Southshore Trail #529

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The Southshore Trail #529 has two segments. Both are on the south shore (hence the name) of Timothy Lake. They both are segments of the loop trail around Timothy Lake and are joined in the middle by the Timothy Lake Trail. The only difference betwee the Timothy Lake Trail #528 and the Southshore Trail #529 is that Timothy Lake Trail #528 allows horses and equestrians, where as the Southshore Trail does not due to the fact it travels through campgrounds and day use areas and in some cases passes right through campsites. Both trails allow bikes. The 13-mile loop trail around Timothy Lake is made up of the Timothy Lake Trail #528, the Southshore Trail #529 and the Pacific Crest Trail #2000.

Starting at the Pine Point Day Use Area, the loop trail around Timothy Lake may be taken clockwise or counter-clockwise. The following description is based on a counter-clockwise trip. From the south end of the dam at the Pine Point Day Use Area, begin working along the shoreline headed east.

You'll pass a couple of fishing piers and a boat ramp in the Pine Point Campground. At this point, you'll be moving past campsites and in some cases, campers may extend their tents near or across the trail. This will be the case in the other 4 campgrounds you'll cross through. Continue past the campsites, round the shoreline and you'll be entering into The Cove Day Use Area. This used to be a bunch of walk-in campsite but it has since been reconstructed into a day use area to concentrate day use away from camping areas. The day use area has an amphitheater and playground as well as picnic tables. At the end of The Cove Day Use Area, this section of the Southshore Trail ends and becomes the Timothy Lake Trail #528.

Continue past the Cove and get to the short stretch of undeveloped part of the south shoreline. As you approach the Gone Creek Campground, the second segment of the Shoreline Trail picks up again. Continue through Gone Creek Campground and cross a boat ramp and shoreline use area. Just past a cluster of campsites, you soon come to more campsites that are the Oak Fork Campground, with another boat ramp and use area. The Southshore Trail continues for another 1/3 mile east till it comes to the intersection with the Timothy Lake Trail #528 again. Turn left (north) on the Timothy Lake Trail #528 for 400 feet and cross the Oak Fork of the Clackmas on a large log bridge. Just past the bridge, you hit the Pacific Crest Trail #2000.

The Southshore Trail passes through forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, silver fir, noble fir, lodgepole pine, western white pine, and even an occasional larch. Hardwoods of alders, vine maple and big leaf maple provide fall color. Rhododendron, bear grass, Oregon grape, sword fern, salal, willow and huckleberry are the most common ground vegetation. Since most of this trail goes through heavily used campgrounds, ground vegetation is limited.