Turtle Lake–Round Lake, 5 lakes
11.9 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 3 min
Turtle Lake–Round Lake, 5 lakes is an 11.9-mile out-and-back near Circle Pines, MN. The route passes Kerrey Lake, Turtle Lake, Sunfish Lake and Round Lake before reaching Rush Lake at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 161 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Turtle Lake–Round Lake, 5 lakes
11.9 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 3 min
Elevation 890–987 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 45.12248, -93.12205
Weather Sep 22: Mostly clear, high 63°F / low 45° · precip 1% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Kerrey Lake.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.6 miPass Turtle Lake.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 1.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 350 ftPass Sunfish Lake.
- 1.1 miPass Round Lake.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miPass Rush Lake.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 450 ftReach Turtle Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1.9 miTurn right, heading N.
- 1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Kerrey Lake & Rice Creek via Rice Creek Trail, Twin City Army Ammunition Plant 15.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- George Watch Lake–Rice Lake, 6 lakes 9.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Rice Lake–Kerrey Lake, 6 sights 6.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Charley Lake & Kerrey Lake 4.9 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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