Horseshoe Lake Trail
Denali National Park
Epic Overview
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5/7
The Northern Epics Quality Score is our trail rating system. We only list and review trails that we personally have hiked. Fortunately, as a guided hiking outfit, we hike a lot.
Why is the Northern Epics Quality Score out of 7 instead of 5 or 10? Because we wanted to. 7 is a fun number!
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~250 ft
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~2 miles round trip
Horseshoe Lake Trail Description
Horseshoe Lake is a beautiful and low-commitment hike right at the beginning of the Denali Park Road, just after the park entrance! This hike starts off with a brief 25’ hill, followed by a relatively steep downhill with a loss of around 250’ according to the NPS website. This hill can be challenging for those with mobility issues. Once you reach the bottom, you are on to a real gem of Denali National Park.
As you travel this flat, easy trail, you will wind your way around a stunning lake with crystal-clear waters reflecting the beautiful mountains and forest surrounding you. As you continue your winding trek through this whimsical wilderness, you will notice signs of many of the unique and delightful wildlife of Denali. On the edges of the trails, keep your eyes peeled for the mounds of spruce-cone flakes under the trees! These indicate the homes of Denali's red tree squirrels. You will also notice many paths wandering off into the forest, on which moose travel to drink and swim in these waters.
Perhaps the most impressive piece of animal infrastructure on display during this trek is the massive and impressive beaver dam wrapping its way across a part of this lake. The scale of this dam truly highlights the hardiness and industry required to live in this picturesque landscape. All in all, if you are looking for a good mid-short length hike to inspire you and provide you with many different perspectives on Denalis ecosystem, I highly recommend the Horseshoe Lake Trail!
Horseshoe Lake Trail Map
If you have your own vehicle, reaching this trailhead is simple. Drive down the Denali Park Road to mile 1 and look for the small parking area just beyond the railroad tracks. A trailhead sign tucked into the trees marks the start of the hike. It’s easy to spot once you’re looking for it. The trail is also accessible from both the park’s Visitor Center and the Bus Depot. From the Visitor Center, follow the bike path to the depot or access it from the upper parking lot via the Taiga Trail. From the Bus Depot, take the bike path toward the Visitor Center, cross the Park Road at the train tracks, and look for the trailhead sign on the far side.
Getting to Horseshoe Lake Trail
Make it a Tour!
Hiking in Denali on your own is beautiful; hiking with Northern Epics is meaningful. We’ll help you notice what most people walk right past—wildlife signs, edible plants and berries, glacial scars, and the living story of this place.
Similar to Horseshoe Lake Trail: 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour
Unfortunately, the National Park Service does not permit hiking tour companies to run tours on the Horseshoe Lake Trail. With that said, the feel of Horseshoe Lake is very similar to the trails we do our Naturalist Walking Tour on. The Naturalist Walking Tour is a slow-down-and-notice-everything kind of Denali hike. Along a beautiful, approachable trail, your Northern Epics guide will bring the landscape to life—reading wildlife signs, spotlighting edible tundra and forest plants, and sharing the natural and human stories that shaped this land. You’ll leave not just having seen Denali, but having understood it.
This is an easy walk. Want something harder or off-trail? Click here