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Bureau of Land Management reopens Aquila Vista group campsite

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Covered wooden picnic shelter in an open grassy area with stacked firewood, a metal trash can, and distant forested mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Big Sky Shelter at Aquila Vista Recreation Site. BLM photo.

SALEM, Ore. — Bureau of Land Management officials will reopen the Aquila Vista recreation area as a reservable group campsite on June 26, 2026. The area will be available for overnight camping for groups of up to 20 people and 8 vehicles.

The site, located within the Molalla Corridor Recreation Area, has been closed since the 2020 Labor Day fires. The surrounding landscape continues to recover. The Aquila Vista campsite itself, along with the wetlands adjacent to it, remains intact. BLM crews have worked hard to survey and identify any hazard trees left behind by the fires, and now no significant safety concerns remain. Routine maintenance by recreation staff has kept the existing facilities — including picnic shelters, fire rings, vault toilets, and a kiosk — in good working order.

“We’re excited to officially reopen this special spot to the public,” said Dean Reese, outdoor recreation planner for the Cascades Field Office. “Aquila Vista provides a unique opportunity for visitors to see a wetland in its natural state.”

The Molalla River Trail System, which can be accessed from the recreation site, is an extensive network of more than 20 miles of trails for hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians. The system combines both single track trails and old forest roads. The trails wind through the forested foothills and slopes of the Molalla River Valley, occasionally offering scenic glimpses of the forests and mountains of the Cascade Range.

The campsite is available by reservation only through recreation.gov. There is no running water or RV hookups at Aquila Vista. Visitors should bring plenty of drinking, cooking, and sanitation water. If campers plan to have a fire, they should check local fire restrictions and bring their own firewood, as collection is not allowed in the area. The access road is very steep, and turnaround space is limited, so long trailers are not recommended.

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.