We considered camping this past weekend, but the weather in the mountains wasn't looking favorable so we were looking for a new (to us) day hike we could do within an hour and a half. We ended up finding an underrated gem!
Dog River Trail
Distance: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: About 2,000'
Route Type: Out & back
Pass: NF Forest (or America The Beautiful)
I would say this trail is pretty underrated, as it is not one of the more popular trails in the Mount Hood area. I am almost exclusively the driver and as we were on our way, I'm sitting in the backseat enjoying the views. Then, all of a sudden it hit me that I could be trying some back seat photography! Here was my best image I captured from the drive.
The trailhead is at a pull-off on the side of route-35. The first 2.5 miles or so are wooded. As you reach about 2.5 miles, you will be welcomed with the first good view of Mount Hood on your right!
At the time, for us, that view was obstructed by a large cloud that decided it wanted to block the mountain.
The next best view we found was just about towards the end of the trail at about the 3.75 mile marker! Lookout on your right for a couple spots that go toward the cliffside and this is where you will be welcomed with the best views of the hike.
As for the hike itself, the incline is fairly steady throughout. It's definitely not the most challenging hike you can find, but the incline of about 2,000' is surely noticeable.
That is all for today. It was a great hike and not too far away from Portland (or Vancouver). As always, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram, @traveltrachs!
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