Dog Mountain was stunning as always and hardly needs another trip report however I wanted to comment on the new permit system.

If you go on a weekend you have to either pre-purchased trail permits, which sold out far in advance, or park at the fairgrounds in Stevenson and ride the shuttle for $2 which includes the trail permit. Note: even with the online trail permits you need a Discover Pass or a $5 for a day use parking pass.

The shuttle system worked fine in the morning, we didn't need to wait long for a shuttle pickup and the ride was short even though it was crowded. The group of people quickly dispersed along the trail according to hiking speed which was a pleasant surprise as I had expected to be in a traffic jam for a while along the trail.

The afternoon was where the shuttle system really was lacking. They only had one shuttle running back and forth in the afternoon and we ended up waiting over an hour to finally get on one. Also, there was no system for lining people up to load onto the shuttle so each time a shuttle arrived there was a big pushing scramble to get onto the bus. It would be great if the forest service put a temporary rope and pole system in place to help people line up.

I went to Dog Mountain because of the Wildflower reputation and was NOT disappointed!  Started hike at 8:30am reached summit at 11:30am (3 hours).  Took my time as I was taking lots of photos and at age 62 and 40 lbs too heavy, I am out of shape for this difficult trail.  The Wildflowers were GREAT, I think I was there at their peak.  The views of the Columbia River Gorge were also great.  Saw a medium-sized lizard, a Bald Eagle & a Raven/Crow.  No snakes observed.  Some bugs, mostly deer flies and butterflies.  Lots of people were hiking for a weekday (Friday) and all were courteous hikers.  It took me about 2 hours to hike back down from the top.  At the end of this hike my legs were VERY sore.  Just one small blister on my little toe.  Overall a GREAT hike!

Recommendations: Be sure that you are ready physically for this strenuous Hike.  Start at daybreak if you can.  Remember a day-pass is $5.  Bring water.  Wear good socks & hiking boots.  Be ready for gusty wind conditions at the top.  BRING YOUR CAMERA!

Dog Mountain, one of the premier wildflower areas in our state, really delivered yesterday. Five Cascadians hiked the "loop" enjoying perfect weather, great views, and a stunning display of flowers. Come early as this hike is very popular and the parking lot fills up quickly. Remember that a permit is now required for weekends. Well maintained restrooms, thank you, are a few hundred feet up the trail.

The Dog Mountain trail is in great shape (thanks WTA volunteers!) - we hiked on a beautiful, blue sky, 85 degree Saturday afternoon. *We had planned to hike up north, and had to change plans due to very busy ferries - so we we didn't arrive in Stevenson (to grab the shuttle to the trail head) until 1:00 p.m.*

A couple notes about parking and permits: if you plan ahead, you can get the permits needed online; it's a good idea to get to the trail head early in order to be sure to get a parking spot. If not, you can catch the shuttle. When the shuttle dropped us off around 1:15 p.m. there were approx. 15 parking spots available. You catch the shuttle at the Stevenson fair grounds, and it is easy to find. When you pay the $1.00 per person shuttle fee, it includes the wristband permit you need for the trail. Shuttle only takes 10 minutes or so. Keep in mind the shuttle's last pick-up at the trail head is 4:30 p.m. 

Trail is great -  minimal roots and rocks, although there are small loose rocks in sections - really awesome trail! Even though we hiked on a Saturday afternoon, the trail never seemed packed with people. You can do a loop, but we went up and down the same route. About 1/2 mile in from trail head (starting off on the Dog Mountain trail) you come to a sign which gives you the choice of 'Difficult' or 'More Difficult'. We were told by other hikers that the 'Difficult' was easier on knees coming down. (We are 60 yrs old, decent shape - we used poles.) The trail is fairly steep but there are sections less steep and even flat. 

One guidebook says average trail trip is 5 hours; we hiked it in about 3 hours and did stop for breaks, water, and to enjoy the views! Some hikers did it in 1.5 - 2 hours. 

At trail head there were 3 rangers and also 2 volunteers, who had great info about the trails, and poison oak which is apparently close to sections of the trail - we didn't have any issues.

There are a couple amazing viewpoints on the trail option we took - really really awesome views! And the wildflowers were out in force in the exposed area right before the last big viewpoint! (Most of the trail is in the forest, so not really much of a view along the way, but the shade felt good on a 85 degree day.)

Minimal bug issues, although there were flies/mosquitoes, so you probably want to have some repellent with you just in case.

It's a great hike!