How to Snowshoe to Trillium Lake
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Snowshoeing is my new favorite winter activity. I love seeing the familiar mountain landscapes of summer transformed into the quiet forests of winter, all without needing much more effort than hiking. The trail to Trillium Lake is one of the most popular, accessible, and rewarding snowshoeing trails near Mt. Hood. Although you won’t find the seclusion here of some other snowshoe trails, the trek to Trillium Lake is a great introduction to snowshoeing with big payoffs in terms of views. Here is everything you need to know to plan your snowshoe trip to Trillium Lake.
Trillium Lake - note standing water indicating thin ice
Know before you go
The parking lot for Trillium Lake requires an Oregon Sno-Park Permit from November 1st to April 30th. It costs $4 for a day pass, $9 for a 3-day (consecutive) pass, or $25 for a season pass. Note that the vendor may add a service fee and the final cost may be a little higher (along the lines of $6 for a day pass). You can’t buy a permit at the trailhead, so pick one up before you get there.
You can buy a Sno-Park Permit day pass from many Oregon retailers. Gas stations and convenience stores in Sandy, Oregon, can be easy stops along the way to purchase day passes. Find the full list of vendors here. Day passes are not available online.
You can buy a seasonal Sno-Park Permit online through the DMV here.
Trillium Lake is one of the most popular snowshoeing destinations near Mt. Hood. The parking lot fills up fast on weekends. Arriving early is a good idea on mild weekend days.
The trail to Trillium Lake is shared with cross-country skiers. Stay off cross-country ski tracks when possible so that they have an easier time of it.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.
You may or may not need snowshoes to reach Trillium Lake depending on trail conditions. When I visited, the snow on the trail was packed down enough that I left the snowshoes in the car and just used snow boots.
Even with snowshoes, you’ll want to wear good snow boots to keep your feet warm and dry. I’d suggest this pair for women or these for men.
If you want to walk out onto the ice, be sure it is thick enough to do so safely. When I visited the temperature was only slightly below freezing and there were visible holes in the ice where it had melted. Signs were posted both at the trailhead and next to the lake warning visitors not to walk on the ice due to unsafe conditions and yet a few still did. Walking on thin ice is very dangerous, especially when you are not close to a warming shelter. I grew up in Minnesota and was dismayed to see the risks some people were taking on unsafe ice.
The snowshoes I didn’t need
Snowshoe rental
If you go snowshoeing more than a couple of times, it makes sense to buy a pair. They’ll pay for themselves after a few excursions and you’ll have the convenience of skipping the rental process. This pair is a good starter set.
If you don’t have snowshoes, you can rent them beforehand in Portland or on the way to Trillium Lake. My friend Denise and I rented snowshoes from Otto’s Ski and Rental Shop in Sandy, which was an easy stop off Highway 26.
In Portland, the Mountain Shop and Next Adventure offer snowshoe rentals. The Mountain Shop lets you keep them for a couple of nights, which is handy if you want to rent them ahead of time and have an early start the next day. You can also rent snowshoes from Timberline Lodge, which is closest to Trillium Lake, although the cost is a bit higher and you’ll need to contend with the crowds of skiers.
Rental shops usually let you reserve gear ahead of time or rent it on a walk-in basis. Renting snowshoes and poles costs about $20. You can also rent boots if needed.
You also might not need snowshoes. This trail is so popular that it is usually packed down unless you arrive after a recent snowfall. Instead of snowshoes, it often makes more sense to bring microspikes. These will keep you stable in the snow without the bulk of snowshoes. As a bonus, you can buy them for about the same price as a one-time snowshoe rental.
Snowshoe trail to Trillium Lake
The trail to Trillium Lake
Distance: 3.6 miles out and back to reach the lake or 4.5 miles to complete the loop.
Elevation gain: 400 feet
Difficulty: Easy, although trail conditions may vary based on weather.
Dog friendly: Yes, leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.
