Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway

Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway
Name	Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway
Location	Sullivan County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Length	75 miles
Use	Hiking
Established	1990s
Difficulty	Moderate to strenuous

Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway is a roughly 75-mile hiking loop traversing Lake Sunapee, Mount Sunapee, Mount Kearsarge (New Hampshire), and the Ragged Mountain (New Hampshire). The Greenway connects municipal parks, Monadnock Region landmarks, state forests, and private preserves, linking trail systems such as the Sunapee State Park network, Mount Kearsarge State Forest, and segments used by regional clubs including the Appalachian Mountain Club, Green Mountain Club, and local chapters of the New England Mountain Bike Association.

Overview

The Greenway functions as a long-distance footpath integrating conserved landscapes like Weymouth Township, Elkins, New London, New Hampshire, Springfield, New Hampshire, and Andover, New Hampshire. It intersects recreational and historic sites including Stark Park (New Hampshire), Colby-Sawyer College, Proctor Academy, Keene State College holdings, and town forests managed by New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation entities and regional land trusts such as the Monadnock Conservancy and Upper Valley Land Trust. The route promotes connections among National Park Service-adjacent corridors, local trails maintained by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and volunteer organizations like the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition.

Route and Trail Description

The loop weaves over summits, ridgelines, and valleys linking trailheads at Mount Sunapee State Park, Newbury (New Hampshire), Andover (New Hampshire), Salisbury, New Hampshire, and Springfield, New Hampshire. Key segments include the ascent of Mount Sunapee (New Hampshire), the traverse of Kearsarge North, crossings of ridges near Ragged Mountain, and lowland connectors through Blodgett Forest parcels. The Greenway uses segments of historic pathways adjacent to Lake Sunapee, crossings near Newport, New Hampshire corridors, and connectors that align with rights-of-way owned by organizations such as the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Hikers encounter junctions with trails maintained by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy-affiliated groups, loop options to Mount Cardigan, and spur trails to institutions like Pillsbury State Park.

History and Development

Origins trace to local conservation initiatives inspired by regional trail systems including the Appalachian Trail and the Monadnock Trail. Early advocates from Sullivan County (New Hampshire) towns partnered with landowners and entities such as the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, New Hampshire Audubon, and the Trust for Public Land to formalize the Greenway in the 1990s. Funding and easement negotiations involved the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, municipal governments of New London, New Hampshire and Claremont, New Hampshire, and volunteer labor from clubs like the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Green Mountain Club. Subsequent improvements received support from federal programs administered by the National Park Service and grants from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

Natural Environment and Wildlife

The Greenway traverses habitats ranging from montane spruce-fir stands on summits to mixed northern hardwoods in valleys. Notable natural communities include northern red oak stands, eastern hemlock groves, and pitch pine-scrub oak ridgelines near Ragged Mountain. Wildlife observed along the corridor includes species protected by state agencies: American black bear, white-tailed deer, moose, red fox (Vulpes vulpes), migratory Bald eagles along Lake Sunapee shoreline, and passerines tracked by Audubon Society chapters in the region. Wetland complexes along tributaries of the Connecticut River corridor provide habitat for amphibians monitored by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and plant communities cataloged by researchers from University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College.

Recreation and Use

Recreational activities focus on hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, birdwatching, and backcountry camping on sections permitting overnight stays. The Greenway supports thru-hiking challenges promoted by regional outfitters and guidebooks from publishers like AMC Publications and trail maps used by Garmin-equipped navigators. Events organized by local clubs include guided hikes with the Appalachian Mountain Club, youth outings with Boy Scouts of America troops, and conservation workdays coordinated with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Nearby inns and outfitters in New London, New Hampshire and Sunapee, New Hampshire serve as resupply points.

Management and Conservation

Management is a cooperative model involving town conservation commissions, state agencies such as the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation, nonprofit land trusts including the Monadnock Conservancy and Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and volunteer stewards from the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition. Conservation strategies employ conservation easements negotiated with the Trust for Public Land, forest management plans aligning with standards promoted by the Forest Stewardship Council, and invasive species control coordinated with the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food. Trail maintenance protocols follow guidelines used by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and safety coordination often involves New Hampshire Fish and Game Department officers and local fire departments.

Access and Nearby Communities

Trailheads and access points are distributed near communities including New London, New Hampshire, Sunapee, New Hampshire, Andover, New Hampshire, Salisbury, New Hampshire, Newport, New Hampshire, and Claremont, New Hampshire. Public transportation options connect via regional hubs in Concord, New Hampshire and Lebanon, New Hampshire, while nearest interstate access uses Interstate 89 and Interstate 93. Nearby cultural and educational institutions serving visitors include Colby-Sawyer College, Plymouth State University, and Dartmouth College outreach programs. Local businesses, chambers of commerce, and visitor bureaus in Lake Sunapee Region towns provide maps and seasonal information.

Category:Hiking trails in New Hampshire