Trillium Lake celebrates boardwalk restoration, reopening

TRILLIUM LAKE — One of Oregon’s most iconic natural wonders and a Portland-area tourism magnet, Trillium Lake celebrated a makeover on Sept. 24. With Mount Hood towering above its waters, visitors can now circumnavigate the lake via a new and improved quarter-mile boardwalk. 

Winding through lakeside forest, meadows and wetlands, the restoration provides much-needed accessibility for travelers hoping to explore the area in its entirety, including children, pets, and individuals with disabilities. 

In a joint effort, five partners guided the project, leveraging each other’s strengths and funds to achieve much-needed restoration to a well-traveled area. The National Forest Foundation (NFF), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Clackamas County Office of Tourism, Oregon State Parks, and Timberline Lodge were all present at the ribbon cutting, offering partners and media members a short, picturesque boardwalk stroll. 

Representing NFF, Pacific Northwest and Alaska Director Patrick Shannon kicked off the event, explaining how the boardwalk was built with USFS accessibility standards in mind. USFS approached Shannon and NFF when the boardwalk fell into disrepair, was deemed unsafe, and eventually closed to the public.

“Our mission is to engage communities in restoration and enjoyment of national forests,” Shannon said. “We want as many people as possible to access these areas.”

In 2017, USFS District Ranger Greg Warner noticed the boardwalk starting to fall apart. “It was pretty spicy out there,” Warner said. “There were holes and patches of treated wood.” But there was no way local forest service staff could handle the restoration by themselves, prompting a partnership with the NFF.

Warner couldn’t be happier with the results: sturdy, accessible, family-friendly and environmentally conscious.

“I saw somebody walking a cat last night to get a sense and feel of the completed project,” Warner said. “It was heartwarming to see the amount of people already using it and the diversity of people. It’s such an important site, restored to what it should be.”

Oregon State Parks and Recreation (OSPR) and The Clackamas County Office of Tourism (CCOT) stepped in for additional funding. OSPR representative Jodi Bellefeuille expressed gratitude for her chance to pitch in. “We’re really proud to have been involved,” Bellefeuille said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to invest in something like this.”

CCOT Executive Director Lizzie Keenan reiterated just how vital a healthy boardwalk is for the environment, particularly in a popular, touristy location with plenty of foot traffic. “It gets super busy out here in the summertime,” Keenan said. “The boardwalk keeps people on trail so that we can protect the wild areas and beautiful natural sites they’re seeing.”

Timberline Lodge Head of Marketing and Public Affairs John Burton emphasized the enduring effects the boardwalk restoration will steward. “These forests will remain open and protected, pristine and inspiring for generations to come,” Burton said. “Caring for the forest isn’t just an obligation, but a shared responsibility, and I view it as a privilege.”

If you’re considering heading to Trillium Lake to see the boardwalk, pick a weekday in the fall — same stunning views, half the crowd.