Hiking Trillium Lake, Oregon

Hiking Trillium Lake, Oregon

Trillium Lake in Oregon is a very popular and picturesque lake that is popular among hiker, campers, kayakers and anglers. Non-motorized boats are allowed and there is a campground and trail that wraps around the entire lake. The views of Mount Hood are amazing and a very popular draw to the lake which is only open in the summer for day use with some winter trails available from the main road.

Getting Started

After making it to Trillium Lake it is important to pay the day use fee either by using the pay box or if you come later in the day, by paying the volunteers. There are two parking lots for day use that are near the boat launch. Either one is acceptable. If you park near the boat launch, you can grab the loop trial right next to the launch. If, like me, you park on the other side of the lot, take one of the trails through the trees until you make it down to the water.

Smoke on the Water

I hiked to Trillium lake on one of the last weeks that it was open. I hiked it relatively early in the morning and there was a chill in the air. That caused one of my favorite things to happen. The morning chill had caused a fog to form over the warmer lake. It looked like the lake was smoking with the fog hover just above the still water. It was amazing. Another amazing part was the view of Mount Hood. I had no idea this lake was directly lined up with the mountain so my first view of the lake is the view below with Mt. Hood reflecting back to the towering peak above.

That became a theme of most of the hike. Especially on the southern half of the hike near the water. I spent more time standing there looking up at the mountain that I did walking for the first half of the hike. It was simply stunning. However, I did want to get the full hike in so I made sure to make my way around the full loop.

The Loop

The trail makes for a nice easy loop that goes all around Trillium Lake. At times, especially on the southern end and near the boat launch, the trail is right on the waters edge. For the rest of the hike, the trail is in a heavily wooded area a few feet away from the waters edge. It makes its way around the lake, and around the northern point to the northeast where the campground is. The trail does come pretty close to a few of the campsites so it is nice to keep the noise level down and stay on the main path so you don’t accidentally end up in someone’s campsite.

This walk through the trees was really nice and peaceful. The path is easy to follow and well worn from many feet looking to find the best fishing spot along the lakes edge. There are a lot of small trails that head back to the water, but the main trail is wide and makes for a really nice easy nature walk.

The View

I would like to say that the trail was the cool part of the trail but I would be lying. The real draw to the Trillium Lake hike are the amazing views of Mt Hood. As I made my way around the loop and made it back to the boat launch, the sun had risen a little more and the fog burned off a bit and it left this amazing view and reflection of the mountain.

This was one of the prettiest spots and moments that I have ever been in. This is also what makes Trillium lake so popular and a bit crowded these days. It was so nice, I came back to look at sunset and was equally as impressed. It is one of those spots that needs to be seen in person to get the full appreciation of just the raw beauty of nature.

Video of Hiking Trillium Lake, Oregon

I have created a time-lapsed video of the hike around Trillium Lake to give you a feel for what it is like. I call these time lapsed versions of the hikes my hikers edits. If you enjoy the video, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest updates.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 2.32 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 33 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 3,619 feet. I was also moving for a total of 52 minutes.

I am a Pro member of AllTrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

The hike around Trillium Lake in Oregon is really easy. There are also plenty of places to stop and take in the views. A lot of people who walk around are there for either fishing or paddle boarding or are staying at the camp ground. There isn’t any elevation to worry about and anywhere the the trail would be challenging, there is a walking bridge. Overall, I am going to rank this as an easy hike.

Terrain

The trail around Trillium Lake is really easy to follow and is well used and in good shape. Because so many people use this area to access the lake, the trail is very flat. The hardest part is some of the spaghetti like social trails to the water’s edge and fishing spots. If you stay on the main, widest section it is very easy to follow.

Access to the Hike Trillium Lake, Oregon

Trillium Lake is a very popular area in the Mt Hood National Recreation Area that is open from late May to late September for day use. There is a $10/day for vehicles entering the area or there are some season passes available. It is located down a service road off of US-26. In the winter, there is a trailhead right off the main road for winter sports.

Wrapping up hiking at Trillium Lake in Oregon

This is one of the locations and moments that I will remember forever. It was my first time in Oregon, and I just picked the lake hike that was closest to me and had no idea that I would have these amazing views of Mount Hood. I was awestruck. This was just stunning to see, especially early in the morning with the fog hovering over the water. One of the coolest views I have seen in all of my hiking.

Now, as far as a hike, this isn’t special. I really nice and enjoyable nature walk that is easy so most people should be able to handle it. But the real gem was definitely the views and that they are views I will never forget.

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to my interactive map page that you can find here. If you have a suggestion or comment you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of Trillium Lake, Oregon