Weekend Dog Mountain hiking permits are now available online from the U.S. Forest Service through recreation.gov.
The permits are required as part of a partnership between the Washington State Department of Transportation, Skamania County and the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce, and started last year following growing safety concerns regarding congestion and vehicle crashes near the trailhead, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The permits will be required this year for visitors to the Dog Mountain trail system on Saturdays and Sundays through peak wildflower season, April 20 to June 16.
Hikers can get permits in two ways:
• Shuttle riders who take the Skamania County West End Transit bus from the Skamania Fairgrounds in Stevenson receive a free permit on arrival at the trailhead. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, for $1 per person per trip, or $2 round-trip. Each permit is good for one person the day issued. The shuttle runs every half-hour from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends through the season.
• Those parking at the trailhead will need to reserve one permit for each person through the recreation.gov site and pay the $1 per person fee, in addition to paying the recreation site fee of $5 per car. Valid Northwest Forest or interagency federal passes are accepted (state parks passes are not) as a form of payment for the recreation fee but are not a substitute for per-person permits.
Only 250 permits per peak season weekend day are available to limit congestion, but the permit does not guarantee a parking spot, so visitors are encouraged to carpool.
The Dog Mountain trail system includes both forks of Dog Mountain Trail (No. 147 and No. 147C), Dog-Augspurger Tie Trail No. 147A, and the lower portion of Augspurger Trail No. 4407.
Each hiker should carry a paper or electronic copy of their permit.
For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/crgnsa/hikedogmountain or call 541-308-1700.
Several businesses in Stevenson will offer discounts to shuttle riders. Visit the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce in Stevenson to learn more about participating area businesses.
