Horseshoe Lake
To get to Horseshoe Lake drive to Westcliffe on 69, when you get to the blinking stop sign, turn left (east) on main street/hwy 96 go a couple blocks and turn right on Highway 69 (south). There will be an "antlers liquor store and motel on this corner. Take 69 south a few blocks and turn right (west) on hermit lane/hermit lakes road/CR160 all the same. There will be a gas station on your left at this intersection. Once on hermit you will be able to see the road go across the valley and up into the trees keep going till you get to the trees then the road veers to the left. There is a stack of small signs follow the one for hermit pass. It is not far from this point about 5 miles or so but it does take time because of how rocky the road is. There are several areas to park and walk into Horseshoe Lake, all are above treeline on the pullouts before Horseshoe Lake. If you've past Horseshoe Lake you have gone to far. With the snow gone the trail is easy to follow. Some of the pull outs above Hermit Lake offer good camping spots, if full Hermit Lake also has some very good camping spots.
Pikes Peak cutthroat trout (mut cutthroat stocked from the Pikes Peak Hatchery) can be found in Horseshoe Lake. Fish tend to be larger at Horseshoe Lake then at Hermit but can be pickier as the lake gets a lot of pressure. Spawning fish tend to stack up pretty thick in the inlet creek on the Lake as well and are easily spooked. This trail is do able in any stock vehicle with high ground clearance but take it slow. It is usually Ice free and accessible around mid-June. Horseshoe Lake is at Latitude: 38.0928' and Longitude: -105.6475' with an elevation of 11952 ft.
Flies I have had success with at this lake include ants, stimulators, and matt's midge. Hardware that worked for me there would include panther martins in black or orange. Fly and bubble techniques or a float tube would be ideal for this lake as there are several shallow shelves that are out of reach from shore casting.
To view more pictures of the trails, mines, and lakes check out our Horseshoe Lake Gallery.