Permits going on sale for one of the best wildflower hikes in the Pacific Northwest

PORTLAND – If it’s wildflower views you’re after, you can’t do much better than Dog Mountain in Washington.

The Columbia River Gorge destination is famous for its spectacular spring blooms and stunning vistas high above the Washington side of the river, but those who want to visit the natural area in all its glory will first need to secure a permit.

The U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday that spring permits for Dog Mountain will be released to the public starting Saturday at 7 a.m. on recreation.gov. Hiking permits are required on Saturdays and Sundays between April 26 and June 15, as well as on Memorial Day on May 26.

Not all permits will be released at once – a portion of each day’s allotment of permits will be held back for last-minute hikers, released online four days in advance of the reservation date, the forest service said.

Permits cost $2 and are good for each vehicle, not each person – a change made in 2023. Drivers must also pay a $5 parking fee, or display a valid park pass.

Hikers can get free permits by riding the Dog Mountain shuttle from the Skamania County Fairgrounds in nearby Stevenson, which runs every 30 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends during the permitting season.

Wildflower season, which typically runs from April to June in the Columbia Gorge depending on weather, is one of the most popular outdoor spring activities in the Pacific Northwest. Of the many scenic wildflower destinations in the region, Dog Mountain remains one of the most popular.

In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service began issuing hiking permits at the site in an effort to reduce crowds.