Sunset Hill Trail Hike- Newbury, NH

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Sunset Hill Trail Hike Summit - Newbury, NH - Travel the East
Matt & Kristy atop the Sunset Hill summit. Not bad for an auto capture!
This trail hike is situated next to the popular ski mountain, Mt. Sunapee.  It was an easy going, mellow hike, that we stumbled upon completely unplanned. It was a summer day and we were heading back to Boston from VT.  We had our mind set on spending the afternoon at a scenic lake, but the wind was blowing 15-20 mph and it was only around 70 degrees out, so that plan was shot. 

After making a lap around Sunapee Lake(which is huge), we saw on Google Maps that the lake bordered a piece of land called John Hay National Wildlife Refuge.  We figured there would be some nice trials by the lake but ended up with more than we bargained for. While the Sunset Hill trail is no mountain hike, it still takes about an hour to get to the top and offers great panoramic views of the lake. We saw a few families and some people with their dogs, as this was a very family friendly hike. It definitely wasn’t crowded though. We had the summit all to ourselves for a half hour or so, and soaked in some sun and great views.

We'd recommend this as a great half day hike for anyone that may be traveling through the area. Lake Sunapee borders Rt. 89 and is only a few miles away from Rt. 91, Vermont's two main highways, making a stop here very convenient. While our views were pretty solid during mid afternoon, we expect they are stellar in the evening with the scenic overlook from the summit facing dead west. We'll be back here soon to discover where this trail got its name from! 

Sunset Hill Trail Hike Summit - Newbury, NH - Travel the East
Panoramic of Sunset Hill summit. + Matt

Quick disclaimer as we plan to share many other great hiking experiences we've had: Remember to always put safety first when you're hiking in the woods no matter how big or small the hike! At a minimum be sure to bring a backpack with plenty of water, food, warm clothing, lighter, pocketknife, and trail map. Tell a friend or family member where you're hiking and when you expect to let them know you're finished, as cell service can often be minimal/non-existent in the woods. If you're hiking in the afternoon, pack a headlight and make sure you plan how long you're return trip is expected to take, as it can get darker a lot sooner in woods with the sun being blocked by the mountains. Remember, no one plans to get lost in the woods, but it happens and is best to be prepared!
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Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering                                                      
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