AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Horseshoe lake - panoramio.jpg
Vadim Manuylov · CC BY-SA 3.0
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve

Horseshoe Lake–Bodhidharma Cave, 5 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 1,262 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Horseshoe Lake–Bodhidharma Cave, 5 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Bodhidharma Cave before reaching Horseshoe Lake at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 1,262 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi2,021 – 2,412 ft · steepest grade: 22%8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.28224, -122.14970
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Horseshoe Lake–Bodhidharma Cave, 5 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 1,262 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Elevation 2,022–2,412 ft

Out & Back · Long Ridge Open Space Preserve

Trailhead: 37.28224, -122.14970

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 92°F / low 65° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Peters Creek Trail, heading NW.
  3. 0.6 miPass Bodhidharma Cave.
  4. 350 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
  5. 200 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
  6. 0.1 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
  7. 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
  8. 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  9. 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
  10. 450 ftTurn left onto Chestnut Trail, heading NE.
  11. 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
  13. 0.7 miTurn left onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miReach Horseshoe Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  16. 0.7 miSharp right onto Tree Farm Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Chestnut Trail, heading SE.
  18. 1.6 miTurn right onto Peters Creek Trail, heading SE.
  19. 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
  21. 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
  22. 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
  23. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
  25. 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-out-back-f28b

Trail surface

5% dirt95% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 92°F65°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity40%
Hourly temperature
95°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue 87°65°
Wed 87°54°
Thu 94°51°
Fri 97°56°
Sat 97°58°
Sun 97°53°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 7:36 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Vista Verde, California