Sunset Hill – Newbury, NH

Sunset Hill – Newbury, NH

There are plenty of solid day hikes in the Dartmouth-Sunapee region, and while Sunset Hill certainly isn’t the best of the bunch, it’s a relatively short, easy hike, with a rewarding view at the top. In our opinion, it’s definitely worth doing if you’ve already done hikes like Lake Solitude and Mt. Kearsarge and you’re looking for something new that doesn’t require much of a time commitment.

Trail Description

Distance: 2.4 miles out-and-back

Elevation Gain: ~550 ft.

Summit Elevation: 1,831 ft.

Difficulty: Easy

Getting There

There are multiple routes to the the top of Sunset Hill, but the most popular is the Sunset Hill Trail that begins directly across State Route 103A from The Fells (if you’ve never been to the Fells it’s 100% worth a visit). There is a parking area at the Fells which is directly across the road from the trailhead.

Read More: Best Hikes in New England

The Hike

The trail is not particularly steep, but there is a steady incline for the duration of the hike. The trail is well marked with yellow blazes and there are several signs along the way that point you in the appropriate direction. The one point of interest along the way is an old stone foundation of a former farm.

The Summit

After roughly 1.2 miles you will arrive at the summit of Sunset Hill. The summit itself has no views and is just a nondescript rocky clearing. If you follow a short path to your right from the summit, you will quickly arrive at a granite outcropping with excellent views of both Lake Sunapee and Mt. Sunapee.