Horseshoe Lake Loop from Butte Lake

Horseshoe Lake Loop from Butte Lake is a remote, full-day circuit that links the Cinder Cone and Painted Dunes country with Rainbow, Lower and Upper Twin, Swan, Horseshoe, Grassy Creek, and Snag lakes before returning to Butte Lake. The route map labels 20.4 miles and about 1,850 feet of climbing. A trace of its green line measures 19.24 miles, a difference of about 1.2 miles; treat the displayed distance as approximate and plan for roughly 20 miles. Allow about 11–12 hours with breaks. This is the long Horseshoe circuit, not the separate 13-mile Snag Lake Loop.

The first three miles cross loose cinder fields, the roughest footing on the mapped route. The trail skirts the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds and passes below Cinder Cone; the summit climb is a separate spur and is not part of this loop. The stark contrast between black lava, pale cinder and open forest is the route’s defining start.

The Rainbow Lake section climbs onto an open bench with views toward Lassen Peak, then descends through thicker pine forest to the lake. From there the circuit reaches Lower and Upper Twin lakes and Swan Lake, alternating between quiet shorelines and forested connectors. Leave time for the lake stops: they break up a long route, but there is no quick road exit from most of this section.

Horseshoe Lake is the route’s southern turn. Beyond it, the trail follows Grassy Creek past springs and meadow pockets, then turns toward Snag Lake and its open shoreline before linking back toward Butte Lake. The route map marks footlogs and a footbridge along the creek. That map dates to 2008, before the 2021 Dixie Fire, so it cannot show later changes to tread or crossings.