Horseshoe Lake Trail, Alaska, United States

4.5 (172 reviews) Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #5 in Denali National Park and Preserve Hiking Trails

Lovely first hike in Denali

We arrived at Denali late on a beautiful June afternoon and wanted to squeeze in a quick hike. Horseshoe Lake Trail was a lovely introduction to the park. The view from the top of the hill before you descend the steps toward the lake is stunning. We loved seeing the beaver dam and getting to walk along the Nenana river. It wasn't all that crowded when we hiked, and it was a great way to spend an hour or two.
Denali National Park and Preserve review images

Address

, Alaska, United States, Postal Code: 99743.

Website

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/dayhiking.htm

Current local date and time now

Thursday, May 09, 2024, 14:10

User Ratings

4.5 based on (172 reviews)

Excellent
76%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%

Reviews

  • 5Doug S 5:00 PM Jul 17, 2021
    Fabulous Way to Spend a Couple Hours Before Leaving Town
    The day after the lengthy Kantishna bus tour, wanted to spend sustained time outdoors instead of climbing on and off a bus all day. This hike fit the bill! It starts with a moderate descent to lake level. After you take in the beaver dam, you loop around the lake and the Nenana River. You could complete the hike in less than two hours, but if you have more time it's nice to take your time photographing and relaxing by the river. One part of the ascent is steep, but not sustained. If you're in even moderate shape, you can complete this hike. The Denali Bluffs shuttle dropped me off at the trailhead, saving me from hiking over a paved path from the visitor center. Trail was fairly busy, but it's also wide.
  • 5betteskid 5:00 PM Jul 25, 2022
    Great short hike in Denali
    This hike leaves from the visitor center and is a 4 mile loop. The change in elevation is not great and the path is very easy to walk. The lake is lovely and when we were there there was a beaver dam and we saw the beaver. It was really beautiful and I would recommend doing this hike if you have time when you visit Denali.

See also