put our chairs in the water and watched the rafters go down the river. We went out with Oars rafting and had Brian as our guide. He was very good and I would use him again. We loved our weekend and will return. read more

EarthTrek Expeditions - Float out front - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

See all

I have been going to rafting trips at Earthtrek since 2012 with a large group and the experience has always been amazing. Clean cabins, restrooms well appointed and cleaned regularly, delicious, freshly prepared meals. This is a local, family-run business that deserves your support as they are a local treasure! read more

Love this place! I've been going back for over 10 years now, about every other year, and every time I leave impressed. Everything is clean and the food is healthy and delicious. The riverside tent cabins are heavenly. This family run business is a real gem on the river. read more

I can't say enough about what a wonderful and beautiful place this is. Jerry, Sue, and Laura took incredible care of us. Everything was clean, well taken care off, and organized. We booked them from a link to visit California. We're from CA, but wanted to take the kids on their first river rafting trip, and this was perfect!! Thanks again, Jerry, Sue, and Laura, for all of the meals and care! Happy Summer!! read more

See all

Jerry and his family will take care of you! They are amazing, waking up early to prepare breakfast for the camp and offering their expertise on the area and the trips you'll be going on, as well as providing tips for the best hiking places and where there won't be so many people. The camp itself is right next to the river, but I didn't see that many bugs. There's a beautiful deck upstairs lit with string bulbs that give the cozy outdoor ambience perfect for camping. The bathrooms and showers are clean, and it usually smells pretty good in there (automatic air freshener?). I never had to wait in line for showers, toilets, sinks, or anything. Plenty of space. Would definitely choose EarthTrek again if I camp in the area! read more

Every time I stay at EarthTrek it is a perfect experience. Jerry and his family make the place so incredibly welcoming and comfortable. The river side cabins are so unique, and the campgrounds are beautifully maintained. Amazing location for a wedding! read more

My husband and I had our wedding at Earthtrek in May 2021 and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Jerry and Laura were great to work with! We reserved the venue a year out and they were so helpful with the planning process, and they let us schedule walkthroughs anytime they didn't have another event scheduled. We reserved the venue for our entire wedding weekend, and Jerry was there the whole time and ready to help with anything we needed. They served breakfast both mornings that weekend and did our wedding dinner. The food was FANTASTIC! Our guests had a great time and loved the venue. A few friends with upcoming weddings even mentioned they are considering moving their venues to Earthtrek. Our friends and family continue to tell us that it was the best wedding they've attended. We highly recommend Earthtrek for any special event! read more

See all

Highly recommend Earthtrek for anyone looking to make a whitewater rafting trip along the American River. We stayed in their riverside deluxe tents and really enjoyed the location which despite being in near triple digit temperatures with the weather was very cool thanks to the location along the river. Jerry is a great host and an excellent cook. Meals were outstanding and well balanced. OARS is next to Earthtrek which made the location very convenient. Thank you Jerry! read more

One of the BEST vacations every! Jerry (and his family) were so friendly, hospitable, and accommodating. They cooked culinary meals that gave us a 5-star restaurant feel. The tents were immaculate, super clean, our tour guide team from Oars Water Rafting were AMAZING. I will definitely be coming back annually. read more

See all

We went during the week so it wasn't busy. The owner John was so sweet- he made sure we were comfortable and when it's slow he asks what the guests would like for their meal and he makes it. The food was great, the location was awesome snd I was thankful for fully stocked usable bathrooms and showers. The site is right next to OARS and another rafting company and right in the American River. A great family glamping trip. read more

I spent a lovely weekend at Earthtrek with a large group of friends and family. The facility is top notch, clean and well maintained. Everyone was impressed with the friendly customer service and delicious food. Thank you so much! If you are looking for a camping experience close to Sac and especially if you want to raft the river, this is the place for you. read more

Our experience at EarthTrek was outstanding. I thought our glamping experience was going to be just okay but it turned out to be a fantastic one. From the moment we got there Jerry was super friendly and very informative. The platform tents we rented were right by the river, very comfortable and clean and we brought our sleeping bags and pillows. There is a small deck on the side of the river with two chairs so you can sit and enjoy the view and listen to the river flow. There was a picnic table for us to use and a grass mat in front of the door to wipe your shoes before entering the tent. The bathrooms/Showers were very clean with a fresh smell (air freshener?) with cute decorations. There was plenty of room and hooks, mirrors, TP a fan you could turn on for ventilation. The breakfast, lunch and dinner were delicious and they had food that met everyones palate or diet wants, food was "home cooked" and fresh. There was even a large station to charge your cellphone, computer or camera. Jerry and everyone that works for Earth Trek and OARS are very nice. The river rafting was sooo much fun! Our guide was Bill and he was very knowledgable of the area and he liked to share its history. He had a great sense of humor and he hang out with us at dinner time. Kevin, one of the photographers took excellent, high quality pictures that we purchase and we plan on printing soon. The whole experience was amazing and I would definitely recommend this gem of a place to anyone. read more

