For good reason! The campground is small but sites are enormous. The Trillium Lake hike, which loops around the lake, is beautiful and easy for kids. The lake is perfect for swimming, stand up paddle boarding, fishing and, if we’re being honest, standing in while drinking a cold beverage.

And have I mentioned the views of Mt. Hood?

Less than 2 hours from Portland, Oregon, you’ll find Trillium Lake. But you’d never know you were near the state’s largest city. Trillium Lake on Mt. Hood is a peaceful, idyllic retreat for camping, hiking, paddling—or simply relaxing and admiring the mountain.

If you haven’t yet visited this Mt. Hood lake, you’re about to add it to your list of outdoors things to do near Portland, OR. And if you’ve just used the Trillium Lake day use area, you’ll want to book a reservation to camp here.

In this post, I’ll cover all the details about enjoying this gorgeous spot, including:

• The Trillium Lake Campground
• The Trillium Lake hike and trail
• Swimming, paddle boarding and fishing
• Trillium Lake Day Use area
• Photographing Mt. Hood
• All the other details, including parking, fees and weather

We’re already planning our next day trip and camping trip at Trillium Lake, Oregon. Can’t wait to see you there!

Trillium Lake Camping

We love camping on Mt. Hood, especially in the middle of summer. The mountain is always cooler, making it a great spot to escape the heat in Portland.

The Trillium Lake Campground is no exception.

This campground is quite small—only 57 sites—so it’s quiet and laid back.

On the glamping – rustic spectrum, Trillium Lake camping is right about in the middle. Campsites are beautifully maintained and roads are paved. On the other hand, there are no flush toilets or showers.

I was actually blown away by our campsite (57). The paved area was big enough to park two cars comfortably. Two leveled, cleared spots made great places to pitch our tent. (Maxine and Edie chose the one we ended up using.)

The best part: An enormous wooded area behind our site was like a playground for my kids! They climbed stumps, scrambled over logs, built fairy houses and explored with flashlights at night.

Pro tip: Bring bug spray and a citronella candle. Mosquitoes will bug you in the summer.

When you pack for your Trillium Lake camping trip, don’t forget the bikes. My kiddos rode their bikes for hours!

From the Trillium Lake campground, you have easy access to the boat ramp, hiking trail and swimming areas.

Trillium Lake Camping at a glance

I always recommend to campers that they find out the essential information before heading to, or even making a reservation at, a new campground.

Here’s what you need to know about Trillium Lake camping.

• Number of sites: 57
• Cost per night: $23 for a single site
• Full hookups for RVs: Not available
• Water: Available, from spigots throughout the campground
• Toilets: Vault toilets
• Shower facilities: Not available
• Trash: Dumpsters available throughout the campground
• Ice for sale on site: No
• Cell phone service: Most areas of Trillium Lake have cell phone service
• Campground amenities: Picnic table, paved parking area, fire ring*
  *Note that the campground may institute a burn ban during wildfire season
• Overflow parking: One car is included in the cost of reserving a campsite. You can keep additional vehicles for $8 per car, per night. Overflow parking is next to the campground boat ramp.

Sometimes people ask me what the best campsites are. I don’t have a favorite for Trillium Lake camping, but I can share more information to help you decide for yourself.

The campsites along the lake are, of course, closer to the water. This is great because you don’t have to carry your paddle board back and forth or pack a huge cooler for a day in the sun. That said, these campsites are also directly next to the Trillium Lake Trail. That means you’ll have less privacy as people hike by your tent.

The campsites on the outer loops are a bit farther from the water. I had no trouble carrying my paddle board from our site (57) to the boat ramp. These campsites also have more woods surrounding them, making for great places for kids to play and adventure.

Trillium Lake Hike

If you ask me, the Trillium Lake hike is one of the most family-friendly hikes on Mt. Hood.

The 2-mile-long Trillium Lake Trail loops around the lake. The trail has essentially zero elevation gain.

Part of the Trillium Lake Trail is packed dirt. It’s well maintained, but you’ll still need to watch for roots so you don’t trip. Other parts are made up of boardwalks.

