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Timberline Lodge: The Shining

ByAgnes Stabinska Updated on

Do you remember the psychological horror The Shining from 1980, directed by Stanley Kubrick? Jack Nicolson performed the psychopathic writer’s primary role, who stuck with his family as a watchman in the Overlook Hotel. Some scenes for the film were shot at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon in the picturesque setting of Mount Hood. We spent an exciting weekend in this fabulous historic place. In this article, we share impressions from staying in Timberline Lodge: The Shining movie location. This post is not only about the hotel review. We also give hints on how to spend time in a fantastic Mount Hood area.

This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.

We share our opinions. This is not a sponsored post. We decided to take this vacation on our own and did not receive anything from this Lodge.

Timberline Lodge: The Shining - sunset view of the mountains covered by snow from the hotel.
Table of Contents show

Short History of the Timberline Lodge Oregon

Where is Timberline Lodge?

Timberline Lodge is a historic mountain lodge on Mount Hood’s south side in Clackamas County, Oregon. It’s about 60 miles (97 km) east of Portland.

Mount Hood is Oregon’s highest mountain at 5,960 feet (1,817 m). The hotel is located in the Mount Hood National Forest, which offers picturesque scenery.

Our Experiences

We are huge fans of The Shining, so we wanted to visit this hotel. My partner Chris and I stayed at this hotel for a weekend during one of our road trips through Oregon. All photos presented in this article are our own. We also want to emphasize that this is not a sponsored post.

We paid for our stay at Timberline Lodge with our own hard-earned money. So, we share our opinions and observations based on our experiences without external influences.

Moreover, during our trip to Colorado, we visited a second location related to the book and movie The Shining. We were excited to visit the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, where some scenes of the film were shot.

stone entrance and stairs to the historic Timberline Lodge.

When was Timberline Lodge built?

Timberline Lodge was built and furnished from 1936 to 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project during The Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Timberline Lodge in 1937. The Timberline Lodge in Oregon has been a U.S. National Historic Landmark since 1977.

The architecture of the building deserves attention. The Timberline Lodge fits perfectly into the raw mountain landscape both inside and outside. Moreover, the Lodge is hosting a ski resort called Timberline Lodge. It’s a perfect place for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, hiking, biking, and climbing fans.

the large windows and stone chimney of the historic Timberline Lodge during sunset

Architecture and interiors of Timberline Lodge

The resort is a four-story structure. The ground-level exterior walls are heavy boulders. Timber is used from the first floor up. Inside you will find amazing huge fireplaces. There are six fireplace openings—three on the ground floor, three on the first floor. They give warm and amazing light.

The interiors are wooden. Huge, heavy wooden tables and chairs fill the space. Oregon woods, including cedar, Douglas fir, hemlock, western juniper, and ponderosa pine, were used throughout the building.

There are lots of comfortable sofas and armchairs with warm light around the fireplace. So, you can sit by the fireplace and read The Shining by Stephen King. And don’t forget about The Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, an unforgettable and terrifying sequel to The Shining.

Even if you know these novels and have seen the movie before, believe me, reading in the wooden interiors of Timberline Lodge will give you goosebumps.

What’s more, at the reception, you can get a famous ax used in The Shining movie by Jack Nicholson, and take photos as in a film set. We had lots of fun with it.

Agnes Stabinska, the author, with the ax used by Jack Nicolson during the filming of The Shining in the Timberline Lodge. In the background there is a poster from the film with the actor.
Agnes Stabinska, the author, is sitting on the woodenn stairs in Timberline Lodge.

How to get to Timberline Lodge?

Timberline Lodge is accessible through the Mount Hood Scenic Byway.
From Portland to Timberline Lodge is about 64 miles via US-26 E. Driving will take 1 hour and 20 minutes. If you plan to visit Portland, check out our full-of-tips Portland itinerary.
From Bend is about 111 miles via US-97 N and US-26 W. It’s about 2 hours and 10 minutes of driving.

TRIP TIP: If you like exciting & climatic places, include the ghost town of Shaniko in your Oregon road trip. It’s one of the best ghost towns in Oregon. Mount Hood, it’s only 85 miles. Please check our photos from Shaniko.

comfy and cozy interiors of the Timberline Loge with chairs and sofas.

Timberline Lodge Ski Area Accommodation

PROTIP: Check prices and book your stay at Timberline Lodge in advance because the place is trendy.

