Dog Mountain
Main Trail to the summit meadows
The Route
A steep Gorge trail climbs through forest to Dog Mountain’s open summit meadows.
- SR 14 TrailheadSteep lower forest
- Lower ViewpointOpenings over the Gorge
- Lookout MeadowFormer lookout site
- Upper MeadowExposed final ascent
- Main Trail ReturnAugspurger loop is additional
Forested Climb
The main trail rises steeply through woods from the SR 14 trailhead. An early junction is followed by a climbing traverse with intermittent Columbia River views. A lower viewpoint precedes another junction and the more open upper mountain, so the route changes character well before the summit meadow.
Lookout Meadow & Return
The former fire-lookout site sits below the upper meadow. The final ascent is open, with a cliff-edge section and views across the Gorge. The six-mile listing returns by the main trail. Descending Augspurger Trail instead creates a different loop, adding about 0.9 mile; that alternative should not silently replace the displayed main-route distance.
Terrain Along the Route
The lower forest climb opens onto exposed meadows and a cliff-side section near the upper lookout.
Approximate guide figures for the named route and endpoint, not a current measured track. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
SR 14 Trailhead, Columbia River Gorge, WA
Route Choice
The main Dog Mountain return route; an Augspurger loop is a different distance.
Permits & Seasonal Rules
The 2026 seasonal vehicle reservation applied on weekends April 11–June 7 and Memorial Day. Recreation.gov lists no seasonal reservation June 8 through mid-April 2027. The year-round trailhead recreation fee or accepted pass is separate.
Trailhead & Approach
Use the Dog Mountain lot north of SR 14. WTA lists no toilet at the trailhead. The main trail and Augspurger return share this parking area but have different hiking totals.
Parking & Entry
The trailhead recreation fee accepts a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. The seasonal vehicle-reservation program is a separate requirement, described in the official permit card.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Recent Trip Reports
Open the route-specific WTA reports and compare the hiking date, endpoint and reported conditions.
Official Access & Updates
Open the official page for current access notices, permits and seasonal information for this destination.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.