TABLE ROCK WILDERNESS

WHERE:  From Molalla follow highway 211 east to South Mathias road.  Turn right and proceed to South Feyrer Park Road.  Continue 14.6 miles to South Dickey Prairie Road.  Turn right and drive 5.3 miles, turning right on a bridge across the Molalla River.  Drive 12.8 miles to a fork in the road where you will veer left onto Middle Fork Road (there is a sign for Table Rock Trailhead here).  Drive 2.7 miles and turn right onto Table Rock Road where you will reach the trailhead in 4.3 miles.

THE HIKE:  I just did a short hike to the top of Table Rock and traveled a bit on the ridge which both offered beautiful views. I had no companions on this trail as you have to go through many mountain roads to get there. The trail starts off Table Rock Road and follows an old shut down logging road for about 1/2 mile before heading up into the woods than reuniting with the same logging road (which was destroyed by something in between). After following this logging road again for 1/2 mile the trail cuts into the woods. On June 27th the Rhodedondren, Phlox and Indian Paintbrush are beginning to bloom. Not a grand wildflower display yet but enough to enjoy. The canopy consists of Douglass Fir and Noble Fir turning into Mountain Hemlock forests near the ridge. The view from table rock offers awesome views of the volcanic cascade peaks. Unfortunately the air was a bit hazy so Mt. Adams, Rainier, St. Helens and the sisters where but distant grey ghosts. Mt. Hood and Jefferson where magnificent however and Three Finger Jack was in full view. Following the ridge toward Rooster Rock the forest was an interesting mix of Subalpine Fir, Mountain Hemlock and Alaska Cedar (a rare occurance this far west of the cascade crest according to my experiences). A Very peaceful hike overall that offered a bit of a workout but not to much and the views did there trick in helping me to forget about the rat race for a day!