You may have seen the image many times. Trillium Lake – with a perfect reflection of Mount Hood on the water with not a ripple in sight. The sunrise shots are the most dramatic and have inspired countless people to come to this lake for decades.
When I finally arrived at this iconic Lake called Trillium, I was surprised by just how small it was. There is a trail that goes completely around the lake and the average person can walk around it in under an hour, even having time for a couple of stops to gawk at the magnificent scenery.
A Peaceful Oasis
There are picnic spots and places to fish. Since there is no spawning in the lake, the fish are stocked and consist of different types of trout, such as rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout.
The trail consists of dirt and boardwalk, as there are some parts of the trail on the north end of the lake that traverses some marshy areas. Parts of the trail go by a few of the campsites, and you can make sure you are keeping on the trail by the trail markers on the occasional tree. Just like on the Pacific Crest Trail!
The absolute BEST time to view the mountain at Trillium Lake is on a clear or partly clear morning or dusk. Also known as MAGIC HOUR. It’s the best time for epic picture taking, and the mountain reflecting off of the water is just jaw-dropping.
During the high season, you will need a day pass to park your vehicle here, or if you have an Annual Pass, that works too. Pay stations can be found at several parking spots around the lake. You can also camp here during the summer months. We visited in mid-October, and things had just closed down for the winter, which made our visit very peaceful and quiet.
Where to Stay
Mount Hood Village in Welches, Oregon is the BEST place to hunker down for the night in the area. It’s located just off of Highway 26, about 16 miles west of the lake. They have so many different types of accommodations, including tent spaces, RV spaces cabins, yurts and even tiny homes! You can even invest in a vacation home here. There is free cable TV in most of the Cabins and Tiny Homes.
And yes, I stayed in one of these tiny homes. I’ll be devoting an entire post to that very soon! For now, I will just say that it was AWESOME. I could really get used to tiny home living.
Mt. Hood Village is a mountain resort with a ton of amenities to keep you entertained. The check-in office double as a quaint little gift shop, where you can buy souvenirs and snacks. Next door is the bakery and café, servicing breakfast and lunch. They are also open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.
There is also an indoor recreation area, with a workout room, hot tub, and an Olympic sized swimming pool. There is even a space for Sunday church services, and they rent out spaces for special events.
Other Things to Do
I would be terribly remiss if I didn’t mention Mount Hood itself and the iconic Timberline Lodge. You will see signs leading to this National Historic Landmark as you drive from Trillium Lake to Mt. Hood Village. Even if you are not a ski or snowboarding bunny, Timberline has much to do and it’s even cool to just hang out up in the lodge for an afternoon, and lounge in their famous lobby and have a hot chocolate or hot toddy in the bar area.
There is nothing better than Mount Hood skiing for those so inclined, and it even has a ski school for beginners! With 11 lifts, including five high-speed quads, this is no doubt the more popular place to ski in all of Mt. Hood. Nearby hotels (and Timberline Lodge) offer Stay & Play packages, and the resort has concerts and guided tours throughout the year.
Mount Hood Hiking
In the summer months, hiking is a big draw, as entry to the famous Pacific Crest Trail is right next to the Timberline Lodge. The Timberline Trail is another (much shorter!) trail that is popular here. There are literally thousands of miles of trails in the entire area, but some of the more popular trails are:
Wildwood Recreational Site – This is a lovely natural recreation area in a heavily forested part of Mount Hood. Here you can hike the Wildwood Wetland Trail with interpretive signs along the Salmon River, and enjoy an underwater viewing area, where we saw some baby salmon just hanging out in the water! Since it is near the Salmon River, there is also river access with some great fishing opportunities. Take a picnic lunch and your bicycles – bikes are allowed on the paved roads, but no on the Wildwood or Cascade Streamwatch trails.
Where to Eat
Traversing Highway 26 to and from destinations here, there are several opportunities for great dining and entertainment. There is a bar that offers karaoke on select nights and another bar that regularly hosts live music. From pizza places to burger joints, to coffee houses, to fine dining, this mountain community that encompasses Welches, Zig Zag and Rhododendron offer a lot of variety.
I recommend the Rendezvous Grill, a slightly upscale restaurant with a dining room and bar area that serves impeccable drinks and scrumptious local/seasonal food.
A grocery store (Thriftway) is just down the road, east of Mt. Hood Village, so you can stock up on groceries during your stay. It is in a strip mall set-up with other businesses such as a ski rental shop, and gas station.
The entire Mount Hood area is an outdoor lover’s paradise. Even if you have never skied or snowboarded a day in your life. you will find epic adventures around every corner.
