Parking
No road-accessible parking at the State Lakes Loop junction. A four-day approach from Road’s End uses Copper Creek and Simpson Meadow trails; Road’s End is the access point for that backpacking route.
Overview
About Horseshoe Lakes Trail
Why go
- A short spur adds the Horseshoe Lakes basin to a State Lakes trip.
Heads up
- Reaching the junction takes a multi-day wilderness approach.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kings Canyon map
Full mapElevation10,285–10,518 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Kings Canyon alerts
- CautionStage 1 fire restrictionsStage 1 fire restrictions are active because high fire danger raises the risk of accidental human-caused fires that could threaten visitors and employees.Official details
- ClosureGrant Grove trails and areas closed for prescribed fireSome trails and areas around Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree are closed during an active prescribed burn; stay out until crews clear hazards and reopen them.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kings Canyon Tour Guide
Your drive to Horseshoe Lakes Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kings Canyon National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Kings Canyon audio tour- 55 audio storiesacross Kings Canyon’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Mule Deer, Marmot, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 77 trails, 61 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…The kids and my husband and I all agree that the narration really added to our experience driving through the parks. We learned so much about the history and the flora & fauna.”
Trail guide
Hiking Horseshoe Lakes Trail
A short spur, far into the backcountryHorseshoe Lakes Trail is a two-mile out-and-back from the State Lakes Loop junction to…
Horseshoe Lakes Trail is a two-mile out-and-back from the State Lakes Loop junction to Horseshoe Lakes, following the named one-mile spur and returning the same way. Allow about an hour and a half for the spur only; reaching this junction is a much bigger trip. One four-day backpacking itinerary from Road’s End uses Copper Creek Trail and Simpson Meadow Trail to reach State Lakes, so this is a worthwhile add-on when you are already in the high country, not a stand-alone day hike.
The lakes, and what lies beyondThe mapped spur starts around 10,475 feet and ends near 10,500 feet.
The mapped spur starts around 10,475 feet and ends near 10,500 feet. Its one-way line has 167 feet of climbing and 143 feet of descent, so the dips reverse on the return. The route reaches the Horseshoe Lakes basin. A 2009 backpacking account describes a separate cross-country trip up Horseshoe Creek to a small tarn at 11,450 feet, with a view toward the Black Divide. That trail-less excursion is beyond the mapped spur and is not included in this route or distance.
Wilderness access and rulesThere is no road parking at the State Lakes Loop junction; approach on foot through the…
There is no road parking at the State Lakes Loop junction; approach on foot through the backcountry trail network. Overnight trips require a wilderness permit. For the Copper Creek approach from Road’s End, permits are issued at the Road’s End Permit Station. Pets are prohibited on trails in Kings Canyon. The spur’s surface, seasonal access and current condition are not well documented, so check current park access information before planning the larger trip.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kings Canyon
227 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
385 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
188 sightingsMarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
118 sightingsPikaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
14 sightingsGolden TroutMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
32 sightingsRainbow TroutMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kings Canyon. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
