AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Horseshoe Lake

15.8 mi · ▲ 163 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Horseshoe Lake is a 15.8-mile out-and-back near Apple Valley, MN. The route reaches Horseshoe Lake. It is mostly level, with 163 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi929 – 1,004 ft17.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.72137, -93.20103
Nearest town Apple Valley, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Horseshoe Lake

15.8 mi · ▲ 163 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Elevation 928–1,003 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 44.72137, -93.20103

Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Transit-accessible: Flight Lane stop 138 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 150 ftBear left, heading S.
  3. 300 ftTurn left, heading E.
  4. 1.9 miBear right, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  6. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  7. 1.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  10. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  12. 2.6 miTurn left, heading E.
  13. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  14. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  15. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  16. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  18. 0.4 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
  19. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 0.4 miReach Horseshoe Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 0.6 miBear left, heading S.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  24. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 2.6 miBear left, heading SW.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  30. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  31. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  33. 1.4 miTurn right, heading W.
  34. 0.4 miTurn right, heading W.
  35. 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
  36. 1.9 miTurn right, heading W.
  37. 300 ftBear right, heading S.
  38. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/horseshoe-lake-horseshoe-lake-out-back

Trail surface

91% paved5% gravel4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.8 mi in (~120 min). Leave by 4:48 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:23 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Flight Lane stop 138 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Apple Valley, Minnesota