Though I was too tired/lazy/out of shape to make it all the way to the top of Dock Butte, I figured I better share this trip report as there was no sign to be found where the trail splits to Blue Lake or Dock Butte. I wish we had taken a photo of the spot to better prepare the rest of you, but we forgot on the way back down. When you get the quarter mile or so in, as the WTA description suggests, there will be a fork in the trail. Go right. There was a large branch that appeared to be intentionally placed, so we initially believed we shouldn't be going that way. (We ventured to Blue Lake because of this, but I have no complaints about the detour. Kind of neat to see fish swimming around way up there!)

As for the rest of the trail, it's a lot of up, up, up over roots and rocks, and a little bit of mud on this particular day. 

You will come to a point where the only trail you can see to the butte appears to go nearly straight up. At this point I told my friends it wasn't happening for me that day, and on the way down we ran into another group that was also initmidated by the sight of it. Do not fear, there is a much gentler way up, just stay right at that point. I chose to sit below the destination (a perfect spot on its own) and save the summit for another day. There were a lot of annoying flies here, and though one did land on my dog's nose, I was never bitten.

Please don't let my giving up scare you from this trail, it's very doable, I was just already spent when I arrived. (It was also far too warm up there for my extra furry, mostly black dog.) This is now one of my favorite trails in WA, and I can't wait to return!

RE: Road conditions - There were some huge potholes on a good portion of the road, but easily avoidable as long as you take it slow. 

Roads were fine all the way through NF-12, but on NF-1230 about a mile or so from the trailhead the road was snowed in and unpassable.  We had a 4x4 but still thought it best not to try it and risk getting stuck and not being able to get back out.  If you bring the right gear for snow, you were probably close enough to extend your day hike a little and make it to the trailhead, but we weren't prepared enough for the snow so we didn't try

Tried to do this hike over the weekend, but the road was still closed out starting 4 miles from the trailhead. Will need to come back mid-summer and try again! Some gorgeous views of the mountains on the drive up.