Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 12 sights is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Alpine Pond, Ipiwa Viewpoint, Horseshoe Lake and Horseshoe Viewpoint. It climbs 2,953 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 31/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,184 – 2,431 ft · steepest grade: 22%15.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ipiwa Trail 37.31505, -122.18837
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 12 sights
14.8 mi · ▲ 2,953 ft · 6 hr 25 min
Elevation 1,183–2,431 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 6:17 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ipiwa Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Alpine Pond.
- 0.7 miPass Ipiwa Viewpoint.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
- 100 ftSharp right onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftPass Horseshoe Viewpoint.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Chestnut Trail, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading NW.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miTurn left onto Canyon Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miReach Ipiwa Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading E.
- 1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Chestnut Trail, heading W.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Ipiwa Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 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
43% dirt57% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 89°F66°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity32%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:17 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 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 (~29 min). Leave by 7:26 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 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
- Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Lake, 3 lakes 3.1 mi · ▲ 646 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
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