Note: One section of the trail is in disrepair. The boardwalk at the north tip of the Trillium Lake hike has been damaged, leaving some loose boards. Careful hikers can easily walk this section. Small children should hold hands with a grownup or be carried so they don’t accidentally step through a busted board.

There is no one Trillium Lake trailhead. You can start the hike from any point along the trail. We began our hike at the camping boat dock and hiked counter-clockwise. Honestly, you can do whatever you like! I let my kids choose which way we went.

Mt. Hood wildflowers

In late spring and summer, watch for wildflowers. An abundance of wildflowers bloom on Mt. Hood, adding pops of color all along the Trillium Lake hike. My kids and I have been learning the names of wildflowers, and we spotted some new-to-us ones here!

Keep an eye out for:

• Columbia lily
• Common beargrass
• Western cordilleran bunchberry
• Red baneberry
• Seep monkeyflower
• Wandering daisy
• Cow parsnip

We use the Picture This app to identify flowers and save them so we can remember the names later on.

Water fun at this Mt. Hood lake

When you go to a lake, it makes sense that you want to play in the lake! There are so many things to do in Trillium Lake, especially on a warm summer day.

Can you swim in Trillium Lake?

Yes! Trillium Lake is actually warmer than most lakes on Mt. Hood. I’m proof. I’m generally a giant wuss about swimming in cold water, but even I swam here while camping at Trillium Lake!

The lake’s warmer-than-average temperature is partly because of the shallow water. Trillium Lake is only about 20 feet at its deepest.

My kids were thrilled that the bottom of the lake is mostly sand and not muck. It’s quite comfortable to swim and walk in the lake.

In fact, you can walk yards and yards out, as the slope is incredibly gradual. We love swimming in Trillium Lake!

Trillium Lake paddle boarding

Brief side story: As you might know from following me on Instagram, I learned this year that I had a fracture in my foot. It was a long, drawn-out saga of walking cast and eventually a “peg leg” and back to a walking cast before my foot finally healed (ish).

Our Trillium Lake camping trip was the first time my healed foot and I could finally go paddle boarding!

We pumped up my Body Glove paddle board and walked it from our campsite to the campground boat ramp. Soon enough, I was paddling around Trillium Lake.

As you can see, I had several passengers, too! My kids and a friends’ littles took turns hitching a ride on my paddle board.

Paddle boarding at Trillium Lake is an excellent choice for beginners as well as people who are experienced. The water is calmest first-thing in the morning, as an afternoon breeze picks up in the PM.

Honestly, with these views of Mt. Hood, you can’t go wrong with Trillium Lake paddle boarding.

If you don’t own your own SUP, you can rent one (or other watercraft). Rentals are available on the south side of the lake, within the Trillium Lake day use area. Rental rates:

Fishing at this Mt. Hood lake

Trillium Lake is stocked with rainbow trout, making this a great spot for fishing on Mt. Hood.

Many folks set up in the Trillium Lake day use areas to fish. The best spots for fishing are the wooden platform and the rocky dam area, on the south side of the lake. Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong when you fish while gazing at Mt. Hood.

Trillium Lake was created by damming Mud Creek. (Not nearly as pretty a name as Trillium, right?!) Now you can drop a fishing line while relaxing by the rocks. This area of the lake drops deeper, faster than other areas. If you use this part of the Trillium Lake day use area, leave your car in the parking lot here (instead of the parking lot in the main day use area).

Other folks prefer to fish from the middle of the lake itself. You can do like the many osprey do, venturing farther from the shore, where the water is cooler and deeper.

Fish from a canoe, kayak, mini-catamaran or any other non-motorized craft.

The lake is stocked in the spring—typically May—as well as periodically throughout the summer.

Trillium Lake Day Use

Yes, we love to camp at Trillium Lake. That’s not the only way to enjoy this Mt. Hood spot, though! In fact, for years we visited the Trillium Lake day use area and never stayed overnight.

If you park in the main day use area, you’ll be mere feet from the boat ramp and wooden platform. Both of these are available to people staying for the day. (The boat ramp next to the campground is for campers only.)

