Ridge Trail

The Ridge Trail on Mount Sunapee follows the mountain's north ridge, traversing beneath and alongside the ski resort's northern trail network while providing a genuine forested hiking experience distinct from the developed summit area. The trail climbs through northern hardwood and mixed conifer forest along a sustained but manageable grade, reaching a series of open viewpoints on the north ridge with excellent perspectives across Newbury and Bradford toward Lake Sunapee's northern arm and the Connecticut River valley. The ski area's summer operations include mountain biking, chairlift rides, and a summit aerial adventure park, giving the mountain a lively summertime character quite different from the White Mountains wilderness parks to the north. However, the Ridge Trail itself stays within undeveloped forest for most of its length, offering a quieter alternative to the main summit approach. The north ridge viewpoints are particularly well positioned for observing migrating raptors in September and October, when the north-south orientation of the ridge funnels soaring hawks southward. Broad-winged hawk migration in mid-September, when thousands of hawks can pass in a single day following cold fronts, is exceptional from ridge viewpoints throughout the Sunapee region. The trail connects to the summit area trails enabling loop options with the Andrew Brook Trail for experienced hikers seeking a full summit traverse.