Augspurger Mountain Trail

Augspurger Mountain Trail is a 12.5-mile round-trip out-and-back from Dog Mountain Trailhead to an open ridge beyond the wooded 3,667-foot summit. It follows Forest Service Trail 4407 north from the shared Dog Mountain access, then turns around at the ridge viewpoint instead of continuing to the line trail's gravel-pit end. The climb totals about 4,400 feet, and a typical outing takes 8.5 to 9.5 hours. Save a full day for it: the summit itself is quiet and plain, but a short drop beyond it opens a long view of the Cascades.

Augspurger starts on the left side of the trailhead lot; the Dog Mountain route goes right. The first 2.8 miles climb the west slope of Dog Mountain to the Dog-Augspurger Tie Trail junction. Keep left on Trail 4407. Trail grades run 10 to 20 percent on the steeper sections, and this first climb is no warm-up. The track moves through forest and rock scree, with old-growth pockets and occasional glimpses across the Columbia River Gorge.

After the junction, the trail drops through switchbacks into a small valley and joins an old road. You give back some elevation here before the second climb. It is a useful change of pace, but the hike is far from over; the route keeps alternating between wooded slopes and open stretches as it works toward the north ridge.

At the 2.8-mile junction, keep left on Trail 4407 instead of taking the tie trail back toward Dog Mountain. Later, several old roads and paths meet near a power-line clearing; stay on 4407 through that confusing stretch. Near a second low point, look for a large old-growth Douglas-fir before the climb resumes. The upper tread comes in and out of forest, and repeated reports describe it becoming overgrown in summer.

Augspurger's 3,667-foot summit is forested, so do not count on a broad panorama from the top. Keep going about 0.1 mile downhill to the open ridge. In late spring, wildflowers fill the meadow; Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams line up to the north, with Silver Star Mountain to the west. This is the payoff and the turnaround for the 12.5-mile route. For a photo, put the flowers in the foreground and the northern peaks behind them.

Use the signed Dog Mountain Trailhead off State Route 14. Its lot holds about 70 vehicles and fills on busy weekends; roadside parking on the highway is not allowed. A day-use fee or accepted pass is required. The shared trailhead has used vehicle reservations on spring weekends, so check the current season's dates before driving. There is no potable water at the trailhead, and no refill point is identified on the route. Dogs are allowed on leash.

If you still have energy, the trail continues roughly 0.5 mile beyond the viewpoint, adding about a mile round trip and another climb and descent of roughly 300 feet. That ridge-end extension is often overgrown in summer and is not part of the distance above. Turning around at the main view keeps this demanding hike focused on its best section.