You’ll also find picnic tables in the shade of trees, ideal for taking a break from the sun.

This is how most people use the Trillium Lake day use area: Find an unclaimed spot along the lake, set up camping chairs, haul over your cooler and hang out for the day. From your spot, you can swim, paddle board or kayak.

Restrooms are available at the day use area. Please make sure to pick up all trash. Maxine, Edie and I filled a bag with litter in mere minutes. It breaks my heart to see so many cigarette butts, food wrappers and fishing line left on the ground.

What is the day use fee?

The Trillium Lake day use fee is $10 per car per day. This fee helps fund upkeep of the recreation area, including paying for rangers.

You can use your NW Forest pass here, but not an Oregon State Park pass.

How to take photos of Mt. Hood

Unsurprisingly, the best times to photograph Mt. Hood from Trillium Lake are early morning and just before sunset.

The mountain’s peak rises above the lake to the north, so you can best see it from the south end of the lake (near the Trillium Lake day use area).

I’ve marked some of the best spots to take photos of Mt. Hood:

The lake is calmest in the morning. If you want to capture the mountain’s reflection without ripples, you’ll need to get up before sunrise to take your photos.

Everything else you need to know

I’m guessing you don’t need to be sold on Trillium Lake at this point. (It kind of sells itself.)

You may still have questions remaining, though. These are the nitty-gritty details on parking, weather, directions and so forth.

Trillium Lake parking

If you’re visiting the Trillium Lake day use area, you have two options for parking. You can leave your car in the main parking lot, which is next to the boat ramp.

You can also drive farther to the dam parking lot. This spot is better if you’re fishing from the south end of the lake, where the water near the shore is deepest.

Trillium Lake parking is included in your day use fee.

What’s the weather like at Trillium Lake?

Like everywhere on Mt. Hood, weather changes drastically depending on the season.

Summer weather tends to be warm and often sunny. When we went camping at Trillium Lake in July, one day was 84 degrees—really warm for this area!

Nights get chilly. Don’t be surprised if temperatures drop into the 40s overnight, so wear layers.

In the winter, snow accumulates at Trillium Lake. This is a popular spot for snowshoeing! If you don’t have your own snowshoes, you can rent them in Government Camp, a 15-minute drive away.

Trillium Lake directions

Trillium Lake is just 15 minutes from Government Camp and about 1 hour 15 minutes from Portland, OR.

From Portland, drive east on Highway 26. You’ll pass through Sandy, Rhododendron and Welches. Shortly after you pass Government Camp, watch for a sign announcing Trillium Lake.

You’ll turn right onto Forest Road 2656.

Please drive carefully on this road. Some turns are blind, and unfortunately many people drive much too fast here.

I totally understand wanting to hurry. But don’t worry: Trillium Lake isn’t going anywhere. This gorgeous Mt. Hood spot will be waiting peacefully for you.

PS – Want to visit another Mt. Hood Lake? Frog Lake is great for camping, swimming and of course checking out the countless tadpoles that hatch here every spring!

Please pin this post for later!

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(That’s truly the real name for a group of butterflies! Isn’t the English language beautiful?!)

Just past the Frog Lake Sno Park, you can stay overnight at the Frog Lake campground or come to the day-use area where you can go swimming or hiking. Either way, you’ll need to watch your step! Butterflies, tadpoles and, later, frogs call this Mt. Hood lake home—and you’ll definitely want to be invited back.

At just over an hour and a half away from downtown Portland, Frog Lake, Oregon is a lovely off-the-beaten-path destination. Here, you’ll read about Frog Lake’s tadpoles, frogs and butterflies; the Frog Lake campground; hiking near Frog Lake; as well as fishing and other activities to do at this awesome lake near Mt. Hood.

Say hi to the tadpoles for us!

Frog Lake, Oregon: Unforgettable moments at this spectacular Mt. Hood Lake

Sometimes people ask me why I, as a family travel blogger, am so focused on traveling with my kids. I could name many reasons, but one of the biggest is to create indelible, one-of-a-kind memories with my children.

Hiking Frog Lake, Oregon definitely does that.

