I know I’m supposed to say that every season is the perfect season in the Coloma Lotus Valley. Truth is as much as I love the lush green of spring, the buzzing energy of summer, and the stillness of winter, fall really is my favorite time of year.
Fall on the South Fork American River is simply amazing. Town is quieter but still very much alive, camping and rafting feel like a private, wilderness experience, and the temperatures are often Goldilocks perfect – not too hot, not too cold!
Rafting on the South Fork American River is not just a summer activity. Water releases are scheduled 4 days a week in September and October and weekends in November. Campgrounds, restaurants, bars, and rafting companies are mostly still open – at least we are still open at Coloma Lotus Whitewater.
Though the whitewater is as exciting as ever, the pace of life feels just a bit slower and town is more relaxed – like the small town that locals know it to be.
Here are some photos from our trip this weekend. 
Literally, a picture perfect day on the river. It was 93 degrees out and we had the river to ourselves. We spent a lot of time surfing at Chili Bar and Maya, stopped for lunch at 2nd Threat, jumped off rocks and swam rapids, and had a perfect line at Troublemaker (with just the right amount photographers and folks in the peanut gallery to prove it). Take out at Camp Lotus was leisurely and beautiful. We followed this up with an evening of “bar hoping” which included stops at Marcos, Gorilla Taco, Lotus Pub, and of course the Coloma Club.
Coloma Lotus Whitewater is booking rafting trips through the end of November, so reach out if your group is interested. Our minimum group size is only 6 people
River Trips – Coloma Lotus Whitewater
And while you’re here this fall, there are many other fun things to do:
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- Halloween in Coloma https://www.coloma.com/2022/10/30/19994/pumpkins-on-the-bridge
- Gold Rush History https://www.marshallgold.com/
- Wakamatsu Historic Farm https://www.arconservancy.org/wakamatsu/
- Apple Picking and Pumpkin Patches in Apple Hill https://applehill.com/
- Wine Tasting https://eldoradowines.org/
- Breweries https://bestthingsca.com/coloma-ca/breweries/
- Mountain Biking https://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/region/california/?city=Coloma
- Hiking https://www.theoutbound.com/united-states/california/coloma/hiking