With direct access to the slopes, Timberline Lodge makes guests feel at home with amenities like a sauna and a heated outdoor pool. All 70 individually decorated rooms feature free WiFi and pillowtop beds.

Rooms are very cozy, rustically inspired, and feature original handcrafted furnishings. Each room has a TV with cable or satellite channels, ironing facilities, and a private bathroom with a bathtub or shower and free toiletries.

Moreover, you will find a DVD of The Shining movie in each room.

Restaurants in Timberline Lodge

Furthermore, you have three restaurants with excellent fresh meals and great service. The Blue Ox Bar offers pub-style cuisine, Ram’s Head Bar specializes in casual dining, and the Cascade Dining Room highlights an exceptional dining atmosphere.

We loved the food, especially the breakfasts. The service was excellent, too. We sincerely recommend it.

green sofaand painting inside the Lodge.
swimming pool in the hotel.

Timberline Lodge: The Shining

Timberline Lodge is a popular tourist attraction. One of the reasons is the fact that it is the place where The Shining was filmed. It is notable in the film for serving as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.

The film is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same title, and it is worth reading this thrilling book before watching the movie. It’s worth watching The Shining movie before visiting the Timberline Lodge. But if you don’t find the time, don’t worry.

A film is shown in the small cinema room in Timberline Lodge every evening. Moreover, in hotel rooms, there are DVDs with a movie. So you can watch it during your stay.

the shining hotel in oregon: cinema in the hotel.
Agnes Stabinska, the author, sitting on the orange sofa in the Shining Hotel in Oregon.

Timberline Lodge: The Shining movie location

Stanley Kubrick used exterior views of Timberline Lodge covered by snow in The Shining (1980), an action movie set at the fictional Overlook Hotel. The owners and staff were worried guests would be reluctant to stay in Room 217, where the action was played in a horror movie. So, the management requested the room number be changed to the fictional Room 237.

The film’s main character is Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), who moves with his family to a mountain hotel where he works as a winter watchman. The calm of the resort, which is abandoned during the off-season, enables him to concentrate on his literary work. However, the sinister atmosphere gradually pushes him into madness.

The main theme of The Shining is evil and the mystery of its genesis. At the same time, Kubrick asks questions about the condition of the family and society. The main stars in The Shining are Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd. Excellent acting, great photos, and music permanently imprint the film in the memory.

In 2013, Stephen King wrote the novel Doctor Sleep, a sequel to King’s 1977 novel The Shining. In 2019, Doctor Sleep, an American supernatural horror film, was written and directed by Mike Flanagan. So, also watch the movie to see the amazing psychic abilities & story of the Torrance family.

Agnes Stabinska, the author, with ax in the shining hotel in oregon.
Agnes Stabinska, the author, in Timberline Lodge.

Mount Hood Area – Things To Do

If you like snowy winter fun & activities, Timberline Lodge is a place that is perfect for you.
Mount Hood has six ski areas: Timberline, Mount Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl, Cooper Spur, Snow Bunny, and Summit. They total over 4,600 acres (7.2 sq mi; 19 km2) of skiable terrain.

Furthermore, with one lift’s base at nearly 6,940 ft (2,120 m), Timberline offers the only year-round lift-served skiing in North America.

But this place is worth seeing all year round, especially if you like hiking in the mountains. Mount Hood is within the Mount Hood National Forest, which comprises 1,067,043 acres (1,667 sq mi; 4,318 km2). It offers more than 1,200 miles (1,900 km) of hiking trails with different difficulty levels.

Timberline Lodge Trailhead

From Timberline Lodge you have some great hikes to choose from. You can find their trailheads:

  • Paradise Park from Timberline Lodge Hike
  • Mountaineer Trail Loop Hike
  • Zigzag Overlook Hike
  • Timberline Trail around Mount Hood Hike
  • Mount Hood Meadows via White River Canyon Hike.

If you’re planning a trip to Oregon, please check out some of the other great places we describe in related posts:

Agnes Stabinska, the author, with the ax from The shining movie.

Sources of information about the history of the hotel: https://www.timberlinelodge.com/

Agnes Stabinska is a writer, photographer, and co-founder of The Van Escape. She loves wildlife, landscape photography, and outdoor adventures, especially hiking, camping, and exploring U.S. national parks. Although she has traveled to many countries for almost 20 years, her favorite places are Alaska, the American Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, which she often visits and explore with her partner, Chris. Their travel tips, itineraries, and recommendations will help you get away from it all and plan a wonderful vacation.