I enjoyed a beautiful late afternoon snowshoe at Horseshoe Prairie, across the highway from the parking lot at Andies Prairie. Leif, our mini Aussie and his friend, Silvie, accompanied me. As you can see from the paragraphs below, Horseshoe Prairie is well groomed for both cross country skiing and snow shoeing. The early evening alpen glow was stunning.
“The Walla Walla Ranger District began managing the Horseshoe Prairie as a Nordic ski area in the late 1980’s when cross-country skiing and snowshoeing were increasing popularity. At that time the only marked and groomed trails available in the area were located at Spout Springs Ski Area.”
“Since 2019, the Blue Mountain Land Trust volunteer-led trail crew has provided access to Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area in partnership with the Umatilla National Forest. Bordered on the north by the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, the area provides an opportunity for nordic skiing and snowshoeing on both groomed and non-groomed trail system. With approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) of marked trail, Horseshoe Prairie is the perfect place for outdoor ski adventures all winter season.”
“Parking is available across Highway 204 at the Andies Prairie Sno-Park. Sno-Park permits are required in winter sports areas from November through April.”
