Trillium Lake

Big sites with good amount of privacy. Little trail around the lake with easy access to put a paddle board in. Vault toilets and the usual water spigots. Had a great Time can’t wait to go back

Took myself and 4 kids camping with a friend and her 2 kids. After we all went to bed, my oldest and I were in the rtt (as well as the other kids - it was a last minute decision to have a cuddle puddle). My son and I were chatting, staring at the stars thru the top of the tent and we kept hearing noises… we tried to chalk it up to animals or smaller critters because our dog was in her kennel on the ground and she wasn’t growling or barking. Anyway, minutes go by and we here steps approaching, we both look out the window and see a dim light closing in on the camp, it illuminates just a small area giving us the shape of a hulking male figure. He approached the camp and steps onto a boulder next to my Jeep and stands on it looking into the rtt. I asked if anyone was there and if I could help them, and they stayed silent but got much much closer to the tent and awning… right next to my dog. My dog whimpers and her kennel is quietly opened (it has a squeak), she whimpers again and it sounds like she is shuffling away from the entrance. She’s scared shitless. My son and I are literally sweating bullets and trying not to move too much. This person knows he and I are awake and he’s enjoying this game he’s playing. He proceeded to go thru everything in the camp, didn’t steal anything, and there was plenty to steal. He put my purse from inside my Jeep onto the bottom run of the ladder into the RTT. I’m not sure what kept him from coming in, or attempting to do what it felt like he was intending (I don’t know how to explain it, but we could feel his intentions)… I did whisper initially to my son to hand me the bullets, so maybe that helped, but he definitely was intentionally tormenting us. He made shadow puppets on the side of the tent so that we could see he didn’t care and was comfortable being there. I couldn’t find my phone and even when I finally had (an hour and a half into this experience), everytime I tried to use it the ambient light was so bright and I thought it would give us away. I called 911. They kept calling back because I couldn’t talk nor keep the line open, then they texted, but the screen is blindingly white so I had to try to type hiding under the loudest sleeping bag ever. Finally, I sent them our location. Multiple times cars got soooo close and I thought, this is it, the Calvary is here and we are safe, but it was just someone else moving along to their site or leaving camp. It took ages for the cops to arrive: I finally heard sirens, then I could see them, they were about to drive by, I quickly unzipped the tent jumped down with my phone and flashlight on to wave them down, while yelling to my camp mate to wake up and check on her kids. The cops came barreling into the woods, asked which direction and ran. They didn’t find him, but they found signs and they said there’s been more issues like this in the area. They said mhs was maybe a drunk guy. I know that’s not the case. He was freakishly quiet and he walked over 2 large tarps we used as flooring. He unzipped the bags on the ground quietly, and just straight up was there to make us he in fear: it worked. I have no qualms with using my weapon to defend my family and ultimately am so grateful that I had all my kids up in the tent with me.

Trillium Lake campground has the best location for Mt Hood views, hands down. The campground is quiet, not too many amenities(pit toilets, picnic table, fire pit). Camp sites are far enough apart for privacy which is always appreciated. We spent one night here, arriving early afternoon in hopes of snagging a first-come first-serve site- lucky us, they had a few available. They post the available sites on the information sign as you drive in. As we entered the campground we found the camp hosts and secured our spot for the night. One of the best parts of staying here is Trillium Lake itself- you can kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle board on it. The views of Mt Hood reflected in the lake are stunning. I recommend doing the Trillium Lake Loop trail that goes around the entire lake(2 miles). At the time of our visit a section of the trail was closed but it wasn't well signed from the side we approached from, oops- something to watch out for in the near future.

Campground on Trillium Lake at the base of Mt Hood in the Mt Hood National Forest. Awesome tent sites among towering fir trees. Lake for paddle boarding, kayaking or canoeing (nothing motorized). Water and toilets and trash. No showers. Adequate cellular service. No Wi-Fi. Amazing wooded experience with spectacular views of Mt Hood across the lake. Ducks and river otters.

Been here twice for the first come first serve campsites. 

First time, I arrived and spent time going from camp host to camp host trying to pay and all were gone. Probably playing in the lake. No big deal though, they eventually came to collect the money and were chill. Figured it was just a relaxed campground. No problem.

Second time, I came with the same expectations. Didn’t bother with the camp host hunt this time and figured I’d catch them later as they come around constantly. Big mistake. While I was at the lake they gave away my campsite despite being the first there and set up. “It’s first to pay not first to set up that has rights to the campsite”, I was told without remorse. Which is BS since it’s literally in the name first COME, first serve. 