We first went to Frog Lake on Mt. Hood at the beginning of last summer. I’d just gotten back from a long trip without my kids to South America, and I wanted to soak them in. Literally. I wanted to be so close to them that I absorbed them, I was so in love!

Visiting Frog Lake in the summer

Although I didn’t actually succeed (thank goodness), I spent a lot of time simply being present with my girls and spending quality time together. We headed up Mt. Hood near Portland for a new adventure—and stumbled across Frog Lake. To date, it tops my list of best lakes near Mt. Hood and I cannot wait to explore the area again.

When we arrived, we were greeted by clouds of orange and black butterflies. It turns out that in early June to early July, thousands—and up to millions—of California tortoiseshell butterflies arrive in Central Oregon. Scientists say they’re particularly drawn to water, which is probably why we saw so many at Frog Lake!

Frog Lake, Oregon on Mt. Hood from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

Butterflies weren’t the only wildlife we saw. My girls waded through Frog Lake, Oregon, giggling as tadpoles darted away from their toes. We had to move through the shallow areas of the lake in slow-motion so we didn’t step on any!

We returned later in the summer, in early August, to see the tadpoles all grown-up. Sure enough, all the polliwogs were gone, leaving oodles of frogs the size of a fingernail. I don’t know what species they are, but they sure are cute!

In addition, the girls and I spotted lots of other critters: a bald eagle, a small snake, and an osprey.

***Safety warning: One time when we visited, flyers announced that a black bear had been seen nearby. This isn’t out of the ordinary in Mt. Hood National Forest. It’s also a good reminder to keep children and pets close and under supervision at all times. ***

What to do at Frog Lake, Mt. Hood

Frog Lake makes for a fun day trip for the whole family as there are so many things to do. Or better yet, go camping at Frog Lake and explore the beautiful surroundings over a few days. Here are just a few activities to include in your itinerary!

Swim in the lake

Yes, like just about all Mt. Hood lakes, the water here is cold. But honestly, that never stops my kids!

If you aren’t up for full immersion, bring your swimming suit anyway. You can always wade in the water. Frog Lake is quite shallow for a long way out, so you can walk without swimming. You might also want to bring camp chairs and set them up in the shallows of the lake for the perfect amount of cool-down immersion!

Frog Lake fishing

The US Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks this lake with hatchery rainbow trout, making Frog Lake fishing a popular activity here. You can cast from spots all around the small lake.

So, if the beach around the day-use picnic area is taken, just walk away in one direction or another and you’ll find a fishing spot.

Float on Frog Lake

No motorized boats are allowed on this pristine, small lake, but you can bring your pool floaties, paddle board, or other person-powered watercraft.

My favorite activity on Frog Lake: paddle boarding! We recently brought my SUP and explored the whole lake. (It’s quite small, but Maxine was impressed!)

There are no paddle board rentals on Frog Lake so you’ll have to BYO SUP.

Hike around the Frog Lake trail

A short, flat trail circles Frog Lake—perfect for even small kids. (My younger daughter had just turned 3 when we last hiked Frog Lake, and she made it the whole way on her own.)

You can also use Frog Lake for a jumping-off point for more ambitious hikes. You can access the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) #2000 from the Frog Lake Sno Park lot.

You can also hike to Twin Lakes, which we did two years ago. That trail takes you to two beautiful lakes around Mt. Hood but has an elevation gain that wears out young children. I recommend skipping the hike to Twin Lakes until kids are in 3rd grade or so, unless you’re prepared to carry/babywear your kids, as we did.

Look for frogs, of course!

Depending on when you visit in the summer and what time of day you explore Frog Lake on Mt. Hood, the frogs may be everywhere—or they may be hiding.

Frogs dry out in the sun and heat, so you may need to peek under rocks to find them.

And if you stay overnight in the Frog Lake campground, you’ll hear them go peep-peep-peep throughout the night!

Camp at Frog Lake Campground

For around $20/night, you can pitch your tent just yards from this Mt. Hood lake. Campsites are nestled among the forest and have basic amenities, including picnic tables, fire rings and vault toilets. The campground includes 33 sites.

