Dog Mountain — Monday, May. 5, 2025

Parking lot was full when we arrived around 10:30am on Monday. We were able to snag a spot as someone (sunrise hiker perhaps) was leaving. You can purchase a NW day pass at the trailhead. We chose a weekday to avoid the mass crowds and permits on a weekend in wildflower season, but there were still plenty of folks out on the trail!
The trail is unrelenting in steepness, but the dirt path is well-worn and easy to follow. Most of the distance is through the forest. One quick view at puppy dog point, then back to the forest.
Balsam, lupine, paintbrush, flox were all out at the meadow. Incredible views! High effort and high reward.
We stopped before the actual summit and just soaked in the views.
There aren’t tons of places to sit along the meadow, and it’s tempting to leave the trail to get pics among the flowers, however you can see places where folks have trampled a bit off-trail.
The steepness can make the descent a bit slippery, so I encourage using poles and shoes with good tread. Enjoy!