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The Lake Solitude Trail leads from the summit of Sunapee Mountain to Lake Solitude high on the flank of the mountain. In addition to providing a moderate hike for tourists who ride a chairlift to the summit, it also serves as a link in the 75-mile loop Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail and the 50-mile Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail.
Distance: Summit to Lake Solitude, about 1.1 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 200 feet uphill from summit to lake, 300 feet on return
Maps:
USGS Newport
Free map of Mount Sunapee State Park Hiking Trails available from Guest Services at base lodge
SRKG (Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway) Trail Guide Trail 1 map
(online version)
Location: Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region
NH 2003-2004 map M-4
DeLorme NHA&G 26-A2/3 - Newbury
This trail is just S of Lake Sunapee which can be reached from exits 9, 11, 12, and 12-A of I-89
West End: Summit of Sunapee Mountain, elevation about 2726 feet
East End: Andrew Brook Trail near Lake Solitude, elevation about 2600 feet
Owner: Mount Sunapee State Park
Maintainer: Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail Club
Special regulations: No fires or camping
From the summit, the Lake Solitude Trail goes down the edge of the rightmost (Porky's) ski trail, stays R at a ski trail junction, then stays on the edge of the ski trail where the Goshen Trail leaves R through a chain gate on a woods road with snowmobile trail signs. The Lake Solitude Trail leaves the ski trail R just beyond at .2 miles from the summit, crosses a col, then runs on sidehill R around a small knob.
The trail crosses a flattish area and then climbs the back side of White Ledge, passing L of its high point which is about the same elevation as the main summit of Sunapee Mountain. (Use magnifying glass to see highest contour.) At .9 miles, a short spur path R leads down the ledge to an overlook of Lake Solitude. The main trail descends L more steeply in the woods to Jack and June Junction at 1.0 miles, named for some longtime trail adopters. The orange-blazed trail to the L leads downhill to the ski trails of the Sun Bowl, while the orange-blazed trail straight ahead is the Newbury Trail, which carries the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail down to Newbury on Lake Sunapee.
The Lake Solitude Trail turns R at the junction and soon ends at another junction at the N end of Lake Solitude. From here, the Andrew Brook Trail descends along the E side of Lake Solitude roughly parallel to the outlet brook to Mountain Road, while the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail (Five Summers Trail) continues ahead toward Pillsbury State Park and ultimately Monadnock.
Trail may be drifted with snow and hard to find in the open woods on the flattish ridge.
Because the Porky's ski trail is narrow with limited visibility, during the ski season it may be safer to use the side of the next trail over or the woods between.
Map Notes: Maps show connecting trails less accurately than this trail.
Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway online section map
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