Washington › Skamania County › Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Horseshoe Lake Campground

Closed

Closed for the season. The campground typically operates mid-May through mid-September. Winter road closures affect access.

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Alcohol Prohibitions

This Order describes acts that are prohibited upon lands, roads and trails within the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region in regards to alcoholic beverages.

Aquatic Invasive Species

This Order prohibits 1) possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic invasive animal species AND 2) prohibits possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic or riparian invasive plant species - on National Forest System lands in the Pacific Northwest Region as specified in the Order.

Restrictions on Use of Forage and Mulch Products

This Order prohibits unloading, storing, or using any straw, hay, grain, seed, or other forage or mulch products that are not state-certified weed free on the National Forest System lands, roads or trails in any Closure Area as specific in the Order. Some examples of these include hay bales, hay…

Fireworks and Explosives are always Prohibited

Fireworks and explosives (including explosive targets) are always prohibited on national forest lands. The prohibition of fireworks and exploding targets on national forest system lands is part of a set of permanent fire safety regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), listed below.…

Forest Roads Closed Due to Rain Event

The past few days has shown heavy rainfall as an atmospheric river moved into the Northern Cascade Region bringing 16+ inches of rain to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This rapid increase in rainfall has resulted in localized flooding and has increased the risk of landslides, debris flows,…

Forest Service Road 6808 Emergency Closure

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest issued an emergency closure of Forest Service Road 6808 from mile marker 3.9 to mile marker 4.2 due to a sinkhole that has developed in the travel way. Closure timeframe is currently unknown, and travel will resume when roads are repaired.

Rd 2810-041 Yellowjacket Bridge Road Closure

Rd 2810-041 will close Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, and will remain closed until mid-November for redriving piles at Yellowjacket.

Spirit Lake Infrastructure Project Trail Closures

The replacement of the Spirit Lake Tunnel Intake Gate and Geotechnical Drilling project to support safe operations and maintenance of the Spirit Lake infrastructure will continue in 2025. Construction will require weekday recreation trail closures within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic…

Winter Road Closures

The gates along the following roads are closed for the winter season. This annual seasonal gate closure is important for public safety as these roads are not maintained and become hazardous in the winter. Forest Road 99Forest Road 25Forest Road 26Forest Road 52 (Skate Creek Road)Get a free Motor…

Camping Restrictions

Camping in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is limited to no more than 14 consecutive days in one spot and no more than 28 total days per calendar year across all locations.

Washout on Forest Road 93

Forest Road 93 is closed at milepost 6.95 due to a severe washout. Road signs are posted at the beginning of each side of Forest Road 93 to alert drivers of the inability to drive the entire length of road. Barricades may be present for public safety and block the section of road located by the…

Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument Restrictions

This order outlines specific restrictions within Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Upper State Route 504 closed at milepost 45.2 due to large slide

Closure Upper State Route 504/Spirit Lake Memorial Highway is closed between mileposts (MP) 45.2 and 51 until further notice with a possible re-opening date sometime in 2026. The road is blocked just outside the Hummocks Trailhead at the normal winter closure gate. *Johnston Ridge…

Drift Creek Cove Camping Restrictions

Camping is prohibited on National Forest Lands in Drift Creek Cove on the south side of Swift Reservoir as described in the Forest Order and shown in the map (Exhibit A below).

Drift Creek Cove Fire Restrictions

Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, is prohibited on National Forest System lands identified as Drift Creek Cove in Exhibit A.

Forest Road 2801 Closure

Forest Road 2801 is closed on both ends of the road due to a washout at milepost 0.25 and a large slide at milepost 7.

Adams Fork Bridge Closed (FR 5601)

The Adams Fork Bridge on Forest Road 5601 at MP 2.0 on the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District is CLOSED. The bridge is beyond its service life, was damaged in flooding in 2015, and has suffered ongoing scouring of the foundation since that time. Recent inspections have shown that the bridge can only…

Packwood Lake Motor Restrictions

It is prohibited to land helicopters or other aircraft, or to use any motorized or mechanical devices to power a watercraft at Packwood Lake.

Tatoosh Lakes Basin Restrictions

Camping and bringing horses or other pack animals is not allowed in the Tatoosh Lakes Basin.

Blue Lake Vehicle Restrictions

Using or having a vehicle is not allowed in the area from the nearby parking lot near the junction of Trail #271 and Trail #271A to high waterline of Blue Lake and land surrounding the lake for a distance of 150 feet.

Wilderness Permit Requirements

Wilderness permits are required when entering Glacier View, Indian Heaven, Mt. Adams, Tatoosh, Trapper Creek, Goat Rocks, and William 0. Douglas Wildernesses. Required Wilderness permits are free and self issued at trailheads.

Prohibition: Entering areas closed for restoration & shortcutting trail switchbacks

Shortcutting trail switchbacks and entering areas closed for restoration are prohibited to protect natural resources.

Wilderness Restrictions

This forest order outlines restrictions in place in designated Wilderness areas to protect the vegetation around lakes, streams, and meadows, to reduce soil compaction and erosion in heavily used areas and to enhance the Wilderness character.

About

Horseshoe Lake Campground is a small, rustic facility situated on a scenic 24-acre lake in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. With only 11 campsites, most offering views of the water, this campground provides an intimate setting for those seeking a quieter mountain lake experience. The lake permits fishing and boating with electric motors only; gas-powered motors are prohibited. The campground serves as a convenient base for exploring the Mt. Adams Wilderness, with the Killen Creek trailhead nearby providing wilderness access. Free self-issued wilderness permits are required and available at trailheads. Additionally, OHV enthusiasts can access Green Mountain Trail #110, High Lakes Trail #116, and Spring Creek Trail #115 from the area. The campground features vault toilets and picnic tables, but no potable water is available, so visitors must bring their own. Access requires navigating a series of forest roads from Randle, Washington, and the campground accommodates vehicles up to 16 feet in length only. The site is managed by concessionaire ExplorUS and operates first-come, first-served during the summer season.

Directions

From Randle, WA travel south on State Highway 131 (Forest Roads 23 and 25). Veer left in 1 mile at the Y of Forest Road 23 and Forest Road 25. Continue to follow Forest Service Road 23 for 18.5 miles then turn left onto Forest Road 21. Follow Forest Road 21 for 4.6 miles and turn right onto Forest Road 56. Follow Forest Road 56 for 3 miles and turn right onto Forest Road 5603. Follow Forest Road 5603 for 5.2 miles and turn right onto Forest Road 2329. Follow Forest Road 2329 for 3 miles and turn right onto Forest Road 2329078. Follow Forest Road 2329078 for 1.3 miles to arrive at the campground.

Nearby Campgrounds

Keenes Horsecamp 1.0mi Killen Creek Campground 1.3mi Takhlakh Lake Campground 2.5mi Cody Horsecamp 3.8mi Olallie Lake Campground 2.9mi Cat Creek Campground 3.8mi Adams Fork Campground 4.3mi Walupt Lake Campground 9.0mi Morrison Creek Campground 13mi