Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Horseshoe to McLeod Hike – Trail Report
By: Sam Taylor
I started out by parking my car in the Horseshoe Lake parking lot. The snow is gone and the road is open all the way there.
The trail to McLeod is clear at first. However, there is still plenty of snow in areas that the trail has already been packed down by hikers or in the shade from the pine trees.
Should the weather remain warm, it won’t take long for that snow to melt either.
When I was hiking back down the trail at about 9:30 am, it was already starting to warm up and melt off. Still, I would suggest making sure you have shoes with a good grip if you are going to hike up to McLeod at this time. The snow that is on the trail is slippery.
Don’t forget your sunscreen when heading up. Though the trail is protected by trees, the lake itself is exposed to sunshine. When I got there, even though it was early, it was still plenty warm and the sun was hitting all around the lake full on.
A real treat at McLeod right now is the ladybugs. I was looking at some of the cool rocks that are scattered around the edges of the lake when I first noticed several ladybugs gathered together.
After the initial sighting, I realized that the little, red bugs were everywhere whether it be on the rocks or simply coming out of the dirt. At first I had confused them for red pebbles until I looked close.
All in all, the trip to McLeod was peaceful and easy. To the lake and back, including walking to Horseshoe was just under 2.5 miles. If you’re looking for a short hike to warm you up for the hiking season without sacrificing beautiful views, this is a great one to try.