Is it really worth it to drive 4 hours and bust your butt hiking up Dog Mountain? YES, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT YES.

PARKING
I arrived at noon on Wednesday to find the parking lot full but thankfully early hikers were starting to return to their cars and it didn't take long before a spot became available. Time your arrival to take advantage of this and go on a weekday to avoid the throngs of people. Don't forget your parking permits or bring $5 cash (no coins) for the paid parking at the trail head.

GEAR
There is an abundance of poison oak along the trail so wear pants to minimize your exposure. Some parts of the trail are quite steep and I did meet other hikers who fell. While plenty of people can do this hike without trekking poles, you may wish you had them when you start coming down the steep parts. If it's rained recently, those steep sections of the trail can be very slick and further increase your chance of an injury. I recommend packing your poles if you have them.

PACE YOURSELF
The struggle is real. Everyone who tells you it is a hard hike is correct; you will feel the burn in your bum and your lungs soon after hitting the trail. It's not just you. So take your time and learn to rest, not to give up. You will make it to the top and you will have zero regrets when you do. 

AT THE TOP
Bring a jacket because the weather can change quickly. It was sunny when I started, rained on the way up, was sunny when I arrived at the meadow and then rained again when I left. The wind was also blowing and several people said they felt cold. Think of it this way: if you bring a jacket, you can enjoy the view a little longer.

Arrived at the trail head at 5:40 am. I was the third car in the parking lot.
Began the hike at 5:53 am. Reached the first lookout at 6:50 am. Reached the second lookout at 7:58 am. Was back at the parking lot by 9:11 am.
The last mile of the hike was a killer! The wind was relentless at the second lookout.
The parking lot was not full when I left. I was surprised by the turnout.
The wildflowers were beautiful! Totally worth waking up at 2 am and the 3 hr drive.

Took the shuttle from Skamania County Fairgrounds at 8am. RT cost is $2. The shuttle was pleasant and on-time both ways. Got to the trailhead around 8:15. Hiked the "more difficult" trail up and the "difficult" trail down (less rough on the knees). The flowers were at peak bloom and it was a beautiful day. Did not encounter that many people on the way up for a Saturday, so I'm glad I went early. The hike took around 3.25 hours RT including eating lunch at the top. The hike was my favorite wildflower hike so far in WA and well-worth a weekend drive to the Columbia River Gorge. 

The flowers are in bloom!! Amazing day out at Dog Mountain. Arrived at 12pm on a Wednesday and the parking lot was 99% full so definitely plan ahead for the crowds.

4/30/19 It's 3:39am and I am the first car in the lot! This is my first time ever hiking or stopping here. There are two handicap parking spots. The parking lot is riddled with large potholes so take care with your vehicle. There are locked vaulted toilets 100 yards up the dog mountain trail. They were pretty smelly when I got there downward in the am. There is a picnic table. You need a Northwest forrest pass, america the beautiful pass or there is a self service pay station here for $5.00. I hiked 11.95 miles 4387ft elevation gain in 8hrs 9 minutes total time, 6hrs 44 mins moving time. Augspurger trail to Augspurger Ridge to Dog Mountain and down more difficult trail on dog, started at 3:59:30 AM. Augspurger is a beautiful trail (way more easy going and gradual than the more difficult trail on Dog Mountain) mostly forrested and well maintained till you get to the dog mountain trail junction. There was a trail junction on Augspurger at .73 miles in for an Old Loggers Trail that looked overgrown. When you hike down to the valley before the powerlines, expect bushwacking and there are lots of obstacles on the trail. A section of the hike is on powerline roads and can be confusing to navigate, if you do not have a map. There are trail markers on the actual augspurger trails and great signs to point you in the right direction minus the powerline roads junction. I stopped on Augspurger Ridge, great views of the gorge here (I liked it better than Dog, because no one else was up there). This was at 5.13 miles in. I continued on for a bit, but the trail was really overgrown beyond the ridge to the summit, so I decided to save that for another day. On the way back headed up Dog Mountain trail via Augsburger. (very nice trail in the forrest till you are at the ridge on the side of Dog mountain.) Small trails on the ridge. The true lookout didn't have much of a view, but the first lookout has beautiful safe seating and spacious. Take care on your steps down from here. The dirt on the trail is slick. If you prefer a gradual descent and are using a map take the long way down dog (the difficult trail). Unbeknowst to me I took the more difficult trail down (there are no signs on top that tell you, which trail is more hard.) The more difficult trail is 2.98 brutally steep miles. The dirt is slippery until you get to the forrest. From the time I started to 10am (10am I was on dog mountain trail via augspurger) I saw nor heard no one on the trail for the first 6hrs of my hike. An almost full parking lot on a Tuesday early afternoon I think most cars were carrying a car load, because I saw and stopped for a ton of people and dogs on the way down. A couple of trail junctions on the more difficult dog trail. Saw very little trash on trail and about half of the dogs I saw were leashed. Very small sporadic wild flower sightings. Lots of trillium in the forrests. If you are coming to dog at this time of year for wildflowers, I think it is still too early. Come here for a great thigh burning workout. A couple of areas on highway 14 for road work one right in front of dog mountain trailhead takes highway down to one lane so expect some waiting. Another at beacon rock area, all on my way out. Saw two police cruisers speed checking highway 14, one at North Bonnevile on the straight part. One closer to Washougal, WA. Also saw no rattlers and had no Ticks on myself at the end of the day. Didn't see any children on the trail and wouldn't recommend this hike for children unless they are experienced. Lots of bugs in the more lush areas where you can tell there is underground water running.