A colorful family tradition

5/9/2025 Dog Mountain

It is fun to have annual traditions to look forward to with family members, and the springtime Dog Mountain hike has become that for me and my brother. This time, our nephew joined us, raising the coolness factor of the group by a factor of two or three.

This hike is very popular from late April thru May during peak balsamroot bloom, with permits required on the weekends. We changed our plans to hike on Friday to catch the better weather, and we are so glad we did. It was warm but not hot, with a nice breeze at the top.

About halfway up the trail, you find yourself along the south side of the mountain looking down on the Columbia River Gorge. The balsamroot are plentiful and blanket the slopes in a brilliant yellow, unlike anywhere else I've seen.

From the top you can see the upper half of Mount Hood and also Mount Saint Helens.

This hike is a leg-burner, so we rewarded ourselves afterwards with happy hour sitting outside in Hood River and then by watching the windsurfers along the Columbia River from the riverside park.