Your Georgetown basecamp
Follow the trail.
Find your weekend.
Forest mornings, water days, Gold Country drives, live music, and nights at Foxy’s Pub.
Choose your pace
Do everything.
Or gloriously little.
Fox Sparrow sits outside historic Georgetown near the El Dorado National Forest. Build your stay around trails, lakes, rivers, OHV adventures, local history, and live music—or enjoy the quiet right here beneath the trees. Many popular outings are an easy drive from camp; travel times, road conditions, and seasonal access vary.
Lakes, reservoirs
& river days
Nearby recreation includes Stumpy Meadows Lake, Union Valley Reservoir, Ice House Reservoir, Loon Lake, Silver Lake, Hell Hole Reservoir, and multiple forks of the American River.
Access, activities, road conditions, and seasonal availability vary. Confirm current conditions before departing.
ForestTrails & mountain air
Explore the surrounding pines and use Fox Sparrow as a base for regional hiking and outdoor recreation.
At the resortPlay, gather, unwind
Playground, games, recreation space, live events, and the simple pleasure of being outside together.
Gold CountryHistoric Georgetown
Follow the town from Native homelands and the Gold Rush through fire, wide streets, and generations of mountain life.
Explore the interactive history →Aerial imagery: USGS · National Geospatial Program
Nearby adventure · independently operated
American
River rafting
trips.
Rafting is not offered or booked by Fox Sparrow. Guests arrange and pay for their excursion directly with one of the independent outfitters listed below.
Stay beneath the pines at Fox Sparrow, then meet your chosen rafting company for a professionally guided day on the American River.
The South Fork is the approachable classic for many first-time rafters and families. The Middle and North Forks step up the intensity for stronger swimmers and more adventurous groups. Difficulty, minimum ages, and availability change with water conditions, so the outfitter should help you choose the right trip.
Independent rafting companies
Choose and book
directly with them.
Fox Sparrow is not affiliated with these companies and does not operate, schedule, sell, or collect payment for rafting trips. Use the links below to compare excursions and complete your booking on the outfitter’s own website.
Independent outfitter
H2O Adventures
Half-day, full-day, and overnight South Fork trips, plus Middle Fork options for groups ready to turn up the challenge.
Plan & book with H2O ↗Independent outfitter
OARS
Established, family-run American River trips with half-day, full-day, and two-day South Fork options from its Lotus outpost.
Plan & book with OARS ↗Independent outfitter
Whitewater Excitement
More than four decades on the river, with South and Middle Fork outings and multi-day combinations for families and groups.
Plan & book with them ↗Independent outfitter
American Whitewater Expeditions
Beginner-friendly South Fork trips and more demanding Middle and North Fork possibilities through an experienced Coloma operator.
Plan & book with AWE ↗Third-party activity notice: Fox Sparrow provides these links only as a convenience. The outfitters control all schedules, pricing, eligibility, safety requirements, cancellations, and trip operations. Ratings are a Tripadvisor snapshot checked July 2026; confirm all details directly with the company. View California State Parks’ current permitted-outfitter list.
Water around Georgetown
Six lakes.
Four river adventures.
Lakes & reservoirs
Stumpy Meadows · Union Valley · Ice House · Loon Lake · Silver Lake · Hell Hole
Rivers
South Fork American · Rubicon · Middle Fork American · North Fork American
Make Fox Sparrow your basecamp