Molalla River State Park

Molalla River State Park is located at the confluence of the Willamette, Molalla and Pudding rivers in Canby, Oregon. This Natural Area provides essential habitat for wildlife as well as day-use recreation.

As part of our summer adventures, I was looking for visiting more Oregon State Parks, since as I mentioned before, we loved creating lists with my kids as challenges. Also, I didn’t want to travel far from Portland. Therefore, the answer that covered both criteria that day was Molalla River State Park.

What to see and do

Molalla River State Park is located in the charming  Canby, Oregon, at the confluence of the Willamette, Molalla, and Pudding rivers.

This Oregon State park offers, for instance, wildlife watching opportunities, spacious picnic and grassy field areas, river access, and also hiking trail in the same place.

Particularly for wildlife watching, this natural area is the home of waterfowl, wading birds, small mammals, deer, reptiles, and amphibians, to name some. Especially during our visit, we loved watching hawks flying. They are majestic.

Besides the river views and access for swimming plus a boat ramp that provides recreation opportunities for watercraft owners, the expansive grassy field areas will capture your attention.

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And if you are a pet owner, this place will make your furry friends so happy, since there is a pet exercise area where you can let your dog run off-leash. We saw so many thrilled dogs running free during our visit.

I’m not a pet owner but my kids loved running on those area too!

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Hiking trails

Another important activity you can enjoy here is hiking. For that purpose, there is a 3.2 miles trail system.

During our visit, we walked on the riverside trail that starts with gravel paths with views of a large meadow and then turned into woodland that leads in the Willamette and Molalla Rivers (some sections of this trail can be flooded and overgrown).

It’s important to mention that river access is great here for watercraft owners. On the other hand, for swimmers, you have to hike the riverside trail to get to the beach.

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In addition to that trail, we also hiked in the Pond Loop Trail and then enjoyed the beautiful tall trees at Fir Grove Picnic Area.

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Last but not least, this is an excellent destination for picnicking. The picnic areas are incredibly huge and will find them along with the hiking trails. Some in the shade and some to enjoy the sunlight.

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In summary, this was our first visit to this State Park. We loved it, especially the vast fields and the views of the rivers. Some parts of the trails are slightly on the rustic side, but we appreciated the wild feel.

In case you want to visit another State Park during your trip, Champoeg State Heritage Area is nearby. And for more local adventures, check here.

Additionally, from August to September, you can enjoy beautiful flowers at Swan Island Dahlias Farm.

Plan your trip

Main features/Amenities

• River access with boat ramp.
• 3.2 miles hiking trails.
• Picnic areas (There are also group picnic areas can be reserved).
• Off-leash dog area.
• Grassy field areas.
• Parking lots.
• Flushing toilets (two restrooms, one of them was closed during our visit)
• Potable water.

Important information

• Location: Molalla River State Park, Canby, OR 97013.
• Check the official Website for more allowed activities and closure alerts.
• The day-use area is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (with reduced services).
• Dogs on leash except in off-leash area.
• Trails in the bottomland near the confluence can be flooded.