By far the best whitewater rafting experience EVER!!! We went with a large group, including our little family of 5, which included a 13,11, and 9 yr old. As a mom, I was super nervous for my boys especially our 9 yr old, but my nerves turned into Such happy moments full of excitement and awesome family bonding time! My boys enjoyed our 2 days of rafting the South Fork! The camp grounds were super awesome and super safe. Tents were clean and bunk beds were super, beats sleeping on the ground! The area is super safe and my boys roamed it without any problems! The food was by far the best! They definitely do not hold back in giving their guests high quality meals! From gluten free options, vegan options, to meat lover options the food was simply amazing! Fresh clean drinking water available at all times! Showers were super clean and well kept! The guides and staff were simply amazing! Overall, the expenses made here were worth every penny! We had an amazing time and my boys loved it! Thank you to the amazing staff and guides at EARTHTREK u guys do a great job! read more

We've been white water rafting every summer for over 10 years. Earthtrek has been our first and only company that we trust to give us a safe, yet exhilarating trip down the American River. I am NOT a camping type person, so I was really skeptical when we were planning our first trip here. What I found was a clean campground right by the river, and full bathrooms. I guess I couldn't complain too much. Nothing like going to sleep to the sound of the rushing river nearby. The geese roaming through your campsite at 5am is another story. Depending on your package, breakfast, lunch and dinner can be included. Breakfast and dinner are served at the outside (but covered) kitchen area with wooden benches all around. Lunch is served during one of the stops on the way down the river. Food is simple, but good. I look forward to the BBQ dinner. Enough about the campground - the important thing here is the rafting. You're transported to the drop-off point of the river, and depending on which package, you will spend a day riding down either the North Fork, Middle Fork, or South Fork runs of the river. It is an awesome time. Obviously the raft is provided, but so are the paddles,life vests, and helmets. Experienced guides (most of whom travel the world to do this year round) will ensure you have a safe trip. The guides are also the workers around camp. So, after spending a day getting to know them, you can also hang out with them at the campground after dinner (which they also cook for you). We've only encountered nice people at this company. Lots of world traveling stories are shared - makes you want to raft in New Zealand one day. I'm totally a city girl - but I will sacrifice comfort for a weekend of awesome rafting fun! read more

Took my wife and son and his friend camping nearby. Booked a full day river trip and it was great. We had Nigel as our guide who was outstanding. These guys have to be actors to make it fun, and it was nonstop awesome. We stopped for lunch and the spread was better than I expected, deli spread with meat, cheese, bread, etc etc. Great stop halfway down. I love extreme sports, been racing motorcycles, karts, off road, road course, etc for 40 years. This was my first whitewater raft trip and it was beyond cool. Kids had a blast, wife had a blast, we could do this every day. Toooo much fun. Notice all on this page are 5 stars, unless you are freaking brain dead, how could it be less. Buy the ticket, take the ride. read more

We had an AWESOME time with Nigel and his family (family-in-law to be?) at Earthtrek. Really accommodating for beginners like us and a suuuuper fun guide. Seriously, ask for Nigel. He'll make your trip. Jerry was really helpful getting us a good deal. Food was excellent and everything is done for you! Nice tents and bathrooms, oddly strong wifi. Everything was 5 star. We booked through glamping and it definitely lived up to the title. A bunch of spiders but it's not a hotel room now is it? I'll be back to learn how to whitewater kayak ASAP! read more

Rafting with Earthtrek is like taking a rocket to the moon. They are outta sight - they know how to do it right!! They definitely have the best camp on the river, the most awesome guides, incredible food and a whole lotta fun!!! read more

