Backpack to Circlet Lake Campground

If you are looking for a beautiful, stress-free campground nestled in the mountains far from the city but within a morning's drive and a day's walking distance, suitable for the whole family and offers tons of activities, Circlet Lake is the right choice for you. It features an alpine lake that is clean, refreshing and so clear that you can see to the bottom, with shallow and deep areas suitable for swimming. 

The campground is well-maintained, with wooden platforms to mount tents on for comfort, and each site has a view of the lake and the mountains surrounding it. Bear caches offer storage for food away from campsites, and bathrooms are also present.

There are also smaller lakes minutes away from Circlet Lake to explore, such as Amphitheater and McPhee Lakes, and small waterfalls and river.

While this loop can be completed in reverse, the authors recommend the below format as it lessened the difficulty of the elevation gain, as well as gives the traveler a view of most of the lakes in Forbidden Plateau.

HIKE IN TO CIRCLET LAKE CAMPGROUND VIA LAKE HELEN MACKENZIE 

Distance: 10 kilometers

Starting at the Paradise Meadows Trailhead, walk along the gravel path. When you get to a fork in the trail, follow the sign

HIKE OUT OF CIRCLET LAKE CAMPGROUND VIA LADY LAKE AND BATTLESHIP LAKE

Distance: 12.4 kilometers

Camping reservations must be made before hiking out, and can be made at the Paradise Meadows trailhead. Maps of the Forbidden Plateau trails can be found at the Visitor Center at the trailhead, or can be downloaded or printed from the Mount Washington PDF.

Please always pack out what you packed in!