The U.S. Forest Service released online permits on March 1 at www.recreation.gov for hikers headed to Dog Mountain on weekends from April 18 to June 14 this year.
The permits are required as part of a partnership that began in 2018 to ensure public safety near Dog Mountain Trailhead, USFS stated in a press release.
Every hiker on the Dog Mountain Trail system on Saturdays and Sundays between April 18 to June 14 will be required to carry a permit (or digital proof).
 Ride the shuttle from Stevenson. A permit is included automatically with the cost of the Skamania County West End Transit bus from Skamania Fairgrounds in Stevenson. Seats are available on a first come, first served basis, for $1 per person per trip, or $2 round trip (cash, exact change only). Each permit is good for one individual on the day it is issued. The shuttle runs about every half hour from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends from April 18 to June 14.
Reserve a permit online. Anyone parking at Dog Mountain Trailhead will need to reserve one permit for each person online at www.recreation.gov and pay the $1 non-refundable administrative fee (per person) in addition to paying the recreation site fee of $5 per car.
This year, 100 permits will be released for each day through the permit season. The permit system is designed to limit congestion, but a permit does not guarantee a parking spot will be available at the time a hiker arrives, so visitors are encouraged to carpool.
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