Peaceful Trillium Lake camping, hikes and more on Mt. Hood near Portland

You know when you do something for the first time that’s just so fun that it immediately becomes the “first annual” whatever it is? Well, we recently went on our first annual Trillium Lake camping trip, and it is sure to be the first of many. We’ve 100% fallen in love with the Trillium Lake campground.

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:

	1 hour	2 hours	4 hours
Stand Up Paddle Board	$20	$35	$50
Single Kayak	$20	$35	$50
Tandem Kayak	$30	$50	$80

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!

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