Looking for dog friendly hikes Mt Hood style? You picked the right mountain. Almost every trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest allows dogs, the rivers are cold and clean, and there's shade nearly everywhere. Our dogs have logged more miles up here than we have. Here's where we take them, what the rules actually say, and the few hazards worth a heads-up.
The rules, in one paragraph
Dogs are allowed on National Forest trails on Mt. Hood, including inside the Mt. Hood, Salmon-Huckleberry, and Badger Creek Wilderness areas. Leash rules: in developed recreation sites (campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, Trillium Lake's shoreline) dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet. On backcountry trails the Forest Service requires dogs to be under control, which most rangers interpret as leash or reliable voice command. Timberline Lodge's immediate area and the ski areas' operating terrain are off-limits to pets in winter. Pack out waste. That's it.
Old Salmon River Trail: the everyday walk
Five minutes from Mt. Hood Village on Salmon River Road, this is the trail we hit when the dog needs out and we need coffee first. About 2.5 miles one way, nearly flat, through massive old-growth cedar and fir with constant river access. Gravel bars and slow pools every quarter mile for swimming. No pass needed at the lower trailheads. In summer it's shady and ten degrees cooler than the road. This is the one for older dogs, puppies, and rainy days.
Trillium Lake Loop: the postcard
Two miles, flat, around a lake with Mt. Hood reflected in it. Boardwalks over the marshy sections, a swimming beach near the campground where dogs can wade (on leash near the day-use area). Very busy on summer weekends; go early or on a weekday. Northwest Forest Pass required. In winter it becomes a snowshoe loop from the Sno-Park, and dogs love it even more.
Mirror Lake: the reward hike
Four miles round trip and 700 feet up to a lake dogs can swim in. Leash required at the lake, and keep them out of the roped restoration meadow. The climb is gentle enough for most fit dogs. Full details in our Mirror Lake guide. Add Tom Dick and Harry Mountain if your dog is a mountain goat.
Burnt Lake and Lost Lake: for bigger legs
Burnt Lake via the south trailhead off Lolo Pass Road is about 7 miles round trip with 1,500 feet of gain, ending at a warm-ish alpine lake dogs go nuts for. Lost Lake, farther north, has a 3.2-mile flat shoreline loop that's easy on paws and a stunning view of Hood; it's a resort area so leash up. Both need a pass or day fee.
Hazards to know
- Glacial rivers. The Sandy, Zigzag, and White rivers run fast, cold, and opaque in early summer. Dogs can't see the bottom and neither can you. Stick to the Salmon River and lakes for swimming.
- Porcupines. They're around, especially at dusk. A curious dog learns fast and expensively. The vet in Sandy has seen it before.
- Hot pavement. Trailhead lots at Trillium and Mirror Lake bake in August. Go early.
- Mosquitoes. July at any lake. Dogs get bitten too.
- Winter cold. Snowshoeing with a short-haired dog above 4,000 feet is fine for an hour, not four. Booties help with ice balls between the toes.
Sandy Ridge and the trails that aren't for dogs
Sandy Ridge is a mountain bike trail system, not a place to hike with a dog; you'll be in the way of fast riders coming downhill. Timberline's Pacific Crest Trail section is dog-friendly but very exposed and rocky, hard on paws. The ski resorts don't allow dogs on the lifts or in the lodges. Bagby Hot Springs allows dogs on the trail but not at the tubs.
Where to stay with the dog
Wildwood Basecamp is our pick for dog trips: 1.6 wooded acres to sniff, a hot tub for the humans, and the Old Salmon River Trail practically down the road. We stock dog towels by the door because we've been the people with a wet dog and white towels. It sleeps eight, so bring the dog's friends too. Everything else on the mountain is on our Mt. Hood things-to-do page, and the full lineup of dog-friendly homes on the mountain is at our Mt. Hood rentals.
Bring a leash, a towel, and treats for after the porcupine talk. Your dog is about to have the best week of the year.