Hiking Mount Sunapee via Andrew Brook Trail: Lake Solitude, Summit Views & Missing Sandwiches
I have wanted to hike this mountain since I first played disc golf here. Of course, I really wanted to ski it too, but I knew hiking it was something both G and I could do together. This hike was excellent for those looking for a legitimate challenge without committing to a White Mountain-sized adventure. Mount Sunapee gives you a bit of everything: a real mountain climb, a beautiful alpine lake, an overlook, great summit views, and even an operating lodge at the summit during peak summer and winter hours.
Several trails lead to the summit of Mount Sunapee in Newbury, NH. The mountain peak and the ski area is within the Mount Sunapee State Park. We hiked up the back side of the mountain via the Andrew Brook Trail, so the trailhead is not technically within the park. We did not have to pay or use our NH State Plates to park. Of course, you get what you pay for. Since there were no parking fees, there were no bathrooms at this trailhead so hit a Dunkin's or a McDonald's before your hike. Our route ended up being approximately 6.5 miles roundtrip with nearly 1,700 feet of elevation gain. You follow blue blazes to Lake Solitude, then it becomes white blazes until the summit
There are a sign at the trailhead that Lake Solitude is 2.0 miles and Mt. Sunapee is 3.2 miles. Alltrails said this was going to be a 6 mile roundtrip hike, so we immediately knew AllTrails lies. The trail goes through several different private properties. We had the good fortune to meet and thank one of the landowners who was helping clear the trails for a group of volunteers making improvements. It was amazing to see the many maple sap tap lines throughout his property and the bridges the volunteers had built along the trail
The trail itself is a typical NH hiking trail with many roots, rocks, and Lake Solitude is one of the highlights of this hike and the first stop about 2 miles in. Honestly, most of the elevation gain is behind you once you reach Lake Solitude. The views there are nice, but I would continue up to the summit. Before you reach the summit, there is a beautiful overlook that looks over Lake Solitude, where you just came from. The final ascent to the summit lodge is very steep once you come out of the woods onto the ski trail, but otherwise its a fairly simple walk in the woods from the summit to the overlook
The summit was busy on this fall day. The chairlift was spinning to bring leaf peepers up. We even saw a yoga class finishing up at the summit. Some people walked down from the chairlift to the overlook since that stretch is relatively easy and offers great views. They had an incredible day for it with amazing views! The lodge was open for bathrooms, food, and drinks. That worked out well since someone forgot the sandwiches in the refrigerator at home. That worked out well since I brought my debit card and they had good food! This hike is also very dog-friendly, including the summit lodge. They had a wall of photos of visiting dogs. Look for Pemi!
Overall, we really liked this hike. It was our first "real" hike in a while due to some health issues this summer, but it was a great way to get back into that real summit feels! Listen to our podcast about it for more details.
