Dog Mountain — Wednesday, Jul. 28, 2021

What can I say about this trail that hasn't been said already? It's definitely steep, steeper than I expected for what seems like a very popular trail in the right season - almost like the Mt. Si of the Columbia River Gorge come springtime. However, when I hiked it was middle of the day on a beautiful July day, and there were only a half dozen or so other cars in the lot, and we only shared the summit with a couple other groups, so the crowds definitely drop off after the flowers fade. While I can see why people wait to do this one until the flowers are blooming, as we only got to see the dead dried husks of the balsamroot covering the mountainside, it's still amazingly scenic on any clear day, as once above treeline the views extend from Mt. St. Helens to Mt. Hood from North to South, and Beacon Rock to the deserts of Eastern Washington from West to East, and the mountain's slopes have an alpine feel despite being less than 3,000 feet in elevation. All in all, a great trail in any season, definitely worth it once you get above the trees.