Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Lake, 3 lakes is a 3.1-mile out-and-back in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Alpine Pond and Ipiwa Viewpoint before reaching Horseshoe Lake at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It climbs 646 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 38/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,031 – 2,431 ft · steepest grade: 18%3.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ipiwa Trail 37.31505, -122.18837
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Lake, 3 lakes
3.1 mi · ▲ 646 ft · 1 hr 21 min
Elevation 2,032–2,431 ft
Out & Back · Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: Ipiwa Trail · 37.31505, -122.18837
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 89°F / low 66° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Alpine Pond.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Ipiwa Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miPass Ipiwa Viewpoint.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftReach Ipiwa Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Ipiwa Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
31% dirt69% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 89°F66°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity32%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
81°50°
Thu
89°50°
Fri
94°56°
Sat
90°53°
Sun
81°46°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 7:26 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Ipiwa Trail Trailhead
- Alpine Pond–Butano View Trail, 3 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 319 ft
- Audrey's Viewpoint & Alpine Pond via New Ancient Oaks Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 547 ft
- Alpine Pond & Charquin Trail via New Ancient Oaks Trail 5.1 mi · ▲ 1,187 ft
- Turtle Rock–Ipiwa Viewpoint, 13 sights 13.3 mi · ▲ 2,274 ft
- Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 12 sights 14.8 mi · ▲ 2,953 ft
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Hikes near Vista Verde, California