Things To Do: Molalla

Celebrate Molalla returns for the 6th year in 2023! This event highlights the locally owned small businesses in town. Enjoy a food court, including beer, cider and wine. There will be FREE kids crafts and activities area, artists, artisans, antiques, locally handcrafted products and live music!

Seeing as how the Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo, an official PRCA event, has more than 100 years of history behind it, it certainly deserves its own entry. Happening every year over the 4th of July, some of the best cowboys and cowgirls around make their way to Molalla to compete in all the traditional rodeo events. There's also a carnival at the complete with all the rides, games and fair food you could ever want. Even if you're in Molalla outside of the rodeo time, you can get a hint of the action at the city's Rodeo Walk of Fame. Here some of the biggest names are honored for their contribution to keeping the historic sport alive. 

We created this map to introduce you to the best of the Wild & Scenic Molalla Corridor and offer inspiration for a memorable outing. Whether you’re here for two hours or two days, we’re excited to share dozens of stops, along with a few “must-do” highlights that show off what makes the region so special.

Starting with the big thrills, Skydive Oregon is one of the preeminent skydiving schools around. They offer tandem jumps for first timers, with options to go 14,500 or 18,000 feet off the ground. You're well above Mt. Hood at that level, so you're seeing much of the Willamette Valley, the Mt. Hood National Forest and the mountain itself, not to mention the coastal range to the west as you take in the views during your descent. Be sure to opt for the video/photo package, so you get plenty of proof to show your friends that you did indeed go through with it. 

The Molalla River Recreation Corridor is one of those places you need to visit if you consider yourself outdoorsy, because you can pretty much do all the things here. Love to hike? It has more than 20 miles of great trails taking you along the river and through towering trees. Mountain biking? You can bring your bike for a lot of those trails, too. You'll also find equestrian trails and camping, all along one of the only untamed tributaries to the Willamette River. The corridor also serves as a gateway to Tablerock Wilderness, a natural area highlighting Oregon's beauty.

The Molalla Train Park, run by the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers, is a mandatory place to visit if you have young kids. The visit may be for them, but chances are you'll have a blast, too, as you ride around the scenic grounds aboard H-scale model trains. One of the best parts is it's free! The park is run by volunteers from the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers club. They operate the park out of their own pockets and off of donations from guests and revenue from the snack shack. 

The trains themselves are incredibly detailed and accurate representations of their full sized counterparts. And they aren't short on power either; they easily tow cars filled with people along the park. Be sure to bring the train lover in your life for an afternoon they will never forget. 

Haven't had a chance to see why escape rooms have become so popular? Escape Molalla is your chance to get that firsthand experience. Open Friday–Sunday, you and the rest of your group are locked in a themed room and given a set amount of time to find all the necessary clues and, as the name suggests, escape. Currently they are running an old west-style saloon where you have to find missing money, or go on a hunt for the elusive sasquatch! The stories are fun, unique and engaging, and your friends will certainly have the time of their lives solving the puzzles. 

Splat Action Paintball is the state's largest and longest running paintball park. This is where the pros go when they want to get in some time, and it's also where the beginners go to first get introduced into the sport. 

The staff provides as much or as little equipment as you need for your time at the park. You can come with nothing, and they'll get you fully outfitted with safety gear, paintball gun and ammo, camo clothes etc. Once outfitted, you head out on the grounds, which feature nearly 50 acres of wooded space with obstacles, cover, foxholes, bunkers, structures and more. 

Speaking from first hand experience, it is some of the most fun you can have outside. Get a group of friends together and enjoy what will very possibly become a regular outing for the crew.

Check out, and even ride at, one of the best BMX tracks in Oregon located in Molalla! The track is approximately 1,000 feet of bumps and berms, and is well-suited for riders of all ages and skill levels. The venue features a park-like setting with public restrooms and bleacher seating. Or you can bring your own chairs as there is plenty of room. On race days the Snack-Shack is open serving a variety of snacks.

Head out to Alpacas at Marquam Hill Ranch to hang out with some adorable alpacas. Their on-farm store is filled with unique items made from alpaca fiber. This luxurious fiber feels so good next to the skin. Find something special for a loved one or maybe something just for yourself. From clothing to stuffed animals, we are sure you will find that perfect gift. And if you're feeling particularly flexible, go during the summer when they hold Alpaca Yoga classes during the evenings.

Out In The Garden Nursery specializes in shade plants specifically for your garden. You won't find rows of big box store style flowers that everyone has at their house. Out In The Garden provides unique plants specifically for their ability to grow here and for their beauty. And while there, be sure to stop by and say hello to the adorable and friendly goats that will be clamoring for your attention. 

The Molalla Farmers Market is billed as a "true farmers market," featuring only items grown, harvested or created in the area. Open on Thursdays late May through September, you'll find fresh fruit and vegetables, jams, honey, flowers spices and other amazing creations direct from the producer. Highlight: Golden Artisan Goat Cheese creates the most amazing goat cheeses you've ever experienced. They craft rustic, French-style cheeses sourced from their own goats and made in small batches. 

The Dibble House Museum is one of city's most famous heritage sites. Horace Dibble built the home around 1859. It's actually quite unique for the location and era, as its style more closely resembles Colonial-era New England houses. His family lived in the home until 1904 where ownership changed hands a pair of times before being sold to the Molalla Area Historical Society, which was formed for the specific purpose of preserving the house and turning it into the museum it is today.

Right next door is the Von der Ahe House. Originally built in 1869 as a farm home near Carus, the structure was purchased by the Molalla Historical Society and relocated in 1972. Both of the homes are stops along the Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail, where you can learn even more about the history of the homes and their families.