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The Rim Trail leads from the end of the road near the Sun Bowl lift to the Newbury Trail on the flank of Sunapee Mountain near Lake Solitude. A 2003 relocation of the Newbury Trail caused the steepest upper section of the Rim Trail to be redesignated as the Newbury Trail, making the remaining Rim Trail shorter and easier. This Rim Trail is blazed in yellow.
There is another trail that starts at the same place as the Rim Trail and reaches the Newbury Trail at its junction with the Lake Solitude Trail and is blazed in red. This trail is not named on maps or signs except for one that (incorrectly) calls it the Rim Trail, hence it will be referred to as the Pseudo-Rim Trail. From the park campground, a loop hike to Lake Solitude and White Ledges of about 4 miles can be made with the Rim and Pseudo-Rim Trails.
Distance: Rim Trail: end of road to Newbury Trail, about .4 miles one-way (add .2 miles from campground)
Pseudo-Rim Trail: end of road to Lake Solitude Trail, about 1.2 miles one-way (add .2 miles from campground)
Elevation gain: Rim Trail, about 400 feet, nominal on return
Pseudo-Rim Trail, about 1000 feet, nominal 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 2004-2005 map M-4
DeLorme NHA&G 26-A3 - Newbury
Newbury is located on NH Route 103 at the S end of Lake Sunapee
Trailhead:
Turnaround at end of paved road to Sun Bowl lift and camping area, elevation about 1650 feet
N 43.3241, -72.0644 W (WGS84)
Take exit 9 off I-89 and follow NH Route 103 about 15.2 miles to the Mount Sunapee traffic circle. Go 3/4 of the way around the circle and turn R on the entrance road to Mount Sunapee ski area, after .4 miles turn L at sign for camping. The road swings R then L to a gate. Walk or drive up steep rough nominally-paved road another 1.1 miles to campground entrance and another gate. Walk or drive .2 miles more downhill to turnaround at end of road near ski lift.
Far End: Rim Trail ends at Newbury Trail, elevation about 2000 feet
Pseudo-Rim Trail ends at Lake Solitude Trail near Lake Solitude, elevation about 2600 feet
Owner: Mount Sunapee State Park
Maintainer: Mount Sunapee State Park
Special regulations: No fires or camping
The Rim Trail, with yellow blazes, leaves from the L downhill edge of the turnaround loop. It crosses a small brook, then follows an overgrown woods road parallel to a branch brook. At about .4 miles it ends at the (relocated) Newbury Trail which is also the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail, note wrong distance on old sign.
The Pseudo-Rim Trail, with red blazes, takes the gravel service road R from the turnaround loop. It crosses a small brook on a bridge, then follows the steep gravel road about .8 miles to a junction where the footpath leaves L. This overgrown path circles L across several minor brooks before climbing an eroded trail more steeply .4 miles to end at Jack and June Junction, named for some longtime trail adopters.
On the descent, take the trail opposite the one from Lake Solitude, or a L turn coming from the summit. This trail may be hard to find in the brush starting off.
The road to the campground will probably be gated after camping season, but there is plowed parking at the ski area in winter.
Map Notes: The USGS map (and the SRKG map derived from it) show the Newbury Trail before the 2003 relocation, and do not show the gravel service road used by the Pseudo-Rim Trail.
Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway online section map
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