EarthTrek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We just returned from an incredible stay at Earthtrek and could not be more pleased! The entire experience from start to finish was top notch and blew our expectations out of the water and down the river. We did the South Fork 2 day overnight trip and I would recommend this trip to anyone who is looking for the full river experience. It worked perfectly with work as well because it's 48 hours of weekend fun, getting us back to San Diego just in time. The accommodations were absolutely fantastic and comfortable. We had plenty of space for 5 people and the beds were a nice upgrade from regular camping. I would recommend to definitely bring a pillow and earplugs if you are sensitive to sound because the other companies nearby know how to party. We had Sally as a guide and she was INCREDIBLE! She was so knowledgable and made us feel safe along the entire route. She knew the river like the back of her hand and warned us about upcoming rocks and twists and turns. Not only was she an expert rafter, but she was hilarious and had us laughing the entire time. Those Kiwis sure know how to enjoy life! All of the guides and employees were fantastic and so friendly. They made you feel so welcome and Jerry sure knows what he is doing. They definitely value family service and a great time but with safety being the number one concern at all times. The food was also a huge hit. Such a great selection for all meals and it was delicious. Not only was the food great but they also had beer and wine for us when we returned for dinner after 14 miles on the river. What is this place, a mirage of my dreams? Earthrtrek provided a wonderful experience and we will definitely be back next summer! Maybe even for a more difficult course if we're feeling ballsy! read more

Just went white water rafting with this company on the South Fork of the American River and had an absolute blast! They've got a great campground, they feed you great food and then you spend the day on the water. What a great way to spend a weekend!!! www.earthtrekexpeditions.com read more

We did a Bachelor party trip and it was so much fun! We were picked up from the Coloma resort and brought over to their location! Working with Jerry was a pleasure, he provided plenty of information for a lot of us new to whitewater experience! Their guides were fun and made the experience a whole lotta fun! read more

I wanted to plan a fun weekend excursion for my cousin's bachelorette party and EarthTrek completely made it the best weekend us girls could have hoped for. This will be the second time I've gone rafting with EarthTrek on the Middle Fork of the American River and cannot think of anyone else who does a better job in the entire area. Janeen and Harmony work in the office/reservations area and are incredibly personable and easy going when it comes to working with you on logistics for whatever type of group you're planning to bring. Our rafting guide Nick was professional, caring and extremely funny. The day we went the weather was REALLY cold so he took care of us by not getting us too wet during our journey and shared exercises we could do along the way to help warm ourselves up. Jerry, the owner, has been in the business for twenty years and he definitely has the best camping set up out of all the other rafting companies in the area. There offer warm, clean showers, flushing toilets, delicious healthy meals prepared for you if you so desire and scenic camping options right on the South Fork of the American River. All the staff are awesome at recommending fun things to do and see around town while you're there as well. I would recommend EarthTrek for any party, event or outing you're planning and I can promise you you'll have a blast and it will be something your group talks about for a long time. read more

What an amazing place! The other reviews are right on the mark this place is one of a kind. My girlfriend and I have been wanting to go rafting for awhile now and decided to go last minute. This was our first time rafting and we didn't really know what to expect. I called around and was told this was the best company to go rafting with. Do you ever go somewhere and feel like you didn't get what you paid for? Well I've had this experience many times and when I prepaid for the trip; I was wondering what I would get out of the deal. Well my girlfriend and I got what we paid for and much more! The trip started before we got to Earthtrek with a gal named Harmony whom was down to earth and friendly. We arrived late due to work obligations and found a well lite sign welcoming us to Earthtrek. Our name was listed on a board directing us to our "tent cabin". The tent cabins are built on decks and have bunk beds in them. The rushing river about 20 feet away was a soothing sound to fall a sleep too. Bring warm clothes because nights here are chilly. In the morning we woke up around 8:00 just before the breakfest bell sounded. The food which was included in the package was beyond great. We were given a "safety talk" and by 10:00 we were lauching a raft down the river from our campsite. Our guide Albert was one of the most respectfully gentlemen I've every met. I don't want to spoil anymore surprizes so I'll stop giving the run down of activities but mention a couple more things I remember. You should bring sunglasses, a hat, shoes that are made for the water and plenty of sunscreen. However there is a small store on site in case you forget anything. Lastly bring a sense of adventure - at times you'll be "sking" the rapids and other times enjoying some R&R. Thank you Jerry and staff for a great trip; Trisha and I look forward to coming back! read more

The rafting is amazing here. Beautiful part of the world. The kiwi guide was excellent. My brother in law got married here and the venue was perfect. What an experience!!!! read more

Can I give it ten stars? Just spent the weekend rafting with a group of kids 8-11 and dads, and the Earthtrek crew. They are like a well-oiled machine in all aspects; their years of experience really shine through. Not that they lack human warmth and genuine hospitality; the guides/hosts exude both. And since they come from all over the world they bring a different perspective, and have lots of great stories to tell. Bring water guns! But don't get the guides wet unless you are prepared to be soaked; they are expert with those paddles. Thank you, thank you, thank you Earthtrek! read more

