Moulton Falls Park

The idea for this hike, like many of the trails I visit, started with a photograph.  Earlier this winter someone posted a photo online of a beautiful arched wooden bridge spanning a jade-colored river.  The entire scene was draped with a blanket of snow.  Such a stunning place, where was this?  The location was identified as Moulton Falls Regional Park in SW Washington.  Hey, I knew where that was!  I'd driven by this place multiple times in the summer on the way to hike Silver Star Mountain.  The place was always packed with people and it didn't look like much of a hike to see the sights.  These two factors are why I'd never before stopped to visit.

The hike started out on this nice paved path

A bit of online research uncovered a 7-mile loop hike around the area, linking Moulton Falls Regional Park to nearby Lucia Falls Regional Park.  Now that was more like it!  If I was going to visit this place, I wanted to at least get in some miles.  So one drizzly Monday morning I threw backpack into car and headed north of the Columbia River.

Soon I was in this fantastic, mossy forest

I planned to cover a loop hike suggested by the Oregon Hikers website.  Parking at the Hantwick Road Trailhead, I was pleased to discover a nice paved parking lot.  The place even had porta-potties!   I started my saunter on a paved path leading to the main trail linking Moulton and Lucia Falls.  But before I reached this path (which would be my return route) I detoured onto a rough, dirt mountain bike trail.  Dubbed the "Bells Mountain North Slope trail" it would take me through the woods for about 3 miles before intersecting back with the main path near Moulton Falls.

Hall of mosses

Portions of this forest were logged and also engulfed in the Yacolt Burn, a massive forest fire that swept through SW Washington in 1902.  Several areas had since been replanted with Douglas fir, but alder and maples trees have also taken root.  Sword ferns dominated the understory, while moss and lichen draped from the trees.

One of many moss-draped branches

The mossy green forest was so beautiful it took some time to meander through this trail!

Old road crossing

Because the route of the Bells Mountain North Trail looked a little tricky to follow, I printed out directions from the Oregon Hikers website and kept the paper copy in my pocket to follow along.  I'm glad I did - there were a couple of intersections with old logging roads that were confusing and a couple of places where user trails branched away.  But the combination of the paper directions and my GPS kept me on track.

Back into the forest

There were a couple of places where the moss/lichen was so thick on the trees, it almost looked like hair!

These trees looked hairy

Although ominous, cloudy skies threatened rain the entire day, I only encountered short bursts of sprinkles.  Just the same, I kept my rain jacket on 'cause I'm not fond of being wet.

Wooden bridges for mountain bikers to cross the creeks

This dirt track I was following was created as more of a mountain bike trail than for hikers.  But I didn't encounter a single soul for the entire length - on foot or on wheels.  (Maybe the fact it was a Monday had something to do with this!)  Near the opposite end of the trail were several small creek crossings.  As a hiker, I could've hopped over each one, but someone had constructed wooden bridges spanning each of these brooklets.  I assumed these were for the benefit of the mountain bikers.

Lotsa green here!

About a half mile from the intersection with the main Moulton-Lucia Falls trail I hit the intersection with the main Bells Mountain Trail.  This trail climbed deeper into the Yacolt Burn area, eventually intersecting with the Tarbell Trail near Silver Star Mountain.  But I was going the opposite direction today, and happily bounded downhill towards my next destination - Moulton Falls Regional Park and that beautiful wooden footbridge.

Junction with the main trail

After following a narrow, dirt track for over 3 miles, the junction with the main Moulton - Lucia Falls trail seemed like a superhighway.  Built on an old railroad grade, it was wide enough for several people to hike abreast, and covered in hard-packed gravel - no rocks or tree roots to trip over.  A large signboard informed me I had a mere half mile to reach Moulton Falls Park.  Alright!  Time to find that bridge!

Moulton Falls and the East Fork of the Lewis River

As I hustled down the wide path, I took in the sights.  On the uphill side of the path was dense, mossy forest.  The downhill side gave glimpses of the green, East Fork Lewis River through the trees.  One small gap in the foliage offered a partially obstructed view of Moulton Falls and it's tiny 10-foot drop.  It looked as through the best views of the falls were on the opposite shore.

Beautiful jade-green water

After seeing no one all morning, at first it was a little bit jarring to encounter hikers again.  But the closer I got to Moulton Falls Park and it's wooden bridge, the more people I met.  Suddenly the bridge appeared before me.  I happily walked partway across and paused to take in the views below.  And they were wonderful.  Forested slopes gave way to steep, rocky banks that sandwiched the deep green waters of the East Fork of the Lewis River.  That water color!  It was such a lovely shade of green-blue-gray.

The famous wooden footbridge

Crossing to the opposite end of the footbridge, I took a user trail to one side and bushwhacked through the bushes to capture a view of the lovely wooden truss.

A massive cedar tree on the riverbank

Now where did folks go to take that stunning photo of the bridge spanning the river?  Continuing on the main path, now on the river's opposite shore, I walked towards what appeared to be a large restroom.  Assuming the parking lot was nearby, I scanned riverbank for paths.  A rock-paved sidewalk took visitors past a huge cedar tree.  Off to the side of the tree, another user path directed me to several flat rocks jutting out into the river.  Looking up, I found my money shot.

The money shot!

There was the bridge, just as I'd seen in the photo.  Spanning a rocky gap between the banks, it reflected perfectly in the green river's water.  Although the sun was nowhere to be found that day, the cloudy skies and foggy forest gave a perfect mood to the shot.

A moss-coated tree I couldn't pass up

By now way past noon, I rested on the rocks and inhaled my sandwich.  Then, after snapping copious photos to memorialize the moment, I headed back across the bridge and onto the Moulton-Lucia Trail once again to close the loop.

A glimpse of the East Fork Lewis River

I thought this flat 2.5 mile trail between Moulton and Lucia Falls Parks would be a boring trudge back to the car.  Well, I couldn't have been more wrong!  The forest was full of huge, mossy trees that I found most interesting.  And the trees parted often to give nice views of the river below.

Boiling river rapids

What I thought would be a quick trek back to the car ended up taking much longer.  There was so much to photograph!  Who knew?

I loved this little red house

Near the western end of the path I began to notice private homes on the opposite side of the river.  It looked like a wonderful place to live.  Imagine seeing this beautiful scenery every day!  I especially loved one particular bright red house.  It's bold color against the green forest made for some great images.

Ferns growing from this tree trunk

Near the end of my trek, I passed by a large pond surrounded by more moss-draped trees.  A picnic table was stationed at one end, and I'm sure on a nice summer day it would've made a great place to have lunch.  But the skies were threatening rain once again, and I was ready to be done, so I didn't linger long.

A small pond near trail's end

The path back to the Hantwick Road trailhead parking area split off before reaching Lucia Falls Park.  I didn't feel like walking any further so Lucia Falls would have to wait for another day.  But that just means I'll have to come back again and do more exploring of this surprisingly beautiful area!