Seeing the Dog Mountain wildflowers will make you feel like you’re starring in the Wizard of Oz rolling in poppies. Yellow balsalmroot flowers 🌻🌻 cover the rolling meadows and create a spectacular scene. Take in views of the golden flowers, the Hood River, and the mountains all around from the summit.
Ever since I saw photos of the wildflowers in Oregon, I knew that I needed to do this hike! Luckily, we timed it perfectly with a trip through the Columbia River Gorge on Memorial Day Weekend, because these flowers bloom in late spring. I was seriously in awe of the flowers everywhere and felt giddy 😊 the entire time at the top of the mountain.
Doing this trail is really a bucket list item! However, in order to get to the top you’ll need to climb up 3000 feet in just over 3 miles. But, if you’re up for a challenge, you’ll reap wonderful rewarding views.
Are you ready to visit the incredible wildflowers? I’ve created this guide so that you will be prepared to take on the challenging hike up Dog Mountain. It has everything you need to know including tips on getting a permit, directions on getting there, and a detailed trail description!
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Table of Contents
Dog Mountain Wildflower Details
Where is Dog Mountain?
Dog Mountain is on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. It’s just an hour away from Portland and 15ish minutes from Hood River, Oregon. It sits above the Hood River with views of Mount Hood and Mount St Helens on a clear day! 🏔
It’s a fantastic addition to a spring weekend in the Columbia River Gorge or the perfect day trip from Portland! These wildflowers are definitely worth the excursion.
Quick Dog Mountain Hike Info
Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation: 3000 Feet
Type: Loop
Length: 4-7 hours
Difficulty: Hard (it’s a steep climb with 1000 feet of gain per mile)
When do the Dog Mountain Wildflowers Bloom?
Dog Mountain is a fantastic trail if you want to do something a bit later in the spring. Most of the time these flowers are in peak bloom at the end of May. So, it makes for a fantastic Memorial Day hike! But, permits are required for parking on weekends in the peak season.
Dog Mountain wildflowers are typically blooming from early April through the beginning of June! 🌻
You can stay updated on the peak bloom by checking out Alltrails reviews. We went over Memorial Day and it was incredible with yellow flowers covering the entire mountainside. I hope you make it in time!
Things to Know Before You Go
💵 There is a $5 USFS recreation site fee to explore the Dog Mountain trail. But, you can also use an interagency pass like the America the Beautiful Pass.
☀️ Dog Mountain is in the Columbia River Gorge, which gets a lot of rain. Although the wildflowers will still be visible, you may have fog and mist in the gorge itself.
🎟 If you plan on hiking on the weekend during peak season, you will need to get a permit to park at the trailhead.
🚌 There is a free shuttle to the Dog Mountain trail, if you cannot get a permit.
🦮 Pets are allowed on the Dog Mountain trail, but you must keep them on a leash at all times!
🌺 Remember to follow the Leave No Trace Principles. As always, you want to leave nature looking better than you found it. DO NOT PICK THE WILDFLOWERS or go off the trail.
Getting a Permit
During the peak season from end of April through mid June, you will need permits to park at the Dog Mountain trailhead on weekends and Memorial Day. During the week, you do not need them. Permits are released in mid March, but if you miss out on those you can get them three days ahead of time at 7 am Pacific time. ⏰
You must have permits for weekends and Memorial Day during the peak season to park at the trail!
Permits cost $2 💵 and then you will need to pay the $5 recreation fee when you arrive. However, you do not need to pay that if you have an interagency pass like the America the Beautiful Pass. You must have your permit printed or digitally to show them.
If you miss out on permits you can take the free shuttle, more details below!
How to Get to Dog Mountain
Luckily, Dog Mountain is an easy trail to navigate to whether you’re driving or using the free shuttle. It’s just an hour from Portland along the Hood River.
Driving to Dog Mountain
From Portland, you’ll continue East on i-84, until you get to the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks. Cross the bridge to the Washington side and continue on route 14 for 13.5 miles until you come to Dog Mountain parking on your left!
Don’t forget $3 in cash to cross the Bridge of the Gods! 💵
Free Shuttle
You can take the free Dog Mountain shuttle on weekends during peak season if you do not get a parking permit! This shuttle picks up from the Skamania Fairgrounds about every half hour and drops off there as well. So, it’s a great option to do this hike!
Packing Guide for Dog Mountain
Honestly, the most important think to bring on this hike is plenty of water! 💦 That incline up is no joke and it’s going to require a few breaks. So, bring extra water and make sure to stay hydrated.
If you have bad knees or like the extra support, then I also highly recommend using hiking poles. It will relieve so much stress from your legs, especially on the downhill hike! I wish I had brought mine along.
Packing List
- Comfortable Hiking Boots
- Day Pack
- Hiking poles
- Water Reservoir
- 1.5-2 Liters of Water
- Snacks and Food
- First Aid Kit
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Rain jacket
- Light winter jacket
- Satellite phone
- Camera Clip
Dog Mountain Trail Description
Dog Mountain is known as being one of the toughest hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. In order to reach the top, you will need to climb up 3000 feet in just over 3 miles. 😮 It’s got a steady incline gain of about 1000 a mile.
So, make sure that you are prepared for this challenging trail before you go and know what you are getting into. Luckily, the first 2 miles are shaded and in the forest so you won’t have to worry about sun until later.
The Best Way Up Dog Mountain
After starting the trail, you’ll walk up a series of steep switchbacks that seem unrelenting. But then, you’ll get to a split in the hike at around .6 miles in.
From there you can take the “difficult” path or the “more difficult path” to the top. The difficult path gains 1100 feet in 1.2 miles, while the difficult one gains the same amount but in 1.5 miles. Which means it’s slightly less steep.
However, I recommend going up the steep path and then taking the less steep one on the way down. That way you are getting the hard part done and it will be easier on your knees on the way down. However, you can choose to do the difficult path both ways.
Dog Mountain Summit
The difficult and more difficult path meet up with 1.2 miles left in the trail. At this point, you do a few more switchbacks and then the path opens up. During wildflower season, this is when you will begin to see the blooms!
From there, you’ll be in awe of all of the flowers that you’ll gain new energy to complete the hike. 🙌🏻 Some people stop at a viewpoint that is just .3 miles further, but I recommend climbing all the way to the top!
Then, you can enjoy the views and sit for lunch while taking in the rolling hills covered in flowers. It’s truly one of the most amazing sights you will ever see! That climb is so worth it.
Final Tips for Seeing the Dog Mountain Wildflowers!
If you want to hike up to Dog Mountain to see the wildflowers then you need to do some planning in advance. First, figure out if you can get a permit or you will have to use the shuttle. Then, make sure you have enough fuel and water to propel you up the trail. Finally, get ready for a challenging hike that is well worth it. You will never forget walking through the endless hills of wildflowers! 🌼🌼
Let me know if you enjoyed this guide in the comments!
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Welp, now I want to go here. These photos are gorgeous! 🌼
Thank you so much!
Wow, these photos are WILD 😍👏 Must’ve been amazing in person!
It was insane! I couldn’t get over all the beautiful flowers