Dog Mountain

The walk starts at the Dog Mountain Trailhead on State Route 14 at milepost 53, east of Stevenson. The trail climbs steeply through woods for 0.7 miles to a junction where two ways up divide, one harder and one easier; our line takes the shorter. They meet again below the open meadows, and the trail climbs on, past the site of a fire lookout built in 1931, to the summit at 2,948 feet. The view takes in the Columbia River and Mount Hood. Return the same way, or come down by the longer Augspurger Mountain Trail, which is easier on the knees.

It is 5.6 miles (9 km) round trip with 2,770 feet (845 m) of climbing; allow about 5½ hours. The grade is Hard: nearly 2,800 feet of climbing in under three miles.

On Saturdays and Sundays in the spring flower season, and on Memorial Day, each vehicle needs a permit booked on Recreation.gov, or you can ride the free shuttle from the Skamania County Fairgrounds. In 2026 the dates were April 11 to June 7. A $5 recreation fee or a Northwest Forest Pass is needed to park all year.

Stay on the trail to keep clear of poison oak, watch for loose rock on the way down, and expect strong wind in the summit meadows. Parking is limited, so go early or on a weekday.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.