How to visit Frog Lake

If you’re coming from Portland, drive east on Highway 26. About 10 minutes past Government Camp, you’ll turn left into the Frog Lake Sno Park. Don’t park here, though. Continue to the right down a bumpy dirt road toward the Frog Lake Campground.

You’ll bear right, away from Frog Lake Campground, toward the day-use area. There, you’ll find a spot to pay the $5 day-use fee, and shaded spots to park. A day-use area includes picnic tables and a vault toilet.

I recommend not staying right in the main day-use area. On weekends, other visitors will set up there, and I personally prefer a little more space (including for Finn, our pup!). If you walk left from the main day-use area, you’ll find other picnic tables in the shade that are more secluded.

Or if you prefer, go around the entire Frog Lake, Oregon, like we did. You’ll find your own just-right spot!

Family fun at one of the best lakes on Mt. Hood 

If you’re in Portland and are looking for a family-friendly outdoor activity, Mt. Hood is just a short drive away. Frog Lake, Oregon is one of our go-to spots and my personal favorite Mt. Hood lake, in part because the girls adore chasing tadpoles and hunting for frogs.

We’re planning our first of several trips up Mt. Hood to visit Frog Lake this summer. After all, this family-friendly spot in Oregon is the perfect place to learn about a frog’s life cycle—and to simply make the best kind of childhood memories: the ones that involve a long stretch of afternoon, some sun, and no agenda.

Frog Lake is also a terrific halfway stop on your way to Bend, Oregon. If you’re looking for things to do in Central Oregon with your family, you’ll definitely want to read my posts on hiking underground lava tubes and visiting the hands-on play at the High Desert Museum.

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Lost Lake, Oregon on Mt. Hood: Adventure + Fun

Just two hours from Portland, this breathtakingly beautiful spot has everything you need for the perfect family day trip: hiking, boating, camping, yurts, cabins and a general store fully stocked with ice cream. They’ve made it so easy to enjoy Lost Lake, Oregon that it’s practically a crime not to go.

I know that planning day trips with kids can be a little tricky—how far do you go? Will there be something to interest all the kids, no matter their ages? How much food do you pack? Will the hike be too long?—but since I’ve already made this trek, I’m here to share all the details.

Read on to learn all about visiting Lost Lake, Oregon with kids (or even without ’em!). You’ll want to head up Mt. Hood as soon as you can—or at least pin this post for later!

A perfect kids’ hike around Lost Lake

Hiking with my family is pretty much my all-time-favorite thing to do, but we sometimes struggle to find new destinations that won’t be too hard for my kids.

Hiking around Lost Lake with kids is a no-brainer: Not only is it gorgeous, offering postcard-perfect views of Mt. Hood, but it’s entirely flat.

Level 10 travel tip: Part of the loop around Lost Lake is made up of boardwalks. Just go clockwise from the general store to hit up this section. Know, though, this is the busiest section of the trail because it runs along the day use area.

The loop is 3.25 miles, which made it on the long side for my little hikers (ages 2 and 4). My 4-year-old managed the whole hike by herself but I ended up carrying Kiwi for about half of the hike.

Like with all hikes with young children, you’ll want to allow for plenty of stops. While hiking Lost Lake with kids, you might see newts swimming near the shore, patches of snow (we found several even on a hot May day!) and the unfortunately named but absolutely gorgeous blooms of the skunk cabbage. (Check out this picture guide of Lost Lake wildflowers for more to spot!)

About halfway around the lake, some of the trail is washed out. There are two or three stretches of approximately 15 feet where you’ll have to balance on rocks in the river to continue (or do as Hubs did and simply take off your shoes to walk through the water). There are impromptu trails that go up and around these sections but they’re steep and not suitable for young children.

Right in between these stretches, there is a rock beach—perfect for taking a power-up break with the kids. We stopped for snacks but my girls were too busy wading in the cold water and throwing rocks to eat.

Overall, hiking Lost Lake with kids was one of the most rewarding hikes we’ve done with children in Oregon.

Boating on Lost Lake with kids

Last summer while hiking around Trillium Lake, we decided we want a canoe. We haven’t made the leap (yet!) but we rented one at Lost Lake for a practice run. The entire family—including the kids and even our dog—were 100% on board.