First time rafting in California so I couldn't be more excited and Earthtrek was the perfect choice! We chose the SF super 1-day trip, which included two nights of camping, full day of rafting and 4 meals. The owners offered us a complimentary upgrade to the cabin tent which made it easy for us to sit back, and enjoy the beautiful campgrounds, delicious meals and the rapids of the American River! The staff is friendly, genuine and just plain ol' fun! You can tell these guides love what they do and it made our experience that much more fantastic! Wade was our guide and he knew all the great spots in the river to catch the rapids... and how to toss us out of the raft a few times (which we encouraged him to do). It was over 100* and the water felt so refreshing! The meals at Earthtrek are great- everything was so fresh and every meal offered a little something for everyone. Since everything was taken care for us, this left ample time to hangout in the river, take a nap on the campgrounds and play endless amounts of ping-pong. Yes. I said ping-pong! Love that game! My only suggestion would be to have a little more lighting at nighttime around the tables. All in all, it was a great experience! We are already talking about going back and doing the two-day trip. When I need to escape the city and fog I know where to go :) read more

This was our first time with Earthtrek Expeditions and the 4th time on the river. Fabulous! Great food. Our guide was excellent and hilarious! We had an awesome time. Absolutely loved the cabin tents down by the water. Very clean tents and bathroom facilities. The only thing I would change would be to put lighting so we can play ping pong in the evening. Can't wait to return! read more

We recently took family and friends up to the river. We have used several rafting companies in the past. Earthtrek was far and away the finest company we have used. My brother had used them in the past and said they were great. They exceeded our expectations. From inception, J was very helpful in setting up a customized trip for us. The place is wee maintained and operated by Jerry and his team. Tents were big and comfortable. The food was fantastic and the people were even better. Guides Sally and Wade we're funny and knowledgeable. Bring your sense of humor. The culture their is a big part of what separates them from the pack. We definitely will be using them exclusively going forward. Jim Kehoe. read more

Our local YMCA Trailblazer group has used this outfit two years in a row and I would highly recommend them. They have trips on the three forks of the American river, each with different levels of difficulty and excitement. They are located right on the south fork of American river, so your rafting trip can start or end right at the campgrounds. They are five minutes away from the Marshall Gold Discovery Park, so you can grab a little California history on your way. The campgrounds are clean and comfortable. They can take care of everything: sleeping bags, tents, cabin tents, meals, wet suits, vests, paddles, and rafts. The food is good and portions generous. They even have a fire dancing show, http://bit.ly/XPS8H, at night. The rafts are new and appear to be well maintained. The guides are polite, entertaining, and seemed to be very experienced. Adan is one of the guide leaders and is great with first time rafters. Ask for him by name if you can. This is a great place for families or people who haven't been rafting before to spend a day or weekend on the river. read more

Our family of 4, with two kids, ages 9 and 10, stayed 2 days and 2 nights at EarthTrek and rafted for two days on the south fork and middle fork. I am normally not a fan of any sort of camping, so I was a little leery about a camping/rafting combo trip but any reservations I had flew out the window with EarthTrek. Great facility - lots of picnic tables, right on the river, they have a foose ball table, and a ping pong table. My 9 year old daughter is afraid of everything (she was afraid during the movie Tangled, to give you an idea) and she was very hesitant about rafting but our guide, Miles, was really reassuring and kept us safe the entire time. A few personal observations on safety - not all rafting companies provide helmets. EarthTrek does and they are red - which makes you easy to spot in the river. Not all rafting companies provide life jackets with a little head rest in the back to prop your head up - I imagine this would be helpful if you were unconscious in the river. I observed all sorts of terrible and old looking life jackets on other people on rafting trips. Not all of the guides are experienced - I saw lots of other rafts get repeatedly stuck on rocks or flip over, but not ours, and that is really important to me as a mother of young children. Not all of the other rafts have a rope around the perimeter for you to grab on to - my daughter felt very secure with the rope. I was afraid there wouldn't be enough water in the river for fun rapids due to the drought, but the river is dammed, and they let water out every day so the rapids were still very exciting and fun. I was also afraid we would have to do a ton of paddling (which wouldn't be so fun for the kids) but our guide was so awesome and strong, he could easily turn the entire raft with one quick stroke of his paddle! He really knew how to ride the current so there was very little work on our part, though I observed other boats doing way more paddling than ours. We rented a tent cabin and everyone loved it. It was really clean and I got the large one for the 4 of us, so we had plenty of space. They provide actual bunk beds with mattresses covered in a thick plastic and they were very comfortable. We had a little deck out back, over looking the river and it was fantastic. The bathroom facilities were usable, lots of sinks, toilets, 4 showers. Decent shower pressure with plenty of hot water. They could use a bit more cleaning but really, it was fantastic for a camping situation. The food was excellent. Pancakes with eggs and sausage was the first day. They also offer an assortment of cold cereal, yogurt and oatmeal. The coffee was surprisingly decent and I am usually a fan of Peet's. They also provided a snack of chips, trail mix and cheese/crackers. Lunch was on the river and it was a make your own sandwich bar. Dinner was grilled chicken and trip tip with salad, baked potatoes, vegetables and ice cream sundae fixins for dessert. The next breakfast was breakfast burritos with eggs, potatoes, steak, black beans and all kinds of toppings. They also offered muffins with cereal and oatmeal. Lunch the last day was hot dogs and hamburgers with chips, potato salad, macaroni salad, watermelon and cookies. There was something for everyone and there was plenty of it - absolutely zero complaints. This trip really exceeded our expectations and we would return at every opportunity. read more

