Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway: Section 3

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Wildlife

Some portions of this trail coincide with a snowmobile trail; please be aware of snowmobilers (during the winter).

From the Sunapee Town Office Parking, follow the sign for Sunapee Riverwalk. It travels a short distance to the Sunapee Visitors' Center and turns right up Route 11. At the bridge, the trail crosses over Route 11 to Lower Main Street. It follows Lower Main Street to either School Street or North Road. (According to the 2015 guide book and map) the official route goes up School Street, but there's blazes that go all the way up North Road. It's unclear if the SRKG Coalition is working on another map to reflect these changes.

Whether you take the School Street or North Road route, you'll wind up at the top of Sargent Road. From here, keep following North Road. Turn right onto gravel Hilltop Drive and follow this to Apple Hill Road. Here, the trail turns left (still following Hilltop Drive).

It turns right onto North Road and runs along the paved road for a ways. It climbs over Cemetery Hill, descends, then climbs again. After passing by Trow Hill Road, the pavement ends and the trail follows the dirt portion of North Road. Shortly after passing by Journey's End Lane (on the right), you'll run into a gate for a Class 6 Road. Here, is the only part of this section that follows a trail instead of the roads.

The trail comes out of the woods and arrives at Hogg Hill Road. Turn left onto Hogg Hill Road and descend to Stoney Brook Road. Turn right and follow Stoney Brook Road (beneath Interstate 89) to Deer Hill Road. Unfortunately, the SRKG doesn't follow Corridor 349 to Stoney Brook Road; this would eliminate some of the road-running.

Flora: Tamarack, Chokecherry, Red Raspberry, Beaked Hazelnut, Cattail.
Fungi: Chocolate Bolete, Chicken of the Woods.
Fauna: Red Squirrel, Indigo Bunting, Blue Jay, Catbird, Ant Lion, Dragonfly, Mosquitoes, Black Flies.