The Mollala River recreation area is BLM land that was purchase from a logging company in 1992. It includes 12 miles of forest along the Mollala River, and if you have been to the Table Rock Wilderness, you have passed through it. Directions are given at the bottom of this post, it took me a bit less than an hour to get there from inner SE Portland.
The trails are maintained by a non-profit group- Mollala Riverwatch, which is composed of hikers, bikers and equestrians. It is very popular with the latter two groups, and they do a good job and keeping the trails free of obstacles. There are multiple trailheads, and the junctions are all very well signed.
The area has some unsavory history as a popular place for rednecks to dump their trash, offroaders to tear up the understory, and serial murderers to dump their victims. The Riverwatchers have changed that dramatically, and now you will find the area clean, neat and wholesome for your outdoor recreational pleasure!
I started at the Hardy Creek Trailhead, and hiked on the Fern Creek, Huckleberry, Deer Skull and Rim Trails, plus Bobcat road. I visited Annie's cabin, and in four hours of hiking saw not another human, although there were a few horse trailers at the TH when I returned.
Annie's cabin on the Huckleberry Trail:
Some of the trails are old logging roads:
Because of the recent logging history, some parts of the forest seem like boring monoculture.
Not a lot of big trees here, but there are some stands that are mature and lovely. The terrain is similar to Forest Park, but much less crowded. A good place to go during the winter months.
Mossy alder on the Fern Creek Trail:
Rim Trail:
I have never seen such a large population of these big ant mounds in a forest before, they were everywhere! I wonder why there were so many here?
I took home some hedgehogs too:
Directions:
From the east side of Molalla (45 minutes south of Portland), go south at the 211 split toward Dickie Prairie/Freyer Park. Cross the bridge at Freyer Park and turn right (south) toward Dickie Prairie., turn right onto Dickie Prairie road at the old store. After the Dickie Prairie Store it's about 4 miles south to the Glen Avon Bridge on your right. Cross the bridge to the Molalla River Recreation Corridor and stay on the road that runs next to the river. The Hardy Creek trailhead is located about three miles south of the bridge, but there are several others along the road.
