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.