Mount Sunapee State Park sits on the western shore of Lake Sunapee in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, spreading across nearly 2,900 acres of forested mountain terrain. The park’s centerpiece is Mount Sunapee itself, rising to 2,743 feet and offering some of the best summit views in southern New Hampshire — on a clear day, you can see Mount Monadnock to the south and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the west.

In summer, the park’s Lake Sunapee Beach draws families with its sandy shoreline, bathhouse, and roped swimming area. The lake’s clear waters are ideal for kayaking and fishing, while hikers can tackle the Andrew Brook Trail or the Solitude Trail to the summit, both offering moderate climbs through birch and spruce forest. The chairlift operates seasonally, giving visitors a scenic ride to the top without the effort. Come fall, the mountain becomes one of New Hampshire’s prime leaf-peeping destinations, with the summit panorama showcasing a patchwork of orange, gold, and crimson across the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge region.

Winter transforms the park entirely — Mount Sunapee Resort operates a full ski area on the mountain’s slopes, though the resort and state park function separately.

The best time to visit depends on what you’re after: late June through August for swimming and hiking, late September through mid-October for peak foliage. The beach area and facilities typically operate from late May through Labor Day. Arrive early on summer weekends, as parking fills quickly.

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• Connecticut River Byway — Scenic Byway in Massachusetts
• Green Mountain National Forest — National Forest in Vermont