Lost Lake offers incredible views of Mt. Hood’s snowy peak, and you get a perfect vantage point from the middle of the lake.

You can rent canoes, row boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for between $20-25/hour at the general store. Note that during peak season (June-September), they enforce a 2-hour minimum. Life jackets are included in the rental price.

You can also bring your own canoe or other watercraft. The rental price is a bit pricey, but the experience of paddling around Lost Lake and taking in the view of Mt. Hood from the water is priceless.

We’ve been back to Lost Lake since that first day trip from Portland, of course. On our most recent visit—when we camped at Lost Lake—we brought our paddle board. Friends we camped with also brought a kids kayak (which we’re purchasing for our kids’ birthday!).

Our kids are now 9 and 7, old enough to paddle out onto the lake. We also love having one or both kids on a SUP and an adult paddling the crew around.

The views of Mt. Hood from the middle of Lost Lake are stunning. It’s no wonder that this is one of the most-photographed places in Oregon.

Lost Lake Campground

The Lost Lake Campground is a wonderful spot for camping on Mt. Hood. In fact, the campsites here are the nicest of anywhere we’ve camped in Oregon.

That’s a big claim.

Campsites at Lost Lake Campground are enormous. We camp with an 8-person tent to fit our family of 4 plus 2 dogs (one of whom is 100 pounds). Well, our enormous tent fit easily—and we could have fit another one of the same size on our campsite, with tons of room to spare.

Our campsite wasn’t the exception. We camped with 2 other families, for a total of 6 adults and 8 kids. All the campsites were huge! All the kids ran back and forth between the sites, rode their bikes on the loop, explored the woods behind the campsites and even put on a talent show.

Lost Lake Campground has 148 spots, most of which can be reserved. (Reserve your Lost Lake camping trip here.) Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. For summer camping and weekend trips especially, reserve as far in advance as you can. These spots fill up fast. So if you want to camp at Lost Lake, Oregon in July, like we did, make your reservation in January.

There are no flush toilets or showers at the Lost Lake Campground. Well maintained vault toilets are stationed throughout the campgrounds. There are potable water spigots, too.

Lush woods of Doug fir and spruce surround the campgrounds. Our kids climbed logs, made forts and found plenty to do around the site.

Lost Lake Campground is not next to the lake, though. You can hike about a quarter-mile along the Old Growth Trail from Loop A to the South Day Use Area, which we did several times. The South Day Use Area is much less busy than the North Day Use Area because you don’t get the spectacular views of Mt. Hood from there. This area has easier access to the lake along with more picnic tables, though.

If you’re going to the lake for the day, you’ll probably want to drive to a day use area. That way you can pack your picnic, paddle boards or kayaks, dogs and whatever else you’ll bring. If you drive, go early to get a spot. Parking at Lost Lake day use areas is like a competitive sport.

Travel pro tip: Buy campfire wood on your drive in. You can buy it at the Lost Lake General Store for $9 a bundle, but it’s significantly cheaper at gas stations and grocery stores along the way.

Visiting Lost Lake with kids: Everything you need to know

• Lost Lake is just under a 2-hour drive from Portland. To make a whole day of your trip, stop in Mt. Hood on the way back for ice cream—or in Parkdale’s Solera Brewery for even more stunning views of the mountain.
• Entrance to the lake is $9 per car. Parks passes are not valid because the lake is run by a private company, Lost Lake Resort.
• There are vault toilets near the general store but no other toilet facilities on the lakeshore trail.
• The best view of Mt. Hood from the Lost Lake trail is about a half-mile counter-clockwise from the general store, or just a short distance from parking at the North Day Use Area. The viewpoint is well marked.
• Lost Lake is busy on warm days, and summer is peak visiting time. Arrive early (before 10am) for easiest access to parking.

If you liked this post, I know you’ll love my post on other family-friendly day trips from Portland, Oregon. Click on over because I know you’ll find more inspiration for travel with your kids!

Have you ever been to Lost Lake? Would you paddle a canoe with your kids?

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