Take a Hiking Shuttle to Mount Si or Dog Mountain

Unless you're an early riser, on the weekend, you'll be hard pressed to find parking at popular trailheads like Mount Si outside Seattle or Dog Mountain outside Vancouver. Now, there's away to avoid sitting in traffic, save gas and spend the day exploring some of the best local hiking.

Two hiker shuttles—one in Puget Sound and one along the Columbia River Gorge—are hoping to give hikers a transportation alternative to a few favorite trailheads, while also taking the pressure off trailhead parking.

How to take the SnoValley Hiking Adventure Shuttle

The weekend shuttle in Snoqualmie Valley will leave from hourly from the (free to use) downtown North Bend Park & Ride and stop at popular recreation destinations along the Mount Si Road, including the Little Si, Mount Si, and Teneriffe trailheads, June 6-Sept. 6.

A round-trip fare costs $5 (or $5.50 with a credit card).

Hourly pickups at the North Bend Park & Ride:

The shuttle schedule.

Make a reservation: Each shuttle trip can hold 11 passengers and reservations are recommended (but not required) if you want to make sure your group can catch the shuttle at a specific time. Reservations can be made up until midnight the night before your hike.

• Learn more about SnoValley Hiking Adventure Shuttle
• Avoid car traffic altogether. Look up how to get to the North Bend Park & Ride by bus or bike
  
  

Post-hike: North Bend is an awesome spot to end your hike. Snag a slice of pie, a burger or a pint any any number of local joints in this cool little mountain town.

Beacon Rock, Cape Horn and the PCT by bus

Friends of the Columbia River Gorge is in their second season of a program to link transit to trailheads, using the West End Transit (WET) bus.

For $4 a day you can ride the bus to nine trailheads and communities in Skamania County, Washington, including: Beacon Rock, Cape Horn, Dog Mountain and the Pacific Crest Trail.

• Learn more about WET bus
• Download the schedule

Descending the back side of Dog Mountain on the Auspurger Trail. Photo by 1943Mike

Like the idea of alternative transportation to trailheads? Use the shuttles

The programs are both relatively new projects. If people take advantage of them, they might be something we can expect to see more of in the future. So if you like the idea of more hiker shuttles in out future, check them out.

We'd also love to hear from hikers about their experiences on either of the shuttles. Please share your stories in trip reports and in the comments below.