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Horseshoe Lake
Ashton,
Idaho
(Fremont County)
Last Updated:
07/29/2023
Trail Information
Highlights
Horseshoe Lake is a popular off-road destination for camping and fishing on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout as soon as the snow melts. The lake bottom tapers off very slowly, making it a perfect spot to take the kids. The lake is deep enough for swimming and non-motorized boats. Dispersed camping is allowed right along the lakeshore, along with hiking trails into Yellowstone National Park from the camping area at the end of the trail. This area offers views of the Gand Tetons to the south and easy access to Cave Falls and the Fall River.
As the name implies, this lake is in the shape of a horseshoe. It is located near Ashton, Idaho at the edge of the Targhee National Forest, just outside of Yellowstone National Park.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
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Cory Wooldridge
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Trail Reviews
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/15/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Horseshoe Lake Trail is much improved this year, thanks to some much-needed repairs. The water level at Horseshoe Lake was surprisingly high for this time of year, extending all the way up to the base of the shrubs surrounding the lake and leaving no shoreline available for setting up chairs—particularly on the west side, our usual picnic spot. The water was clear with pleasant temperatures, making it a perfect combination for a refreshing swim or a serene paddle through the lilies on kayaks. I can't help but regret not bringing our kayaks to enjoy the water today.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/22/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
A nice trip if you're also in the area to see Cave Falls. This is not as scenic of a drive as the Cave Falls trail, but it is worth the trip to see the Lake. This road has more potholes than Cave Falls trail, and they all seem to be in the shade and harder to spot, so be alert. Overall, a pleasant and fun drive.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/24/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
The trail today was dusty, dry, and busy. However, the trails are in decent shape, and tire placement may be necessary with low clearance vehicles. The lake access at the trail's end was pretty busy, so we backtracked and checked out trail 374 and found another public lake access. There was a nice parking area near the water and a decent shoreline. Next time, we'll try this spot at the south end of the lake first.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/01/2021
We started our day in West Yellowstone and took South Fork Madison towards Island Park. After the trail and not wanting to rejoin the crazy traffic, we decided to turn left at Big Springs near Island Park and followed Fish Creek to Robinson Creek, and took a left to Cave Falls. We hiked around the day-use areas looking over the waterfalls and checked out Horseshoe Lake while we were there. The lake and trail were far too busy for our liking, so we mosied back up the same way we came and rejoined the highway in Island Park before heading home.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/18/2020
Pretty trail with beautiful forest and lake. Rowan berries turning orange in the end of August add color to the already pretty trail. Saskatoon berries are found in multitude alongside the trail as well. We were lucky to have somewhat of a "botanist" with us and were able to enjoy the edible treasures of the trail. The lake at the end of the trail is breathtaking. The weather was good, and the lake water was warm and refreshing. The stillness of the lake water reflecting the clouds and surrounding trees... Unforgettable!
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