Three Bears Campground

Molalla — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Salem, OR, OR

Price: From $15 per night

Price range: $15–$30 per night

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (36 reviews)

Season: May through October

No cash, check, or cards are accepted on site. Make a reservations online or use the mobile app. Three Bears campsites are only available by making a reservation.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/three-bears-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Well-maintained riverside campground with spacious, private sites in a scenic western red cedar grove. Campers consistently praise river access, clean facilities, and the overall peaceful atmosphere.

Wildlife alert: American Beaver, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Virginia Opossum, Townsend's Chipmunk, American Dipper, California Scrub-Jay, House Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, and Northern Rubber Boa documented in the area.

Insider tips for Three Bears Campground: Request site 12 — verified by campers as the best site with direct river access and views. Book online at recreation.gov well in advance — this is a federal campground that fills quickly. No cell reception in the drainage — plan accordingly and download offline maps.

Skip Three Bears Campground if: You need hookups — no hookups available at sites.. You prefer to pay cash or by card on-site — reservations and payment must be completed online beforehand.. You're sensitive to road noise — some campers reported this as a minor issue..

Best time to visit Three Bears Campground: May-October — Official operating season per RIDB data..

Nearby campgrounds: Cedar Grove Campground (Salem, OR), Aquila Vista Recreation Site (Salem, OR), Shady Cove (Lyons, OR), Lazy Bend (Estacada, OR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Three Bears Campground

Cell signal at Three Bears Campground (Salem, OR): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Molalla — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Three Bears Campground

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Salem, OR, OR★ 3.8 (36 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

No cash, check, or cards are accepted on site. Make a reservations online or use the mobile app. Three Bears campsites are only available by making a reservation.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV12 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no hookups available at sites.✕ You prefer to pay cash or by card on-site — reservations and payment must be completed online beforehand.✕ You're sensitive to road noise — some campers reported this as a minor issue.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Request site 12

verified by campers as the best site with direct river access and views.

Book online at recreation.gov well in advance

this is a federal campground that fills quickly.

No cell reception in the drainage

plan accordingly and download offline maps.

Best: May-October

Official operating season per RIDB data.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Beaver, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Virginia Opossum, Townsend's Chipmunk, American Dipper, California Scrub-Jay, House Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, and Northern Rubber Boa documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
503-375-5646· Molalla
Getting there →

The Molalla River is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Molalla in Clackamas County. From the town of Molalla, drive east on Main St/OR 211. Veer right at the OR 211/Mathias Road intersection, follow signs for Feyrer Park. Once past Feyrer Park, cross over the Molalla River, turn right, and follow signs for Dickey Prairie Rd. Continue south on Dickey Prairie Rd, keeping the Dickey Prairie Store on your left. At 3.7 miles past the store, turn right on Molalla Forest Rd and cross Glen Avo

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Molalla fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Molalla before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Three Bears Campground cost per night?+
Three Bears Campground costs $15–$30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Three Bears Campground open?+
Three Bears Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Three Bears Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Three Bears Campground?+
Three Bears Campground can accommodate RVs up to 12 feet.
How do I make reservations at Three Bears Campground?+
Three Bears Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Three Bears Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Three Bears Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Three Bears Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Three Bears Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Explore Oregon Recreation: Molalla River CorridorMolalla River Recreation Area
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 3.8 (36)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Three Bears Campground cost per night?+
What season is Three Bears Campground open?+
Does Three Bears Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cedar Grove Campground

Salem, OR

From $15/night

Aquila Vista Recreation Site

Salem, OR

From $50/night

Shady Cove

Lyons, OR

From $20/night

Lazy Bend

Estacada, OR

From $22.29/night

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