Moulton Falls Regional Park includes river access to the East Fork Lewis River, a popular swimming hole, several dirt trails to explore and connections to the Hantwick Rd Trail and Bells Mountain Trail.
The park has several wide heavily used trails, plus many side trails.
Here is a suggestion for a nice loop hike.
- Start at the upper parking lot next to Sunset Falls Rd (which is usually less crowded than the lower parking lot).
- Take the trail to the right of the park map, to cross Lucia Falls Rd to Yacolt Falls on Big Tree Creek (use the crosswalk, and beware of fast moving traffic).
- Cross the bridge over Big Tree Creek, and enjoy the view of Yacolt Falls. The bridge, curiously, was made from a naval ship’s gun turret and will be swung open during flood season so that logs coming down the creek do not hit it.
- Turn left to take the trail down Big Tree Creek to where you will cross Lucia Falls Rd.
- After crossing the road at the crosswalk, turn left to take the pedestrian bridge across the creek. Follow that trail along the East Fork Lewis River to a trail up the hill.
- You can then take the trail to the arch bridge. At the bridge, you can turn back, or you can continue on to follow other trails. a) Turn left at the far side of the bridge to follow a rough trail up river a short distance to view another waterfall (about .4 mile). b) Continue straight and follow the main trail to Hantwick Rd. (2-1/2 miles) c) Continue along the main trail and then turn left onto the Bells Mountain Trail (.4 mile beyond the bridge, 8.7 mile long Bells Mountain Trail connects to numerous other trails and logging roads.)
- Turning back at the bridge, you can either continue up the main trail back to the parking lot, or you can turn right, and then left for a side trail the then reconnects with the main trail to the parking lot. This loop without the side trips will be about about 2/3rds of a mile.