See my trip reports for 2 other summits in this area: Saddle Mtn. and Duplex Summit.
There are two ways to get up to Dow Mountain - a long drive on gravel roads, or a forest road walk of around 2.5 miles (1900' elevation gain). Since I was also visiting two other summits along the way, I opted for the road approaching from the north. The road going up to Dow Mtn. from Hoodsport is gated - this is the road to take if you wish to hike it.
I wasn't able to drive all the way up to the summit of Dow Mountain due to muddy conditions - it had been raining heavily the weekend that I visited the area. I was able to get to within 1.5 miles, where I encountered a section that I didn't think my 2 wheel drive car would make. I parked and hiked the rest of the way. In dry conditions, it would be possible to drive in to the activation zone.
The views from this summit are not as good as nearby Saddle Mtn. and Duplex Summit.
I did get a nice shot of a rainbow on my way to Dow Mtn!