Ah well end rant about that. Lake is beautiful. Campsites can be spacious or very tight depending. Would rate 4/5 or 5/5 if they had better hosts and a better payment system.

Quiet campground and very rustic. Access to the lake is easy but lots of people when it’s hot. Camp sites are spread far apart. Very narrow for RVs to drive through and back in to.

Absolutely gorgeous. Quiet, peaceful. Nice distance between sites.

This location has comfortable camping sites. The biggest draw is the most beautiful reflection of Mt. Hood across the river. There is a trail that goes along the edge of river along the shoreline close to the sites. During the day it is heavily trafficked but peaceful as the evening starts.

Camped here on 9/30. We were one of three people there plus the camp host. Note: I think after 9/25 it is only first come first serve! Can’t reserve online or see what’s available. CASH ONLY on arrival. Otherwise semi private spots for a typical campground. We stayed at spot 12A with a 50ft walk to the lake. Beautiful! It did get into the 30s that night, pretty cold.

Paved sites in a wooded area right on Trillium Lake! Even can walk the 2 mile path around the lake!

Stayed in #33. Awesome campground. Good trails. Awesome view of Mt. Hood

Great all times of year!

I was here on a rainy June day. Still lots of people in the day use area. the campground was half empty, even though it was booked up online. I had a pull through site, which was kind of ridiculous with my small van. 

Lots of woods. A beautiful lake. Great for kayaking or SUP. The hike around the lake is closed so you can't go all the way around. Very scenic place. Too much trash left around from day users, though.

Thanks

Thanks

Gorgeous view, great for swimming, paddle boarding, floating around the lake all day. Nice, shady campsites. Lakeside sites are nice for access to water, but you’re more likely to have people walking through your site, and/or posting up lakeside near you.

We camped at Trillium Lake for a couple of nights.  The campground was clean and well maintained. We hiked the trail around the lake, easy walk a little over two miles....the layout of the grounds provides spacious camping spaces with easy access to the lake. During the summer it is very busy.  Bring your kayak and a fishing pole and you are set

Very nice campgrounds, and of course a beautiful lake. Was a bit cloudy so couldn’t get a full view of mount hood which was a bummer but I will definitely be back!

Trillium Lake is easier and faster to get to than many of the other Mt. Hood Lakes, and with one of the best views of the mountain. It's a smaller area, and the day use area get pretty busy, so it's nice to have a campsite to get away from what can be pretty large crowds. Good lake for beginner kayakers as it is small, still, and doesn't allow motor traffic. There is also snow-shoeing here in the winter, but don't underestimate the sloped road you have to get down (and back-up) to get to the lake in the first place!

Nice campground. Nice trails around, fun on the water. Nice bathroom. Busy busy. That’s not really my scene. But... Get up early to watch the Sunrise! That was the highlight!

This campground gets really crowded from the day use/dam side of the lake. Great for tent camping/swimming. The lake actually gets pretty warm starting in August.

My husband and I camped here an evening in September. We couldn’t see Mt Hood due to cloud coverage but the lake itself was beautiful. There was a short trail from campground to the lake. Campground was fairly full but very quiet. Sights are fairly private and wooded. Our phones worked just fine here, as well.

Located by the beautiful Trillium lake, the view from there is unreal. Gets sold out really quickly, we were lucky to get there at 9am and reserve a spot at someone's site who was just checking out.

Stunning views, perfect paddling. Very popular—book months in advance.

Nice for a quick weekend away. Just learned you can rent a canoe in Government Camp and they’ll drop it at the lake for you. It is kind of expensive- you have to really want that canoe ride. Live that nice easy walk around the lake!

Average facilities, does fill up quickly if you do not reserve. We tested our luck and snagged the last spot, arrived around noon. It was quite buggy in June, but not to great annoyance. Lake was clean enough to swim, but definitely on the chilly side.

The campground is great, however, while away from my campsite on the lake, someone stole all of my firewood. The Govy General Store in Gov’t Camp was closed, so I was SOL for the night. Had to cook dinner with small twigs I could find laying around.

Really clean and well maintained campground. Trillium Lake gets a LOT of visitors so the campsites are hard to come by, but like USFS campgrounds there are usually some first-come-first-serve spots if you get there early enough. Look to book a site several months out. There is a boat ramp, and a trail around the lake, and nothing but gorgeous views of Mt Hood!

this campground is PACKED with people. recommend finding one of the less popular campgrounds near by.

This was my second trip up to trillium lake this summer. The view does not disappoint! The people who run the campsite are friendly and helpful. The sites are large and clean. Just know that there are no showers and only outhouses for bathrooms. Took some of our group members by surprise. Overall, great place to camp. We will be back next year!