Pass required: Oregon Sno-Park Permit
Find a trail map: here
Directions summary: For the quickest and easiest way to reach Trillium Lake, just keep staying left on the trail until you reach it.
If you’ve visited Trillium Lake in the summer, you probably remember parking next to the lake and hiking the 2-mile loop around the lakeshore. In winter, the Forest Service Road that leads from the highway to Trillium Lake is closed to cars. The winter parking lot is directly off Highway 26 and you’ll walk or snowshoe down the Forest Service Road to reach the lake and (possibly) views of Mt. Hood. Once you reach the lake, you’ll have the option of turning around for a 3.6-mile out-and-back trip or continuing around the loop for a 4.5-mile trip.
View of Mt. Hood from the Trillium Lake parking lot. It was the most I saw of the mountain before the clouds covered it.
The trail to Trillium Lake is family-friendly, easy to follow, and great for beginners. There are gentle hills along the way but it never gets too strenuous. From the parking lot, look for Mt. Hood across Highway 26. This mountain view turned out to be the best one I had when I visited thanks to the clouds that rolled in during the trek down to the lake. You’ll find the trailhead (Forest Service Road) at the west end of the parking lot.
Stay left at the first junction for the quickest path to the lake
From the trailhead, begin heading down the hill on the snow-covered road lined with pine trees. Chances are you won’t have the snowshoe trail to yourself, but the atmosphere is cheerful and you’ll probably see kids just off the trail building snowmen and making mini-sledding hills. After about 0.5 miles, you’ll reach the only major trail junction of the trip, which is marked with a sign. Take the fork to the left for the quickest route to the lake. The right fork is the return trip from the loop hike.
Dock near the boat launch at Trillium Lake
Continue on the left fork until you reach the lake. You’ll pass two trails to your right. You can take them down to the lake if you’re up for the extra distance of side excursions. One leads to a boat ramp with a dock that overlooks the lake and would have mountain views on a clear day. Overall, you’ll find the best lake views and the easiest route by staying to the left until you arrive at Trillium Lake.
Trillium Lake with Mt. Hood covered by clouds
Once you reach Trillium Lake, you’ll be rewarded with winter wonderland vistas. Ideally, the dramatic peak of Mt. Hood will be visible across the lake. Even on a cloudy day, the views are worth the effort. Hills of snowy pines surround the white snow of the lake. Keep an eye out for birds in the trees. Gray jays in particular can be bold as brass around hikers. I also spied the dark blue of a Steller’s jay among the pine branches.
Gray jays at Trillium Lake
After reaching the viewpoint at the lake, you can choose whether to return (3.6 miles roundtrip) or to continue around the lake for a 4.5-mile loop through the woods. Either way, you will have gotten the best mountain views at this point.
Alternatively, you can check out the small trail that branches off to the right from the day-use area and hugs the east side of the lake. There are a couple of points where you can see good mountain views from this trail, including the wooden dock on the lake at the boat launch. Proceed with caution if you head this way since the trail around the lake has boardwalks over marshy areas that can cause instability in the snow.
Unexpected snow flurries at Trillium Lake
Getting there
To reach Trillium Lake from Portland, follow Highway 26 East for about 40 miles. The parking lot will be directly off the highway on your right. There will be signs for the Trillium Lake once you get close. The drive takes about 1.5 hours.
The parking lot at Trillium Lake is plowed, but come prepared for winter driving conditions. Bring a 4WD or AWD vehicle if you can. Carrying tire chains or snow tires is required on Oregon mountain highways in winter, including Highway 26 to Trillium Lake. Signs on the highway will tell you when you need to use them.
The drive on westbound Highway 26 can get very congested in the afternoon. Try to leave before the afternoon rush from Timberline to avoid long waits in traffic.
Trail to the Trillium Lake
Enjoy your snowshoe trip to Trillium Lake!
With love,
Emma
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