Horseshoe Lake is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

situated in the east side of the

Midway High Lakes Area Midway High Lakes Area, also known as High Lakes Area, is a United States Forest Service–designated area located in Washington (state), Washington’s Cascade Mountains. It lies on a high plateau on Mount Adams (Washington), Mount Adams' northwe ...

below Mount Adams' northwest flank. The lake is popular for

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

, quiet boating (electric motors or canoeing),

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, and

biking Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

on a trail halfway around the lake. Other activities include scenic viewing and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

. The lake offers an eleven-site campground, administered by the

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a National Forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5300 km2), it extends 116 km along the western slopes of Cascade Ran ...

in the

State of Washington Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

Recreation

The lake is popular for

, and boating, and often clearly reflects Mount Adams. Adjacent Horseshoe Lake Campground is administered by the Cowlitz Ranger District of the

. The popular eleven-site campground features the Green Mountain Trail, which halfway circles the lake, offering more views of the mountain, and up to the top of Green Mountain, offering outstanding views of Mount Adams and its sheer, glaciated northwest face as well as Adams Glacier, the second largest

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...

in the contiguous United States. The lake is a popular summer destination, and can be accessed via Primary Road 23, to Road 5601, and Road 2329 from Trout Lake at the southern side of Mount Adams. From

Randle Randle, as a surname or a given name, may refer to: Surname: * Betsy Randle (born 1955), American actress * Bill Randle (1923–2004), American disc jockey, lawyer and university professor * Brian Randle (born 1985), American NBA coach and basketba ...

or Packwood in the north, it can be accessed via Primary Road 23, to Road 5601, and 2329, or alternately from Packwood on Primary Road 21 to Road 2329. The loop from Packwood to Takhlakh Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and the surrounding Midway High Lakes, along the scenic

Cispus River The Cispus River is about long and flows into the Cowlitz River at Lake Scanewa in the Cascade Range of Washington. Its tributaries drain most of south-central and southeastern Lewis County, extreme northeast Skamania County, and some of wester ...

to Randle, and back to Packwood along

US Route 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes tha ...

makes up the High Lakes Loop (Scenic Driving) from the

White Pass Scenic Byway White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

Recreation

References

See also