I was nervous about rafting, but ended up liking it. Great place for glamping with the family at this relaxing spot by the river. They have a ping pong table, foosball table, horseshoe pit, and volleyball court to pass the time. Nigel was a great rafting guide for us first-timers. He made the trip enjoyable, gave us great tips and has us laughing all the way down the river...plus, no one fell out our raft, but we did see some other rafters fall into the river a few times. read more

My family and I used this outfitter two years ago (I just went again last weekend with a different outfitter and didn't have that great of an experience). Our guides (don't remember what their names were, one was from australia?) were AMAZING. They were entertaining, told great stories, were enthusiastic, and really knew their stuff - and were incredibly safe. Every single family member (15+ people) had a great time, all left raving about how fun it was. We're looking forward to doing another part of the river with this outfitter again next summer... read more

This is the nicest campground on the river, or any river for that matter. Its almost a hotel experience. Great staff, great food, and great rafting. Its my favorite company for so many reasons:) read more

Great experience of Glamping (Glamour + Camping), as in all the fun, with no work at all. Great food, great location, great staff and WAHOO ....Clean bathrooms. Family getaway that is actually relaxing - 5 stars :) read more

My wife and I along with our 3 kids, 8,10 and 13 had great experience with the staff from Earthtrek. From the moment we arrived we were greeted by a friendly, helpful staff. In addition to the great food and well maintained accommodations, the guides were top notch. They were friendly, professional and well trained. It obvious to all that they really enjoy what they are doing. Our guide (Cassandra) was great with our family. My wife and I had been WWR in the past but this was our kids first experience. Prior to hitting the rapids, the staff had a safety meeting, covering the different types of scenarios we might experience on the river. It was clear our safety was their number one goal. we were issued our PFD(personal flotation devices) not just life vests, and helmets. As a side note, a number of WWR companies do not issue helmets to their guests. A red flag in my book. Once the equipment was issued, we noticed that our 8 year old daughter was becoming apprehensive about hitting the rapids. Cassandra recognized her concern and took the extra time to talk with her and helped her overcome her fears of the unknown. With in 20 minutes on the water, she was up front at the bow of the raft laughing and having a great time as the water splashed over the top of our raft. This was one of our best family trips. No doubt we will look back on this experience as one of those great family moments. We will be back! read more

At 56 years old I went on my first river rafting trip on the American River. Could not have been more enjoyable. Our guide, Christina, was knowledgeable and fun, lunch was great and we stayed for dinner which was also delicious. The rapids themselves were just amazing, if we had had the time I would have run right back up and done it again!! I am so looking forward to our next trip!! Definitely one of the best parts of our vacation!!! read more

So just got back from a wonderful stay with the wonderful people at earthtrek ... So the experience with earth trek is as good as rafting can get. read more

My family and I camped at the Earth Trek campgrounds for our mini-family reunion and it was perfect! The grounds were lovely, complete with an activities area and river front views, with great and clean accommodations. We stayed in the river-view tents and loved how spacious they were and the great views they provided. Jerry and his team were very friendly and helpful, and the meals they provided were excellent! We also booked our rafting with another company (O.A.R.S. rafting) through our Earth Trek reservation and the location happened to be right next door. Earth Trek was conveniently located, had a great welcoming crew, and made our annual gathering a true treat! Thanks Jerry and team! read more